Since the inception of Tambo Treks we have always had a total commitment to helping local communities and throughout each year contribute to many projects including village schools and a wide range of community projects too numerable to mention. This year we are concentrating on our main project, helping with the purchasing of materials for the construction of a desperately needed mini- hospital in Ollantaytambo which serves a total of 10,000 people in the village and remote rural communities. We have also financed an independent study for an urban development plan for Ollantaytambo and contributed to the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco. The continued welfare of our staff is a priority and we have always ensured that they earn above the set wages including being paid for preparation and clean up days and wages to cover travelling to and from the trailhead. We also cover medical expenses and have a well-established system of interest free loans that has enabled many of our staff to buy land and build their own houses.

Deterioration in the natural environment has been marked in the past 25 years and is increasing - we endeavour to work in an ecologically sustainable and responsible manner. We actively support all clean-up initiates and have taken many steps to minimize our impact on the natural environment, including a unique system of providing bottled water to our clients which annually saves an estimated 25,000 plastic bottles from ending up as rubbish in the local rivers and landfill sites. We are the only company to use this system and we are campaigning to encourage other to follow suit. Basically what we do is ask all our clients to bring at least two 1-litre wide mouth bottles with them to Peru. At every hotel they stay at in Cusco and the Sacred Valley we have installed several 20 litre water containers with spring water that they can have access to 24 hours a day and so can refill their bottles as frequently as they wish. Tambo Treks staff ensure that the bulk water containers are constantly replenished. We have used this system successfully for more than 2 years and we are currently in the process of implementing the same system in Lima and other parts of Peru and Bolivia where there are no re cycling facilities for plastic containers.