Mountain Lodges of Peru Nominated as a Finalist in Health Programming for 2012 World Savers Awards from Condé Nast Traveler

12 October 2012
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Sponsorship of health-focused NGO garners latest recognition for social responsibility efforts of purveyor of soft adventure to Machu Picchu

Cusco, PERU – Few and far between is the authentic eco-travel outfit that doesn’t endeavor to make a difference in the world. But Mountain Lodges of Peru actually has something to show for it. The specialty adventure travel company out of Cusco, Peru has been recognized as a powerful force of change for the better in the Andes with a nomination as one of four finalists in Health Programming for the 2012 World Savers Awards from Condé Nast Traveler.

“The company sponsors Yanapana, an NGO that focuses on health, education, nutrition for school children, and encourages the local population to participate in the development of local tourism,” observed Condé Nast Traveler editors of Mountain Lodges of Peru’s health-focused efforts while noting that Yanapana provides cancer screenings for 250 women annually. The magazine also applauded the company’s four Andean-style lodges for their “three-pronged approach to sustainability: responsible tourism, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.”

Since its founding in 2006 Mountain Lodges of Peru has stood out among tour operators leading adventurous souls through the Andes. Headquartered in Cusco, the company offers unique trekking and equestrian trips oriented toward “soft adventure” – or, as Condé Nast Traveler put it, “Inca Trail Lite” – and social responsibility. These include the Lodge to Lodge Trek & Equestrian Journey to Machu Picchu, leading travelers in style via the Salkantay Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Sanctuary.

Mountain Lodges of Peru also takes an active yet private role in the socioeconomic development of communities throughout the Cordillera Vilcabamba. In 2006 the company sponsored the creation of Yanapana Peru, an NGO focused on elevating the level of education for more than 150 area families while giving locals an incentive to take an active role in the development of area tourism. As the 2012 World Savers Award nomination shows, the sponsorship of Yanapana has been a success.

Though still relatively young, Mountain Lodges of Peru has gained sizable recognition in Peru and abroad. In 2011 alone it won the Private National Protected Areas category of the National Award to Corporate Creativity from the Peruvian Society for Environmental Rights, and the Award for Sustainable Tourism from the Latin American Travel Association. In 2012, Mountain Lodges of Peru earned a “high” commendation in the Mountain Environment category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards in 2012.

Lodge to Lodge Trek & Equestrian Journey to Machu Picchu from US $2690 per person in 2013.

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