Pandemic Relief for Machu Picchu Trek Porters & More

Fundraising campaign by Apus Peru
  • US$10,075
    raised of $6,000.00 goal goal
167% Funded
110 Donors
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The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the Peruvian tourism industry, slashing the income of many to zero. 80% of people in Cusco rely on tourism to earn their living and they have seen their income for 2020 vanish right before their eyes. Join us in raising funds to replace some of that lost income, and bring financial relief to the hard-working people of the Andes.

ABOUT US

Apus Peru Adventure Travel Specialists is a small, family-runtrekking and tour operator based in Cusco, Peru. We follow economically, culturally and environmentally responsible guidelines, offering off-the-beaten-track and truly unique travel experiences that enable travellers to connect with the “real” Peru.

Read more about everything we do as a responsible trekking company.

WHY ARE WE RAISING MONEY FOR OUR FIELD STAFF?

In March 2020, with the tourism high season still a couple months away, here in Peru, as everywhere else around the world, things ground to a sudden halt. The normally vibrant and dynamic city of Cusco became a ghost town. Major tourist attractions like Machu Picchu – which normally sees some 2500 visitors per day – became silent.

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism industry in Cusco has been completely destroyed. Our greatest concern right now is our field team – the guides, cooks, porters, muleteers and drivers who make our treks possible – many of whom live in disadvantaged indigenous communities.

They’re the people who walk alongside you on the trail, who make sure everything goes smoothly, and who make sure you safely get from point A to point B. They are literally the heart and soul of our company.


But this year they are facing the unimaginable: the very real possibility that they will have ZERO income this year.

With the confirmed bookings we had in place as of March 2020, we anticipated paying over USD $65,000 in wages to our field team in the coming months. With new bookings that we expected to trickle in throughout the year, we actually projected double that amount for the entire year.

With closed borders, world-wide lockdowns and a general feeling of anxiety in the air, it’s no surprise that many travellers are cancelling their bookings. As a result, the rest of the year is looking very uncertain for us and our field team.

That’s why we’re raising money for an emergency relief fund for our field staff. 100% of whatever we raise will go directly to them.

Our modest goal of $6000 USD – a mere 10% of our initial projections won’t replace the wages lost this year, but we hope it will provide some short term relief.


HOW YOU CAN HELP

With the vast majority of our 2020 bookings being cancelled or postponed, we are having to scrape by this year on less than 20% of our normal income. Our goal is to ensure that we maintain all of our office staff, and that we won’t need to resort to lay-offs. With some cost-saving measures in place, including moving our office staff to part time hours – we WILL be able to achieve this.

But we can’t forget our field staff, whose salaries depend on the balance of payments that we will not receive this year.

That’s why this time – we need YOUR help.

YOU can help ensure that drivers like Ever will be able to pay for their children’s schooling needs this year;

That muleteers like Agripino can afford to buy expensive staples that they can’t produce themselves, like oil, sugar and laundry detergent;

That guides like Herbert won’t fall into financial ruin because they can’t make their loan payments.

It may not seem like it, but even $10 will go a long way towards helping us meet our goal and every contribution counts.

Help us help them! We are all in this together.

As a thank you for your generous support of our initiative, we have curated a selection of rewards that (we hope!) you will love and will help you to feel connected to us, to the Andes, and to the incredible people that we work with.


CAN’T DONATE?

There are still ways you can help out!

By spreading the word. Tell your friends! Tell your neighbors! Tell your friendly corner grocer! Anyone and everyone you know who might be interested in Peru, responsible travel, the outdoors, mountains, or adventure trekking – and invite them to check out our campaign page!

Do you have a travel blog? Post a link to our website or to our campaign page and tell your followers about what we’re trying to do.

By following us on social media! We’ll be posting regularly on our Instagram and Facebook pages, so this is another great way to stay informed, and spread the message by re-posting our campaign-related posts.


Having problems while trying to donate?

Please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected] so we can investigate the problem and quickly find a solution!

Thank you!

The Apus Team



Rewards

Sulpayki! - That’s “thank you” in Quechua, the indigenous language of the Andes. We will give you a well-deserved shout out on our website and social media platforms.

2 Backers

Handwritten Thank You note - Who doesn’t love getting mail?? A personal thank you note, indelibly set out in pen and paper, old-school style.

8 Backers

Digital Post Card - To show our thanks, we’ll send you a digital post card, featuring a stunning image of Cusco.

2 Backers

Thank You Video from the Apus Peru Team - We’ve got that warm fuzzy feeling inside! To show our gratitude, we will send you a thank you video – a little piece of the Andes sent right to you!

12 Backers

Personalized Thank You Video - To show you just how special you are, we’ll create a thank you video - just for you! A personal tribute you can cherish forever.

2 Backers

Apus Peru Digital Calendar - Hmmm, what do you give to someone this generous?? You almost had us stumped! We want to send you our PERSONAL thanks, from the bottom of our hearts with this stunning 12-month digital calendar featuring some of our best photos of Cusco, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and more. Dream about Peru all year long!

11 Backers

$25 USD Gift Card from Threads of Peru - 25 whole dollars for you to spend on anything you like in the Threads of Peru online store. Handwoven treasures from the Andes just waiting for you to take them home.

3 Backers

$50 USD Gift Card from Threads of Peru - Cha-cha-cha-ching! From bracelets to coin purses to hand-knit beanies, what will you choose? Threads of Peru has so many beautiful things to offer, all hand-woven by artisans in the highlands around Cusco.

0 Backers

$100 USD Gift Card from Threads of Peru - You’re our hero. Seriously, you made our day. So let us make yours! Did someone say…shopping spree!! $100 are YOURS to spend on gifts and unique treasures from Threads of Peru. This is the time to invest in a beautiful, one-of-a-kind hand-loomed baby alpaca wrap or blanket!

1 Backers

Free Comfort Camping Upgrade on Any Trek You Book With Us in 2021 - For such a generous contribution, a special person like you deserves extra special treatment! You’ll have the unique opportunity to enjoy a FREE Comfort Camping Upgrade on any non-Inca Trail trek - a nearly 300 USD value for a 4 day trek!

0 Backers

1 Full Day Private Cusco City Tour for 2 - Well, we’re stunned. Your generosity has really knocked our socks off! Come to Cusco and we’ll treat you to a one-on-one private tour of Cusco city. See a side of Cusco that no one else sees – a behind-the-scenes tour of one of the world’s most fascinating cities. From its pre-Columbian roots to its Incan glory and Colonial past, Cusco is full of captivating history, beautiful architecture and incredible hidden treasures. Explore Cusco’s best-kept secrets with one of our amazing guides for an experience you will NEVER forget. You’ll also meet the Apus Peru team, and get to see some of the people face to face who YOU helped support.

0 Backers

Fundraising Team

Small family-run company that provides off the beaten track and truly unique travel experiences.

Small family-run company that provides off the beaten track and truly unique travel experiences.

  • Sarah Confer
  •  
  • Campaign Manager

Donors

  • David Atchason
  • Donated on Jul 01, 2020
  • good memories of our trip

$25.00
  • harry simpson
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
$50.00
  • Jami & Holly Rushford
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
  • And there we have it, $10,000.00. We love you all!

$121.00
Jul 09

A Message from Our Founder

Update posted by Apus Peru at 08:05 pm

These are emotional times. I’ve had tears of joy so many times during our campaign as I’ve recognised names, and remembered beautiful people, right back to our first clients. Through 12 years of operation, those of you who have travelled with Apus Peru have shown you are indeed part of. . . . .

See update
0
Jun 22

We are entering the FINAL WEEK of our campaign

Update posted by Apus Peru at 10:03 pm

This is it, everyone! We are entering the FINAL WEEK of our campaign. The countdown is on and it’s now time for us to give it everything we’ve got. Can we get to $10,000? We’re almost there so let’s see! If you’re visiting our campaign page for the first time. . . . .

See update
0
Jun 16

You have been incredible, THANK YOU!!! Let's see if we can get more!

Update posted by Apus Peru at 08:07 pm

THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to our campaign so far. You are incredible! Since our last update, we have not only met our original campaign goal, but actually surpassed it!! All thanks to YOU! From your many comments – posted here, on our social media pages and even. . . . .

See update
0
Jun 08

​What an incredible start to our campaign!

Update posted by Apus Peru at 08:27 pm

This is the first time we have organized a fundraising campaign, and we weren’t sure what to expect. To be honest, we thought we’d be lucky if we raised even half of our campaign goal. Imagine our surprise when, after just ONE WEEK, our campaign goal is already 96% funded!!!. . . . .

See update
0

Donors & Comments

110 donors
  • David Atchason
  • Donated on Jul 01, 2020
  • good memories of our trip

$25.00
  • harry simpson
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
$50.00
  • Jami & Holly Rushford
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
  • And there we have it, $10,000.00. We love you all!

$121.00
  • Sook Sook
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
  • Best of luck, Apus! Special greetings to Urbano, Herbert & his son and the muleteers whose names I don't remember: you made my trek unforgettable!!!

Amount Hidden
  • Fernanda and Michael Downing
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
  • All the best Herbert and Apus Peru crew!!!

$50.00
  • Matthias Ketterl
  • Donated on Jun 30, 2020
$25.00
  • Sandra Ansley
  • Donated on Jun 29, 2020
  • All our best wishes to Herbert and the team !

$20.00
Amount Hidden
  • Anonymous
  • Donated on Jun 29, 2020
$35.00
  • Alexis Rubell
  • Donated on Jun 28, 2020
$50.00
Show more donors

Followers

28 followers
Joyce Wondolowski
Sheila Smith
Brigitte Bigham
Janice Crewson
Judy Svenson
Silke Fuchs
sonja sampsell
Paula Doherty
Richard Boltuck
Andrew Conte
Show more Followers

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US$10,075
raised of $6,000.00 goal
167% Funded
110 Donors