Travel with Confidence with Apus Peru

Why Travel with Apus Peru During the Pandemic

If the last 2 years have taught us anything, it is to value not only family, friends and new experiences, but to maximise our valuable holiday time. Holidays aren’t just a holiday but a moment to recharge, relax, and connect. When you make your first trek or holiday after the Covid-19 pandemic you want it to be memorable and meaningful – as well as safe.

With Apus Peru you can travel with confidence, knowing that our expert team is with you every step of the way. 

Read our blog to stay up-to-date on the latest Peru travel restrictions, both for travel to Peru and rules on the ground.

At Apus Peru, everything starts with you – our valued client. Every trek we operate is tailor-made in painstaking detail to ensure you truly have the experience of a lifetime. Our on-the-ground team of experts coupled with insider knowledge honed over nearly two decades of trekking the Andes allows us to always deliver unique travel experiences and the best advice.

That insider knowledge is more important than ever now, and you can count on us to keep you up to date on the latest Peru travel restrictions and provide you the safest possible trip, whenever you do come.

Our Tailored Peru Pandemic Travel Safety Guidelines – In a Nutshell

• Private Groups – have peace of mind knowing that you will only be with your own travelling party. We NEVER on-sell bookings to other travel agencies.
• Your Health is our Top Priority – We’ve implemented hygiene protocols and continually review them as the pandemic evolves.
• Safety on the Trail – All of our field staff are either vaccinated or must present a negative COVID test prior to starting work.
• Our Flexibility Promise – Book with confidence with our flexible booking policies, easy changes and worry-free cancellations.

General Protocols

General health and safety protocols have become accepted norms all over the world now, and some are even mandated by law in Peru. Apus Peru follows all laws, regulations and government recommendations. This includes:

• frequent hand-washing and/or use of hand sanitizer by all staff.
• double mask use (wearing two surgical masks or a KN95 mask) in enclosed spaces to best minimise potential transmission of the virus.
• social distancing: Apus Peru always takes you off the beaten path, but now even more our guides make sure to avoid crowded places and guests must maintain appropriate distance between themselves and people they may interact with.

In the Office: Staff Protocols

Along with the field team who will accompany you on your trek, our staff behind the scenes also must follow a set of safety measures:

• We continue to work from home and limit unnecessary contact with people
• When our office does re-open, standard COVID-19 norms will apply, such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks, regular cleaning and disinfection of common areas, and reduced office capacity.

On the Trail: Safety Protocols for Guides & Field Staff

Our guides are truly amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, most people finish their trek calling them a lifelong friend. Even a pandemic cannot extinguish that passion, but you can travel with confidence knowing that they also must follow these important pandemic protocols:

• Negative COVID-19 test. Even when vaccinated, guides must present a negative COVID-19 prior to starting their trip. You will spend much time in close proximity to the guide therefore it is best to minimise possible virus transmission.
• Social distancing. Guides will greet you with a wave rather than a handshake, and there will be no physical contact or gift-giving between you and anyone you meet along the trail, including children and women selling artisanal products.
• Temperature checks. Guides are empowered to take the temperature of guests or field staff on a daily basis, or whenever they consider it necessary.  
• Designated staff for specific chores. In the past, the whole field team would pitch in and help with every task; now just one person will put up the tents, and only designated people will prepare food, while being double-masked and gloved.
• Specialized first aid training for COVID-19. Our guides receive frequent training in wilderness first aid, especially focusing on altitude sickness, twisted ankles, and scrapes that occur on the trail. They have recently undergone further training in recognizing COVID-19 related symptoms, and been part of putting in place a new contingency plan should anyone fall ill on the trail.

Accommodation Measures

Hotels are held to a very high standard here, and we will only work with those who adhere to official guidelines and, where applicable, who have received special accreditation. Some of the changes you may notice include:

• Contact-less service. Many hotels now offer contact-less check-in and check-out protocols.
• No buffet service. Buffets were common for many hotel breakfast services pre-pandemic, but now hotels will offer either table or room service for breakfast.
• Additional cleaning. Most hotels have stepped up their already rigorous cleaning protocols to provide more frequent cleaning and sanitation of rooms and all common areas. 
• Hand-sanitizing stations are now common in many places, and you are likely to see these stations throughout your hotel.

Transportation Measures to Help You Travel with Confidence

Transportation safety has always been one of our highest priorities, to make sure you get to and from your destination safely. Safety and hygiene are even more important now, and our private cars will follow the following protocols:

• Reduced capacity. Our transport providers will operate at a reduced capacity, allowing passengers to maintain a safe physical distance from each other and the driver.
• Improved air flow. When possible, we will drive with the windows partially open to allow better airflow within the vehicle.
• Regular sanitization. Our vehicles are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between each group.
• Hand sanitizer available. Hand sanitizer and additional masks will be available in all of our cars for passenger use.
• Limited contact. As with the guides, our drivers will also greet passengers with a nod or a wave rather than a handshake.
• Contingency plans. Our drivers will know where the nearest medical centre is, no matter where they are, should there be any need for urgent medical attention along the way.

Tailor-made travel is all about you. These days, that’s even more important than ever, and that’s what our Flexibility Promise is all about.

Have the confidence to travel again, no matter what.

• Enjoy FREE date changes (up to 3) through 2022.
• Book your trek but keep your dates open for optimum flexibility. Just let us know 30 days before when you plan to travel.*
• Need to cancel? We will refund 50% of your deposit.

*Does not apply to Inca Trail treks which are subject to permit availability.

Click here for full details of our Coronavirus Booking Policy.

Travel Insurance is a Must

While our Flexibility Promise section is intended to give you increased peace of mind when booking, travel insurance is still a must. Make sure your policy covers coronavirus-related claims; not all of them do. We cover why travel insurance is a must for Peru in our blog.