Inca Trail Porter Project

Bringing Peru’s Porters to Machu Picchu

The architectural phenomenon that is Machu Picchu attracts a staggering number of tourists from all over the world every single day. Keen trekkers and day-trippers alike flock in their thousands to witness the breath taking views at the Sun Gate in all its glory.

Porters are the life and soul of the Inca Trail. They are the local people employed to ensure trekkers’ luggage makes it to camp every day throughout the four-day trek. They tackle gruelling altitudes of above 4,000m, treacherous conditions, and a notoriously demanding trail, all the while carrying up to 20kg of luggage on their backs. Without them, most trekkers would simply not complete the renowned trail. As trekkers embark on their final leg of the trek towards the iconic site, porters have ordinarily already begun their descent to Aguas Calientes, where they prepare for their next trip up the mountain. This, along with the cost of entry, has sadly prevented most Inca Trail porters from ever visiting Machu Picchu despite its centrality to local heritage and Peruvian culture.

In 2017, Exodus took its first steps towards challenging this industry-wide norm. Our passion for giving back to those who work so tirelessly to ensure our travellers have a once-in-a-lifetime trek is stronger than ever.

In 2026, we were proud to confirm that 200 of our Inca Trail porters have visited Machu Picchu.