 Since
our first steps in the Himalaya in 1969 we've subscribed
to the highest standards of environmental sensitivity wherever
we travel. We travel in small groups (average size is 10)
- not only to provide you with a more intimate experience
- but also to have less impact on habitats and local cultures.
For our adventures in Machu Picchu responsible travel also
involves carrying out all waste.
Besides doing what we can in the field in order to preserve
and sustain the world's unique cultures and delicate environments,
we are proud to support a number of worthy organizations
that, day after day, contribute to the betterment of societies
around the world. One of these organizations is Instituto
Machu Picchu (IMAPI).
Alfredo Ferreyros, our Director of Operations in Peru, helped
create the IMAPI in 1999. IMAPI is dedicated to the conservation
of natural and cultural resources in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary
and its main objectives are:
 Develop
activities that conserve, protect and restore the cultural
heritage in and around the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. - Participate in established mechanisms to support the
Sanctuary – Develop programs that resolve social
problems in the Sanctuary.
- Promote the welfare of the existing rural population
in the area through agro-ecological technology and the
recovery and sustainable use of Andean crops.
- Develop activities and interpretation center, audiovisual
products, exhibits, and informational materials that
educate visitors about the cultural and natural diversity
of the region.
- Develop cultural and natural sciences research projects
with national and foreign universities and additional
institutions.
- Develop educational programs for the local population
with Sanctuary stakeholders.
- Develop projects that include the conservation and
rational use of the area's natural resources.
- Develop programs and nurseries that restore native
forests and habitat in the region.
- Work with Sanctuary stakeholders, government agencies,
official authorities, and the private sector to promote
social and environmental responsibility.
- Strategize to help resolve the legal and physical problems
that exist in and around the Sanctuary.
IMAPI recently led a public awareness campaign, including
a 12-minute documentary that aired on various local channels
in the Cuzco area, to promote the importance of this
National Protected Area. In addition, seminars and meetings
were held directed at tour operators, the rural population,
and the Cuzco society at large. IMAPI is slowly becoming
an institution with a focus on creating a space where
the public, stakeholders, and government institutions
can follow up on the Master Plan, revising yearly operational
plans and discussing alternatives to urban sprawl, rural
development, and sustainability.
If you're interested in learning more about this worthy
organization, please go to www.IMAPI.org
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