We've guided treks out of Cusco since 2006, and the Inca Trail still gets us excited every season. Tierras Vivas keeps groups small and hires local guides who grew up in these valleys, with gear built for cold nights above 4,000 meters. Beyond the classic trail, we run Salkantay, Lares, and Sacred Valley routes to Machu Picchu, plus full Peru travel packages for longer trips across the country.
A once-in-a-lifetime experience,
We just got back from a 3-day tour of the Sacred Valley, the Short Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu with Tierras Vivas. It was simply amazing. Everything—from the fantastic tour guides to the accommodations, the restaurants, the hike, and the visit to Machu Picchu... everything. It was well-organized, paced to match our abilities, informative, and the natural scenery and ruins were simply breathtaking.
★★★★★ Rony L - TripAdvisor - May 2026
Every guide on our team either grew up in the Sacred Valley or spent years training on the trail before leading their first group — that's the difference between reciting facts and actually knowing the mountain.
Some travelers want four days on the trail with a tent and a headlamp. Others want a private guide, a hotel bed in Aguas Calientes, and the train. We run both — plus everything in between, from family day trips to multi-week routes across Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
These itineraries string together more than one stamp in your passport — four days on the Inca Trail followed by two nights in the Amazon, or two weeks covering Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and Colca Canyon in a single trip. Don't see the combination you're after? Our tailor-made trip team will build one from scratch.
Tierras Vivas started as a two-person operation in Cusco in 2006 and has grown into a team of licensed guides, trekking chefs, and porters who live in the same valleys our trails pass through. We hold Peru's official tour operator license through Mincetur, and our 2023 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence came from travelers who actually walked the trail with us — not a marketing claim.
What sets the day-to-day apart is flexibility: a couple wanting a private 2-day Inca Trail, a family booking the Salkantay route with extra rest days, a group wanting Machu Picchu combined with the Amazon — we plan around the traveler, not a fixed template. If a route doesn't exist yet, our tailor-made trip team builds it.
Andres Huaman has been leading groups to Machu Picchu for over a decade. Clemente Huaman turns out three meals a day on a camp stove at 4,000 meters without repeating a dish. Every guide on our crew was born and raised in these valleys, licensed to lead, and trained to explain the Inca and Quechua history behind each site — not just point at it. Our porters carry the load that makes a multi-day trek possible at all.
Machu Picchu Guide
Trekking Chef
Guide
Chef
Machu Picchu Guide
Every trek we run touches the same valleys we ask our porters to call home, so we built our operation around that responsibility instead of bolting it on afterward. Through the Responsible People Foundation, we've planted over 30,000 native trees on Andean land, cut plastic waste on the trail with reusable snack bags, and channel income directly to the Patacancha, Cochayoc, and Rumira communities that keep these treks running.
Tierras Vivas and Responsible People are working hand in hand with the Rumors and Patacancha communities to improve the lives of the families of porters
Tierras Vivas and Responsible People foundation planted 10,000 native trees every year. Our mission is reforestation the communities of Cusco and Peru.
Tierras Vivas provides the Snack Bag in some short hikes and tours such as Inca Trail and Machu Picchu in order to save the environment from plastic waste
This program is to provide a highland community with basic products. This is an opportunity companies to contribute to projects helping the community.
Responsible People foundation was created by Tierras Vivas to creates and supports communities-based social impact and conservation environment projects
Tierras Vivas and Responsible People are working with the Cocoyoc community, located in Lares, Cusco, Peru. Our porters live in this community........
Our 2025 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence didn't come from a marketing campaign — it came from travelers like these, who hiked the trail with our guides and came back to write about it. Here's what a few of them had to say.
One in a lifetime experince, We just came back from 3 days tour Sacred Valley, Short Inca Trail and Mach Picchu with Tierras Vivas. It was simple amazing. Everything. From the fantastic tour guides, to the accommodations, the restaurants, the trekking, the Machu Picchu visit... all of it. Well coordinated, pace according to our abilities, informative and the nature/ruins are simple breathtaking.
Unforgettable experience!, Our guide Nico was very experienced and extremely knowledgable. Nico’s passion for his work is really reflected in how he leads his tours. Next time in Peru I’ll definitely be giving him a call 10/10
We had a wonderful experience with Samu in Machu Pichu. We can thank Sami enough for making our visit unforgettable.
Permit rules change, trails open and close for maintenance, and "best time to visit" depends on which region you're asking about — our blog is where we keep that information current, written by the same team that runs the treks.
Tierras Vivas Guardians of the Natural Heritage and of the Santurary of Machu Picchu
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