Our Style

“The best adventure outfitter in Cusco”, Conde Nast

We offer exceptional Peru adventures for discerning travellers

Safety First

This occupies the top position for a reason. Safety underpins everything we do. We are widely regarded as the safest and best-equipped team on any expedition.

We carry an extensive emergency first aid kit on all trips plus satellite phones on all remote expeditions.

The key to Amazonas Explorer’s Safety Policy is our highly trained and superbly motivated staff. Our guides consistently make decisions that put safety above all else. These decisions include walking around rapids, waiting out for better weather, route changes, and limiting trip participation if the client may have issues continuing.

We expect clients to abide by these decisions. After all, it is for your own safety.

Travel Responsibly

We believe this is an obligation, not an option. Find out more about what we do here.

Travel Slowly

You may not have the luxury of weeks of vacation, but we encourage you to do a few things well, rather than try and see everything quickly. This helps you to relax and enjoy your trip, instead of returning home more tired than when you left. And you can always come back next year!

Allow space in your itinerary for the unexpected – to stop and chat with the locals, to join in the village festivities, to explore something that catches your eye. All of our trips are flexible to you and your preferences.

Expert local knowledge

We spend as much time out of the office as possible. You benefit from the huge knowledge base this allows us to build. You can find us out on your trips, exploring new routes, checking old ones, staying in your hotels, or dining in the restaurants we recommend to you. Everything is hand-selected and tested for you.

You will get a trip tailored to your needs and guides able to deal with any unexpected circumstances and make the most of any unexpected opportunities.

A trip with us is a trip that is guaranteed to have guides that are able to deal with any unexpected circumstances, as well as make the most of any unexpected opportunities. We think on our feet, and that helps to create some of the most authentic, spontaneous moments within a trip.

Great Guides

Your guide can make the difference between a good holiday and an exceptional holiday. Efrain Valles, who has worked with us for over ten years, was voted Wanderlust World Guide of the Year 2014. All our guides come to us as recommendations from our current guides. They are very careful who they recommend.

You can find more about our specific guide qualifications below under “Training and qualifications.”

24 hour back up

When traveling in a country like Peru, you want to know you will be looked after. Unlike some tour operators, we all live right here, and we are at the end of the telephone whenever you need. We also have the expertise and contacts to sort out any problems that arise.

It is rare you will have to phone us, as our guides are great at solving any issues. But if you ever do need us, we’re just a call away.

Escape the worst of the crowds

We know that there are certain places in Peru that are ‘must-sees’. Places like Machu Picchu. There is little that we can do to avoid these crowds. We do try our best, and have made improvements to the ‘usual experience’. Despite this, you will run into crowds at Machu Picchu.

However, if you allow us to take you to some lesser-known places (or use a different route or form of transport to get to semi-popular places) we can offer you some fantastic lower key experiences. Often these experiences turn out to be the highlight of the trip.

Small groups

If you join one of our fixed departures, you will share your tour with between two and sixteen like-minded people. This allows you a far more personal experience. It also allows you to interact with the local communities, rather than rushing through them in a self-contained bubble.

Training and qualifications

We consider training a vital investment to ensure the security and safety of all our trips. We also believe that trained guides are confident guides which help them to relax and enjoy the trip which we firmly believe will massively enhance your own personal enjoyment.

All our guides are qualified in first aid. We bring instructors in from the UK to run these courses. With all of these organizations, we have close contacts and experience this ensures that we are able to organize visits by the Doctors and treatments as quickly and as comfortably as possible.

Here are some specifics:

River Guides

All our white water rafting and kayaking guides hold the internationally recognised “Swiftwater Rescue Technician Advanced” qualification. Staff training on safe river-running techniques is constantly being reviewed.

All whitewater guides are deemed experienced and capable to raft at the high levels necessary on these demanding rivers. All have up-to-date first aid certificates, have agreed to abide by our commitment to maximum risk reduction, and are aware of emergency and evacuation procedures at any point.

A safety cover is provided for all river activities.

Inca Trail Guides

All have the necessary Tourism University degree required to be registered Inca Trail guides. This course includes Peruvian history, languages, International tourist circuits, geography, geology, company organization, and administration.

They have up-to-date outdoor first aid certificates and a working knowledge of hypothermia and altitude sickness. They are aware of emergency & evacuation procedures at any point. By trekking the Inca trail in five days ensures you never camp between the two high altitude passes where altitude sickness can take its toll. This means evacuation is a simple quick and effective operation.

Mountain Bike Guides

All have up-to-date first aid certificates and are aware of emergency and evacuation procedures at any point. They have a background in biking and can fix most roadside problems. On longer endurance trips a professional bike mechanic and spare bikes are taken as an extra precaution.

All our Mountain bike guides and mechanics are expert riders. Many have won or ranked highly in both local and international Downhill races.

Tour Conductors

All have up-to-date First aid certificates, ensure the implementation of our risk assessment and reduction policy, and are aware of emergency and evacuation procedures at any point.