These are the people that make the Inca Trail happen for thousands of people every month. They keep everything running smoothly, like clockwork and ensure everything runs without a hitch. They are an asset, whom deserve greater recognition. Here's what you need to know!
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Let's Talk more about the Porters
Now, you actually don't have to have porters but we would highly recommend them, and they 100% add to the experience. They depend solely on tourism so you will be helping the community, as mentioned in why we chose G Adventures, which you can find here. A single booking can support over 500 staff members by purchasing the trek. The support is needed now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
Day to Day
Our group size was fairly big by Inca Trail standards, and consisted of 16 trekkers. This meant we had 24 porters including chef, assistant chef, in addition to guide and assistant guide. As mentioned in our kit list post, the porters are permitted by law to carry a maximum of 20kg. For some porters this 20kg will include, cooking equipment, tents, tables, food (including eggs, how did they not crack?!), for others, it will be multiple trekkers duffel bags.
You meet the porters on Day 1 of the trail, at a meeting point for all groups, you hand over your duffel bags to porters and they pack them up. It's all a bit chaotic, especially as it can get quite busy but you'll soon be on your way to the start point. Along with the porters, who will immediately go ahead to get to the lunch spot before you.
We already mention in our comprehensive guide that the porters are the unsung hero's and we really mean it! Not only do they carry your belongings and cook for you, they leave camp after you each morning and every meal time. The porters must first clean up, leaving no trace and then pack up camp. They then come flying past, often running, they're pretty agile on their feet, to reach the lunch stop. They even manage to get there in enough time that they have the dining tent set up, water boiling for hot drinks on arrival and food cooking, all before the first person arrives. Then, the same again after lunch, rushing past to reach that nights camp, this time set up all tents and again have food cooking and snacks waiting. It's all very impressive if you ask us, and we were very thankful for it considering the weather we got, a lot of rain, we could dive into our tents and warm up or go straight to the communal dining tent and get a hot drink and huddle like penguins.
Meeting the porters
The first evening after food, we gathered all together on the campsite. All the porters, cooks and guides introduced themselves in Quechuan, the local language. Our lead guide Javier then translated. Most of them would tell us their name, age, family, whether they were single or married, how many kids they had, and some of them told us how long they had been a porter and whether they wished to become a guide. A few were hoping to or were training to be assistant or lead guides, porters are often the starting point. Usually there was quite a lot of laughs and claps, then each of us did the same with Javier translating it back to Quechuan. The oldest porter was in his 60s and had been a porter for decades, it was incredible to think how many times we must have done the trail, how healthy he must be, but also how much of a strain it must have been.
A 5 Star Service
Every morning they will be your personal alarm clock, and will bring you a hot bowl of water and a cup of tea and on an evening they'll bring you another hot bowl of water if that's not 5 star service we don't know what is. If, anything we felt a bit guilty we were being waited on.
The porters will clap for you when you arrive at camp, but you really feel like you should be clapping for them. The least you can do is cheer and clap when they run past you on the trail, we were taught how to say encouraging phrases in Quechuan, such as 'keep going', which we would shout as they ran past. You can tell which porters are yours as they have the tour operators logo on the bags and generally wear clothes supplied by the company, but who says the cheers have to be limited to your porters!
We should also mention the incredible chefs, who even managed to make us a cake after a gruelling day 2, find out more about food on our main post.
Injuries and bad backs
Saldy, despite the porters law limiting the weight they can carry, porters often have back issues from the bags. As we mentioned porters are permitted to carry 20kg, which for at first glance most may presume this is an easy weight to lift. For fewer it may seem reasonable weight to carry, for those used to backcountry camping trips in the mountains carrying everything on their back it may be something they're used to. However, when it comes to the porters they haven't got super technical, rucksacks with airflow systems and padded hip belts, instead they carry bags that can be packed up quickly, with all different shaped objects, and look incredibly difficult and uncomfortable to carry for days. This leads many to develop significant issues with their posture and backs.
Porters Trust, Fund and Projects
That leads us nicely on to porters projects. Many tour operators have set up charities which help set up projects where their tours are based. This is true for the Inca Trail and its porters many operators have porters funds, which help porters and their families, help those who want to become guides achieve this goal, and assistant with any injuries as well as providing support after retirement, although this doesn't eradicate the issue, it is nice knowing something is being done to help.
As mentioned in our why we chose G adventures, it's all the more important you choose a reputable tour company, as some are known to take any fines incurred from porters wages.
Final Evening
On the final evening the porters taught us how to say goodbye. In Quechan they will never say goodbye instead it's till we meet again; Tupananchikkama. So, this is exactly how we said goodbye to the porters. We formed a circle, one of us gave a speech, translated by Javier, of course the amazing food was mentioned and just how incredible what the porters do is, and then went around and shook their hands and said Tupananchikkama, we made sure to repeat it as we waved goodbye the following morning as we left camp!
Machu Picchu
Not many know this but sadly the majority of porters have never seen Machu Picchu, instead they peal off the trail before the last check point where you require an extra permit to enter. They head back to their homes or back to base camp for the next group. A couple years ago Exodus Travel made it their mission to arrange for their porters to visit Machu Pichu with tours in Quechan, all paid for, other companies have since started to follow suit on this initiative, we can only hope that all companies adopt this policy for a more equitable industry.
Fun Fact : Despite a gruelling annual race taking place on the trail, with competitors from all over the world its still no surprise that a local porter actually holds the record the time might still shock you though at 3 hours and 23 minutes, longer than a marathon and a lot higher than the average.
Let's talk about the Guides
The Basics
Each group has a lead guide and an assistant guide. You meet them in Cusco, and again in Ollyantaytambo. They also travel with you back to Aguas Caliente and then again back to Cusco.
As each individual in the group walks at their own pace, the group will naturally break up, one guide will go at the front and the other at the back, this is to ensure safety of all members of the group.
They have the first aid kit and are first aid trained. Plus if you're generally not feeling very well tell them!
They are extremely knowledgable. We had talks along the trail at ruins and at Machu Picchu itself, our lead guide led the tour and talks. You can take breaks when you want but there's also designated breaks spots chosen by your guide to check up on the whole group, have a snack etc.
Our Guides
Our lead guide was called Javier and our Assistant guide called Josef.
Javier was a former porter, and Josef main goal was to become a lead guide. So, as part of his training Javier let him lead some parts and take on some of the roles and responsibility of the lead guide.
They could both speak multiple languages, including Spanish, English and Quechuan.
From the start sign onwards you choose a team name to cheer and 'oh my knees' became the catch phrase of the trip, our guide introduced it as an alternative to 'cheese' for photos. It was then tradition for the rest of our travels, these are the things you remember, not the difficulty!
We also learnt more about Perus internal conflicts (from 1980 to present) from our guides, than anywhere else. From the guerrilla army, to child soldiers, to the massacres, family separations and their effect on Peru, especially the rural areas. Most of which is largely unheard of to tourists. As the events are so recent many staff who work on various treks, have a troubled past, and still suffer with the trauma of such atrocities.
Let's talk about Tipping
This can be difficult as the price of the Inca Trail isn't cheap to begin with. We'd recommend you travel with a company which is transparent enough to allow you to see the break down of costs, and therefore the wages of both porters and guides.
Your tour operator will probably have a recommended amount, which you can probably find on your trip documents, or by contacting the operator or asking a member of staff in local offices. Sometimes this amount can be quite overwhelming especially if you are on a tight backpacker budget. It's important to remember how hard they work, and how their livelihood relies on tourism, the question is how much does it rely on tips, if it relies too heavily on tips, the company generally aren't paying them enough. Nevertheless, your tips to them probably mean more than you will know, when we spoke to them most of them had large families who relied on their income. So tip what you can, within reason and don't feel guilty if other members of the group are able to tip a lot more.
You also need to consider when is the most appropriate time to tip. You say an official goodbye to the porters on the evening of day 3, and last see them on the morning of day 4. Do you want to hand the tip over yourself, or hand it to the guides to hand to them or hand it to the operator, figure out what's best, discuss with the rest of your group.
For guides, we personally had a meal with them in Aguas Caliente, with various thank you's, though we were all exhausted by this point. Our guides also travelled back to Cusco with us and a few days later, when we'd all had a bit of rest and recuperated, we met up with our guides again for a meal and celebrations. For more to do in Cusco check out our city guide.
Check out our other Inca Trail Blog Posts:
Ways to Visit Machu Picchu , Alternatives to the Inca Trail
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