Sam Travel Peru

A trekking operator based in Cusco

Sam Travel Peru is a tour company in Cusco, Peru, with its office at Garcilaso Street 210 in the La Casa del Abuelo building. The homepage calls it "a 100% Peruvian owned and operated tour company" and says it is "a fully licensed Inca Trail operator", adding that "we don't farm you out to third parties". Its trips center on the Cusco region: the Inca Trail and alternative treks to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate, with multi-day packages that extend to Puno and Lake Titicaca. The trip planner form also lists the Amazon (Tambopata, Manu), Ica and Huacachina, Lima, Arequipa and the Colca Canyon. Prices are in US dollars.

The homepage shows a Google rating of 5.0 from 2,576+ reviews and a Tripadvisor rating of 5.0 from 9,165+ reviews, alongside a Travelers' Choice 2025 badge. Other parts of the site give different review totals, so these are the company's own running figures.

The treks

The Inca Trail is the core product. The Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is listed at 4 days and 3 nights from $US787 per person as a group service, rated "Challenging", and there is a 5-day version from $US947. The Short Inca Trail runs 2 days and 1 night from $US522, a camping version is $US637, and a 1-day Inca Trail is $US447. The Inca Trail page lays out the classic route: a 4:30 a.m. hotel pickup, the start at KM 82, Dead Woman's Pass at 4,200 m on day 2, a descent of 3,000 stone steps on day 3, and the Sun Gate at sunrise on day 4 before a two-hour guided tour of the citadel. The page lists what the package includes: the permit and Machu Picchu entrance, guides, transport to the trailhead, camping equipment, meals and drinking water, a first-aid kit, and the bus and train back.

The alternative treks cover a wide spread of lengths. Salkantay options include a 3-day trek, a 4-day "Unique" version, a 5-day route via Llactapata, a 2-day Humantay Lake and Salkantay trip, and a Wilderness Salkantay trek, and the company runs Sky Dome camps at Soraypampa and Collpapampa on the Salkantay route. The Lares Trek comes in 3-day and 4-day versions and in combinations with the Short Inca Trail. Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain run from a 1-day Rainbow Mountain hike to a 6-day Ausangate circuit, with a 7 Lakes Trek at Ausangate listed at $US140. Choquequirao treks run 4 or 5 days, and a Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek takes 7 days. Newer routes include the Ancascocha Trek, the Inca Quarry Trail and an Inca Jungle Trail with biking and rafting.

Tours, packages and luxury options

For travelers not hiking far, there are train-based day trips to Machu Picchu (the Expedition Train tour is $US377), Sacred Valley tours such as the Moray and salt mines day at $US75, a Sacred Valley ATV tour at $US160, and multi-day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu packages from $US477 for 2 days. The Lake Titicaca Tour runs 3 days from Cusco to Puno by tourist bus, visiting Andahuaylillas church and the Racchi ruins on the way, then the Uros floating islands and Taquile Island by boat; it is $180 per person without hotels or $250 with 2 nights in 3-star hotels. Luxury options include a 4-day Luxury Inca Trail from $US2477 (private, 2 to 5 people), a 4-day Luxury Lares Trek at $US1997, and a 9-day glamping Inca Trail package at $US3777.

Groups, guides and the day itself

The Machu Picchu tours FAQ says the company "specializes in small intimate groups of 2 to 8 persons", and the homepage lists "Small Groups with a maximum of 8 people". The same FAQ says that if 2 people book, the departure is guaranteed even if nobody else joins. Private tours are available "at an additional cost", with a private guide, van and driver. The Lake Titicaca page includes a professional English-speaking guide, and it says a briefing takes place the night before at 6pm at the Cusco office. On altitude, that page says acclimatization usually takes 24 hours to 2 days, recommends water, coca tea and oxygen if needed, and states that its guides are trained to treat altitude sickness. The tour pages carry packing lists, and the site links a full Inca Trail packing list and an altitude sickness guide.

Booking and payment terms

Booking starts with an online form and passport details for every traveler, because Inca Trail permits, Machu Picchu entry and trains are issued by name. The Machu Picchu FAQ says a confirmation follows "your completed booking form and your $200 deposit per person", while the Lake Titicaca page asks for a deposit of $211.00 USD per person. Deposits can be paid by VISA or PayPal; the balance can be paid in cash at the Cusco office, or online with a 5.5% service fee. The terms are strict: once tickets are bought the date cannot be changed, tickets are "not transferable nor refundable", and the Lake Titicaca page says that on cancellation "the deposit is not refundable at all". A passport change after booking costs $25 USD per person to update. The site recommends booking the Inca Trail at least 6 months ahead, notes the government limit of 500 people per day on the trail, and is already taking 2027 bookings.

Support is by phone on +51 992 126 224 (main support and emergency) and +51 966 718 948 (sales), or by email. The office hours are listed, and the sales team is closed on Sundays.

What the site leaves open

The site states the deposit rule clearly but not what happens to the balance if a traveler cancels later, or what applies when a trek is changed for weather. Several reviews describe the company switching groups to other routes after landslides closed the Inca Trail, but the site does not set out a policy for that. The deposit figure differs slightly between pages ($200 and $211). Group size is stated as 2 to 8, but private and luxury departures carry their own limits.

For trekkers who want a locally owned Cusco operator with its own Inca Trail license, a wide choice of routes and published prices, Sam Travel Peru sets out its routes, prices and terms in unusual detail. Travelers who need flexible cancellation should read the deposit terms closely before booking.