With plenty of investment in transport and tourism infrastructure it is now possible to see the highlights of Peru, including the relatively remote Machu Picchu, in just a few short days. Spend just a little more time, however, and you will begin to uncover some of the ‘hidden’ Peru – people and places that most visitors don’t get to experience, all while contributing to local livelihoods and communities.
Here are four examples of ethical and responsible slow travel experiences in Peru that foster interaction with local communities, provide stable livelihoods, and enhance the wellbeing of host communities throughout the Andean region.
Tierra de los Yachaqs
Working together with several communities in the Sacred Valley, La Tierra de los Yachaqs preserves the culture of the local people while allowing them to support their economy through responsible tourism.
La Tierra de Los Yachaqa
Crucial to this initiative is that the design and operation of the tourism remains in the hands of the community members, selecting the aspects of their culture they want shown and determining how they want to portray these aspects. Each of the five communities has its own unique experiences, and during a visit guests can pick and choose combinations of the activities depending on their own tastes and interests.
For example, visitors can engage in a textile demonstration or an exploration of herbal medicine and homeotherapy at the community of Amaru, learn about the traditional and sustainable agricultural practices of the Huayllafara community, or participate in the gastronomy experience, trying locally grown and traditionally prepared food of the Huchuy Qosqo community. These are just a few of the opportunities available to visitors of this ethical and sustainable experience.
Luquina Chico
At the tip of the Chucuito peninsula of Lake Titicaca lives the indigenous, Aymara-speaking community of Luquina Chico. The village is relatively small and seldom visited, yet the rural population living here as maintained thousands of years of tradition, apparent in its festivals, the clothing, and their everyday rituals.
Luquina Chico
This Andean community, whose way of life continues to be unaffected by mass tourism in the region, is protected by strict travel regulations with the guidance of an NGO called Swiss Contact. Supporting the local community financially, the Luquina Chico initiative raises money and uses the funds to help alleviate poverty in the region, raise their living standards, and provide basic necessities.
During the visit, travelers will have opportunities to view, and participate in, the daily rituals of farming, fishing, sailing, and cookery that allow this community to retain its self-sustainability. Visitors of the Luquina Chico community also have the privileged opportunity to enjoy the traditional dancing and music during the various festivities celebrated here.
Kusi Kawsay School
Located in the Urubamba Valley, walking distance from the Pisac market in Cusco, the Kusi Kawsay (meaning “happy life” in Quechua) school teaches students ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade. The school was founded by five families dedicated to improve the school system in the area, and through grants, donations, and personal sacrifice, they have raised, and continue to raise, money to fund the school and provide the area’s children with an alternative style of education.
Kusi Kawsay’s pedagogy aims to promote high self-esteem to its underprivileged youth through the integration of the native and traditional Andean culture into the classroom, allowing students to fuse their education and culture into one empowering identity.
The school welcomes visitors to come see the classrooms, interact with the students, observe the teaching principles, and contribute financially to the improvement of education for children in the Sacred Valley.
Living Heart
NGO Living Heart, a UK registered charity, provides a wide range of services to a variety of communities throughout the Sacred Valley. Founder Sonia Newhouse utilized her entrepreneur and organic gardening skills, compassion, and integrity as a foundation for what later would become a successful organization that would improve the lives of countless women, children, and communities in need.
Among many other services the charity provides, Living Heart donates educational and school materials to local children, organizes art and theater classes with volunteer teachers, delivers nutritional food to children and the elderly, teaches them about sustenance and healthy habits including contraception, and works on water purification projects to eliminate the risk of water-born parasites.
Collaborating extensively with the local communities and assessing their needs, Living Heart provides cost-effective and sustainable solutions that provide safety, knowledge, and a brighter future for Andean communities in need.
Visitors can get involved with Sonia Newhouse’s NGO during their trip by choosing to donate one of the essential items on their Wish List or more directly by volunteering your teaching, marketing, medical, engineering, agricultural, or other areas of expertise.