I recommend finding a local agency, preferably based in Cusco, who has many years of experience taking travelers on local treks. Once you have found a company that you like, ask them about worker wages and benefits, especially for porters, cooks and muleteers.

Not all agencies are licensed for the Inca Trail. When considering an agency, ask if they are operators. Agencies that aren’t operators will farm their clients out to other agencies. I recommend booking directly with operators because they will be able to answer your questions about guides and equipment.

If you are considering doing the Inca Trail, ask about porter rations and accommodations during the trek. The cheapest agencies not only pay poorly, but also don’t provide decent food, tents, sleeping bags or medical care for the porters.

Porters are frequently made to sleep in the tent that clients use for meals, which means they can’t rest until everybody else has gone to bed and they have to get up early so the tables can be reassembled and set for breakfast. Learn more at the Porter’s Voice Collective.