Canadian World Traveller Spring 2023 Issue

The Great Inca Road: Intrepid Launches New Trek in Peru
Intrepid to Become the First Global Tour Operator to Bring Travelers Along a New Remote Section of the Famous Inca Trail
•Exploring the Caral-Supe archaeological
site, left behind by a civilisation pre-dating
the Inca and built at the same time as the
first Egyptian pyramids.
•Meeting with a master weaver to learn
about his work and life on the Great Inca
Road, where his family has lived for generations.
Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest B-
Corp-certified travel company, is debuting
a new 12-day trek of the Great Inca
Road. The new tour, which will depart for the
first time in June 2023, will offer an alternative
to the popular Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
and presents an opportunity to develop an
entirely new trekking region in Peru. The trail,
which starts in Huaraz, is nearly 1,000 miles
from Ollantaytambo where the famous Inca
Trail embarks. This new section of the trail
will bring the benefits of tourism to new communities
and help with the ecological, historical
and cultural preservation of one of the
most important routes along the ancient Inca
Trail.
Intrepid, which worked to scout and preserve
the new path in partnership with fellow B
Corp SA Expeditions, will become the first
global tour operator to bring travelers along
this section of the 25,000-mile ancient highway.
Gary Cohen, Intrepid’s General
Photos: Intrepid Travel
Manager of Latin America, took part in one
of the first scouting trips within the region
during the early developmental stages of the
project. “We are so excited to share this
spectacular Great Inca Road trek with the
world,” says Cohen. “The future of Peru
tourism is truly in these trails, and without
sustainable development, they will be lost
forever,” he adds.
Intrepid’s new 12-day Peru Expedition: Trek
the Great Inca Road includes guided hikes,
accommodations, 11 breakfasts, five lunches
and four dinners. Other highlights
include:
•Joining a local leader and traditional llama
caravan to hike storied paths that few travelers
have ever seen.
•Visiting well preserved yet remote Inca outposts.
This new trip from Intrepid is an example of
the company’s ongoing commitment to
growing its style of sustainable, experiencerich
travel, as its product team continues to
create new and more responsible ways to
explore a destination. During the pandemic,
the Peruvian government announced they
would reduce the number of trekking permits
offered for the popular Inca Trail to help protect
and preserve the region and its famous
ruins. Today, only 500 trekking permits for
the traditional trail are offered per day,
which includes porters and other tourism
workers. The development of alternative
trekking routes in the Andes, such as the Inca
Trail Road, helps to drive tourism to new
communities while reducing the strain on the
environment.
“As a Quechua descendant and trekking
adventure guide, I’ve always dreamed of
walking some of Qhapaq Nañ [also known
as the Main Inca Road],” says Martiza
Chacacanta, Intrepid’s D eputy Operations
Manager in Peru. “Walking alongside llamas,
considered sacred by the Incas, and
resting in tambos where my ancestors would
have slept, made me feel privileged, blessed
and proud of my culture. Over the last few
months, we have been eager to welcome
travelers back to our country. Tourism plays
such a vital role for our economy and
impacts so many people's lives. Now, as travelers
return, I am so excited to show the
world the Great Inca Road and help preserve
it for future generations.” she adds.
www.intrepidtravel.com
World Traveler Spring 2023