Community Projects
Andean Trails believes tourism should make a positive impact in the communities we visit.
We are proud to support a number of NGOs and charities that contribute to the environment and the communities where we have lived and worked since we started up in 1998.
Each year we give a total of approximately USD 4,000 to NGOs and charities working in the Andean nations:
We are also members of:
Some of the projects actively encourage volunteers, so if you would like to donate or fancy contributing time as a volunteer then contact the office for how best to organise this.
Huchuy Yachaq
Huchuy Yachaq Project, highland Cusco
A community project in a Cusco neighbourhood. The project has been running for well over 20 years. It aims to improve education, skills and the quality of life of families in this poor community. Contact us about the possibility of volunteering.
Danielle Children’s Fund, highland Ecuador 
We began supporting Danielle Children’s Fund in 2024. Their mission in Ecuador is to contribute to the co-construction of healthy, protective families and communities that protect and prioritise children.
Rainforest Concern
We support Rainforest Concern, a UK-based charity established to protect threatened natural habitats and their biodiversity, as well as the indigenous people who live there. They have several projects in South America that we are delighted to support.
Reforestation of the Andes with ECOAN 
Together with ECOAN, a Peru based NGO, Andean Trails is helping communities reforest the Andean slopes.
Amantani
Andean Trails has sponsored the Graham Water Marathon, organised by Amantani, who help bridge the gap between home and school for children living in Ccorca, a handful of Quechua communities nestled high in the Andes of southern Peru.
Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT)
Book your Galapagos holiday with us and help safeguard the Archipelago’s future.
We pay an annual membership fee to the GCT.
Books for Guyana Initiative, Guyana
The Chenapou Village Library, born from a UK volunteer’s vision, was officially opened in February 2025. Following her 2018/19 teaching stint, Kirsty launched the ‘Books for Guyana’ initiative, and began fundraising. The first barrel of books arrived in February 2024, marking a crucial milestone, with four more barrels successfully funded and delivered by September 2024. We made our first donation to the library in 2025.
Testimonials
J. Hill, U.K. Cloud forest and Amazon trip, Ecuador. November, 2025. I would like to thank Tom for organising my trip to Santa Lucia and Sinchi Wayra! It was incredible - he made the process really easy, and having all the information provided in sheets ready to print out and take with me was really useful. As I had a short period of time to do both places and had seen Santa Lucia trips advertised on Andean Trails' website, I felt that you were best placed to help me manage the organisation and scheduling. If I were planning another trip to South America, your website is the first place I would look. I also found the blogs really interesting to read before my departure and gave me useful information (and ideas for future holidays!). The highlight of my holiday was the cock-of-the-rock walk at Santa Lucia at 4am. Seeing the forest and the birds through the sunrise and then eating breakfast by a waterfall was a great way to start the day! I also really enjoyed the day at the community centre at Sinchi Wayra learning about the community and their traditions. Accommodation/ food/ guides/ overall organisation were all extremely good for both locations. The trip was well organised - my guide made sure I had time to see and do everything that I wanted to do. We had lots of great discussions about the rainforest, the birds and insects and also the history of Santa Lucia. No question went unanswered and I had a lot of them! The food was excellent and good portions - I was very well looked after. The cabin at Sinchi Wayra was extremely comfortable, despite being quite open to the wildlife. The mosquito net sorted any night time visitors out though and it great listening to the sounds of the forest and seeing the occasional glow worm going past! Our guide worked hard on the excursions to find us lots of interesting things to see like monkeys, parrots and caymans and also helped us get great footage. The lodge picked me up straight after the flight and dropped me off well in time for my flight back to Quito with no issues. The food here was some of the best I had in Ecuador. At both lodges, time was taken to explain their history, the various environmental and social issues that impact both environments and how tourism is essential to help keep pressures of deforestation, and particularly in the Amazon, oil extraction, at bay. I feel my visit did therefore help the lodges and communities, as it helps them push back against these pressures.
Alastair and John, UK. Tailormade Patagonia inc. Self-guided Paine Circuit. November, 2025 Andean Trails has many pluses. You get a bespoke trip: “bespoke” as in getting exactly what you want (not as in expensive) and you are not part of a group with inevitable compromises to the itinerary. Kathy is very knowledgeable about the region from personal experience. The side trips beyond Chalten and Paine, suggested by Kathy, made for a fuller experience of both countries, their culture and history. We had to make changes during the trip and were able to complete them using WhatsApp, Kathy’s availability never seemed an issue. The local agents sent us reminders for the next day in good English and were all punctual. The WhatsApp reminders were very helpful/reassuring. The highlight of the trip was just the beauty of the scenery overall. Accommodation all very comfortable/ appropriate. The hotels in Buenos and Santiago were very comfortable and with good restaurants nearby. Canelos and Senderos good walking hotels, and food in Canelos notably good. Bunkrooms in Paine were roomy and facilities generally better than a lot of what we've experienced in Alps/Pyrenees. Food in Puerto Natales was particularly good with some great fish and seafood, at great prices, We maybe benefited local people by using hotels, laundries, restaurants etc. Obviously the tourist industry in both Argentina and Chile employs lots of local people. We tipped services hopefully at a reasonable level. What I would do differently is I probably would not have bought as much data on my eSIM WiFi is pretty ubiquitous even in the park. There are inevitably a lot of transfers and bus connections. Might have tried to finesse some of that.
View All 
