Why Choose SAM Travel Peru?

Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence

SAM Travel has received from Trip Advisor the Certificate of Excellence for the last three years. Please check out our reviews and certificates of excellence on TRIPADVISOR for yourself!

The Inca Trail treks for 1, 2, 4, or 5 days

SAM Travel Peru has a large variety of options for those that want to hike the Inca Trail. We offer the Classic Inca Trail in 4, or 5 days treks. We also have the Inca Trail trek in a 2 day or 1 day format where those that want a shorter hike can still enjoy the incredible experience of hiking the trail and entering through the Sun Gate to the Citadel of Machu Picchu.

When you book with SAM Travel Peru, you are going with an experienced local tour operator that knows what trekkers are looking for in a tour. Our college-trained licensed professional guides are very fluent in English and knowledgeable of the culture and history of the Incas. Our chefs provide gourmet buffet style food on all of our treks and can adjust to all dietary needs such as vegetarian or vegan. Hiking the Inca Trail with SAM Travel Peru is a life changing experience with a fully portered trek where your comfort and enjoyment are our first priority at no additional cost, unlike others that may charge up to $150 for extra services. Our trekking team is fully equipped by SAM Travel Peru with the best possible gear such as back supports, proper shoes, and clothing.

For the Classic Inca Trail, we camp at the least crowed campsites and provide roomy four man tents for two persons only. Our rental equipment is of high quality; Coleman sleeping bags -15°, Blackjack trekking poles and Therma Rest Air Mattresses. In addition, on our Classic Inca trail treks, you will have a hot shower on the third day. For those that want to take more time to relax, take photos and explore we offer the 4-day trek in a 5-day trek format. It is great for families, for more mature trekkers, or anyone that still wants to do the Classic Inca Trail but is a more relaxed trekking pace. We offer either trek in a group or private service.

100% Direct Local Tour Operator based in Cusco

SAM (initials of Saul Alvarez Montalvo) Travel Peru is a family owned travel agency and direct local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. SAM Travel Peru is a 100% Cusquenian Company without any shareholders. Saul the owner is passionate about providing people the best quality service possible.

Unique Tours & Trekking routes

SAM Travel Peru is the specialist in creating unique tour and trekking routes. We focus on trekking “Off the Beaten Track” and camping at places no one else does! On the Lares trek, we have our own campsites for our trekkers only. Our special trek routes do not follow the crowds. No other trek and tour operators do this. This gives you the best possible opportunity to experience the marvels and wonders of the Inca Trail & Alternative Treks like the Lares Valley Hike and Salkantay Trek. Thus, you will have a truly wilderness experience off the beaten track.

Large Variety of Alternative Treks

Is the Inca Trail Sold out for your chosen date? do not fret, we have a large variety of alternative treks to Machu Picchu available. This gives our passengers plenty of options to choose. We do not just focus on the standard treks that everyone else offers. We have Lares Treks, Salkantay treks and Ausangate treks. However, it is important to explore our unique routes and benefits we have added to provide the best experience for our trekkers. Our treks have different routes, campsites and added features that no one else does. It costs a bit more to do this but our focus is to provide the best “Off the Beaten Track Trekking” experience possible.

Other alternative treks we offer from 2 to 9 days are Huchuy Qosqo trek, Ancascocha trek, Inca Quarry trek, Choquequirao trek and Ausangate with Rainbow Mountain. We also have a special combination trek of Lares 3 & 4 days and the Short Inca Trail, 1 & 2 days, which is very popular and provides the best of both worlds, the Lares and the Inca Trail. Another special trek we have is the 7 days Salkantay trek and Classic Inca Trail. If you only want a couple of days of trekking or a trek to challenge yourself of 7 or more days, SAM Travel Peru has an option for you.

Here are some great Alternative Treks to Machu Picchu, just click on the links below to explore them:

Customized Tours & Packages

SAM Travel Peru has customized tours and packages for all budgets, which are created to meet our clients’ desires when looking for something unique in a travel experience. Our adventure tours and all-inclusive packages are carefully designed to give the best tour experience possible. Our tours are done in private or small groups with an average 4 to 6 persons and a maximum of 8 persons. We have several tours to Machu Picchu from which to choose.

With our tour packages, we have the flexibility to adapt them to your needs, such as you want to spend an extra day in Machu Picchu, add an additional tour or change the order around. Just let us know what you want to do and we will send you a customized itinerary. The details of all of our tours and tour packages can be found on our website at www.samtravelperu.com under the titles of “Tours to Machu Picchu” and “Packages”. Take some time to explore it!

All tours and Treks are operated by SAM Travel and all Departures are 100% Guaranted

All Treks & Tours are provided only by SAM Travel Peru staff and professional guides. What that means for you is that SAM Travel Peru will never pass you onto another company or 3^rd Party; we will work with you until we get it right…. All the departures are 100% guaranteed – If you are booked and have made your deposit. ! You are going!

Personalized Attention with the Most Dedicated Team

SAM Travel Peru is a family owned tour agency based in Cusco, which provides personalized attention to each client’s needs from the very beginning to the very end of our treks and tours. We want you to feel that your needs and desires are important to us. We work hard with all the details because we want you to have the best travel experience possible. The personalized service includes making little adjustments to our tours or treks so that we can meet your individual needs. One size does not fit all. We keep our groups small, 4 to 6 on average with a maximum of eight people and offer private groups for a little extra money. By keeping our groups small, our professional guides can give each client the personalized attention they deserve and want.

Customized & Unique Trekking Routes

We have the most customized trekking routes to meet our clients’ needs when looking for something different other than the typical classic treks offered everywhere. Our adventure treks are carefully planned and designed to give the best trekking experience possible. Their details can be found ONLY on our site, www.samtravelperu.com. Take some time to explore our numerous options!

Unique Trekking Routes: SAM Travel Peru is the specialist in creating unique trekking routes, following the original Inca Trail through the Andes Mountain Range. Trekking off the beaten track and camping at places no one else does! No other trek and tour operators do this. This gives you the best possible opportunity to experience the marvels and wonders of the Inca Trail & Alternative Treks like Lares Valley Hike and Salkantay Trek.

Incredible Guides, Chefs and Crew Employed & Trained by SAM Travel Peru

SAM Travel Peru carefully chooses the best native Inca guides possible. They all speak fluent English and are passionate about trekking in the Andes. All of them have a University Degrees in Tourism and Guiding in order to become Professional Guides. Each guide is licensed and has completed studies in Archeology, Anthropology and Biology. We only hire guides with a minimum of 2 or more years of experience. That means the best possible experience for you with guides that truly speak English and are knowledgeable in the Inca History, Heritage and Culture. In addition, all of our guides get trained by the RED CROSS in first aid, CPR and are prepared to deal with possible health emergencies.

Our professional chefs are fabulous! On the treks out in the middle of nowhere, they are able to prepare delicious and abundant Buffet style meals. Our professional and dedicated cooks from a mixture of local and exotic produce prepare Peruvian and International Cuisine. We also cater to vegetarians, vegans, and other types of special diets or special dietary requirements upon request. We are sure you will enjoy your gourmet meals as you trek the Inca Trail.

What Are You Getting for Your Money?

SAM Travel Peru always answers all emails promptly. We have online chat services, whatsapp, and international phone numbers from the USA, Canada, England, and Australia with which you can call us. You can also contact us through skype, ID samtravelperu. If you need us to call you, we can call you anywhere in the world. Just put it on your booking form or send us an email. That makes communicating with us easy and personal. We love to hear from you!

SAM Travel office staff are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and passionate about offering you great service! Our office staff, Saul, Yesenia, Sophia, Elizabeth, and Anita are the backbone to our whole operation at SAM Travel Peru. We can thank our staff for a problem free and relaxing holiday for everyone. From the moment, you are in contact with us until the moment you leave on your tour or trek they are organizing everything down to the tiniest detail, so that your trip goes off without a hitch.

SAM TRAVEL PERU believes and is committed in using ECO-TOURISM as a tool to encourage the protection of the natural environment. We endeavor to encourage a love and respect of nature through enhanced understanding and awareness, both in our staff and clients. With local communities we create frameworks where the ECO-TOURISM business promotes truly sustainable use of pristine natural environments and nature. These benefits are shared equally and fairly with communities, with no loss to the natural environment.

To sustain tourism for the future, Sam Travel Peru works on projects to clean and maintain the Incan Trails where they have treks. We take our responsibility in this area seriously.

Here are some different ways that SAM Travel Peru is giving back to our local communities.

We are actively involved in setting up service projects to benefit the local communities through which we trek, such as clothing, food, and education support etc.
We train the locals in the isolated communities of the Andes in skills such as weaving, raising llamas, & agricultural production and much more.
We are very committed to ensuring that the local people benefit through tourism.
We create new jobs and opportunities to improve the living standards of the local people and their families
We give fair treatment, decent wages for all our local employees and health insurance for our crew and staff.
We use locally owned transportation and accommodation.
We protect and ensure that the indigenous wisdom of the native Inca communities is not lost.

We provide educational scholarships for individuals who lack resources to realize their dreams and reach their potential.

The service projects of SAM Travel Peru provide a link between visitors and the Andean communities, via financial donation, gifts, and intellectual contribution to projects.

Some examples of our recent service projects are: “Clean Up Campaign” “Animal Welfare” The Welfare of the Staff (Office team, Guides and porters)” “GUIDING HIGHLAND STUDENTS INTO THE AMAZING INCA CITIES” “Last Christmas Party with Gifts.”

All of these small activities could not happen without the support we have received from so many tourists “we could not have done it without YOU.” Please help us to continue doing Social Project by bringing clothes, toys, and school supplies etc.

SAM Travel Peru carefully chooses the best native Inca licensed professional guides possible. They all speak fluent English and are passionate about trekking in the Andes. All of them have a University Degrees in Tourism and Guiding in order to become Professional Guides. Each guide is licensed and completed studies in Archeology, Anthropology and Biology as a part of their training. We only hire guides with a minimum of 4 or more years of experience. That means the best possible experience for you with guides that truly speak English and are knowledgeable in the Inca History, Heritage and Culture. In addition, all of our guides are trained by the RED CROSS in first aid, CPR and are prepared to deal with possible health emergencies.

Our Professional Chefs are fabulous. On the treks out in the middle of nowhere, they are able to prepare delicious and abundant Buffet style meals. Our professional and dedicated cooks from a mixture of local and exotic produce prepare Peruvian and International Cuisine. We also cater to vegetarians, vegans, and other types of special diets or special dietary requirements upon request. We are sure you will enjoy your gourmet meals as you trek the Inca Trail.

We employ around 90 porters. They all are farmers by trade and are native quechua speakers. They are mainly from the three villages of Huacawasi, Calca and Patacancha. Along the Inca trail they are called our “Orange Machine” our Super Porters. Our incredible porters are ready to carry your camping gear, food at all times and they are happy to help you with your necessities. It is important to us that we employ porters from the local villages, because by doing so we are supporting their local economies and supplying them with a reliable income.

Most of them have more than 6 children and need employment. SAM Travel Peru makes sure that all of our porters families are supported and ensure the children are educated and supplied with necessary equipment like books and notebooks.

Remember the survival of the Inca trail would be impossible if not for these local people and you.

Up to Date Equipment and Assistance to Carry Your Duffel Bag: We purchase new equipment every year in a 2 -3 year rotation and are constantly seeking out the most comfortable brands to use. We provide thick foam mattresses to all of our clients. We also have available to rent warm clean sleeping bags, Therma-rest Air Mattresses and Trekking Poles. On all of our treks of 3 to 9 days, we use porters or horses to carry your duffel bags, a maximum of 7 kilos that includes your sleeping bag and air mattress. You can relax and enjoy your trek with no worries about carrying your belongings.

SAM Travel Peru believes in making your trekking experience something to remember. We carry your duffle bag not you! This frees up our trekkers to relax, enjoy and focus on the incredible scenery and not on carrying a heavy backpack. All of our treks of more than 2 days include a porter or horses to carry your duffle bag at no extra cost.

Tours to Machu Picchu & All Inclusive Packages

We have the most customized tours and packages for all budgets. They are created to meet our clients’ desires and needs when looking for something unique in a travel experience. Our adventure tours and all-inclusive packages are carefully designed to give the best tour experience possible. Our tours are done in small or private groups with an average 4 to 6 persons and a maximum of 8 persons. We have several tours to Machu Picchu from which to choose.

We also have many all-inclusive packages; some with treks included and others are comprehensive tours only. Our all-inclusive packages include everything for your tours (except food), no added costs. They are priced with hotels or without hotels included if you wish to book your own hotels. There is the option to make them completely private for your group only. We even have a couple of luxury packages, one with the Hiram Bingham train and one with the Andean Explorer luxury train to Puno.

With our tours and all-inclusive packages, we have the flexibility to adapt them to your needs, such as you want to spend an extra day in Machu Picchu, add an additional tour or change the order a bit. Just let us know what you want to do and we will send you a customized itinerary. The details of all of our tours and tour packages can be found on our website at www.samtravelperu.com under the titles of “Tours to Machu Picchu” and “Packages”. Take some time to explore it!

There is always the option with SAM Travel Peru tours, treks, and all-inclusive packages to make them private for a small additional price.