If you play your cards right when planning your next bucket list worthy birthday, you can spend your days at this new eco adventure camp trekking ancient Inca citadels like Machu Picchu, walking alongside glacial lakes like Humantay, hiking the Salkantay Trail and learning about the rich heritage of the wild Andes region. Peru Ecocamp sits nestled in the snow-capped mountains on a large stretch of grassy terrain, and serves as basecamp for adventurers from near and far. Its geodesic domes are heated by wood-burning stoves and furnished with cushy beds and bistro-style seating, while outside you’ll find extensive organic gardens that provide for lavish multi-course meals.

Founder and owner Raul Montes grew up in the region and knows all the ins and outs of the local environment, and thus developed Peru Ecocamp as a glamping destination for visitors who practice (or at least try to practice) a sustainable, eco-conscious lifestyle. Raul’s comrade-in-ecocamp, Frank, recently gave us the whole DL about the property and what guests can expect from a seven or nine day itinerary on-site. Spoiler alert: horses, shamans and yogis are all on deck. Read on for more below so you can kickstart the b-day planning process.


Photography: Peru Ecocamp​


Tell us about this new property! 

Peru EcoCamp is an exciting new project in the remote trekking area of Salkantay. We think this is a great addition to what is currently available, one of its kind (luxury glamping domes). The luxurious geodesic domes are the perfect comfortable overnight homes for people wanting to adventure but also sleep in style! The domes are simple and elegant and include all the amenities anyone would need to enjoy a nights rest with proper bed & linens, ensuite bathroom which includes toilet, shower and sink. The dining dome is a wonderful place to enjoy a glass of wine after having a nice shower from your day’s hiking. The meals prepared by the chef include organic ingredients from the garden and locally sourced products, mainly because that is what is available – instant Andean farm-to-table !


Photography: Peru Ecocamp

What prompted Ecocamp? 

The history behind Peru EcoCamp started with the Hacienda owned by Raul Montes’ (owner of Peru EcoCamp) grandparents (currently the staff housing at Pincopata Camp). Previously, this property was used as a basecamp for climbing Salkantay mountain expeditions. Raul’s grandparents would take care of teams in their garden and help them pack and get provisions in place. Many years later, Raul started guiding clients in the area on camping treks and had long-standing relationships with local communities. A few years ago, the local communities wanted to get more involved in tourism, so Raul decided to build Peru EcoCamp with the local communities blessing and hence, new product to offer adventurous people looking for comfort.


Photography: Peru Ecocamp


What went into building this camp? What makes it stand out from other camps? 

The camps are extremely light weight and essentially can be taken down in one day, so mobile and light footprint, but do not move. The floors and decking are permanent but everything sourced locally, mainly because that is what is available. The camps are powered by solar energy and water turbine systems. Water is filtered and treated with UV light, so safe to drink the tap water, this obviously reduces plastic bottle waste. Toilets have multiple flush systems, waste goes into biodegradable systems and used as compost for reforestation. Organic fertilizers used for garden, organic detergents used for toiletry products and any cleaning at the camp. We are trying to eliminate polluting this trekking route by having a homebase where people come and we dispose of trash and everything properly, too many companies that do traditional camping leave waste behind, we send people to clean the trekking route.


Photography: Peru Ecocamp


Are there any special activities and experiences the guests can take part in? 

Aside from hiking to each camp, guests can enjoy horseback riding and mountain biking from the lower Pincopata and Soray ecocamps. We do have yoga mats in the domes, so people are free to stretch out in the early morning before their trekking day begins. Pretty soon, we will have some more regular yoga programming, we already have a ton of interest for active yoga retreats! We take people into the local village so they can connect with local families, we bring Shamans to do blessing ceremonies, and we have people participate in local Panchamanca BBQs where all the ingredients are cooked under the ground.



Photography: Peru Ecocamp


Can you walk us through a sample trip itinerary? 

We have (2) core itineraries which are 9 days and 7 days. The 9-day program includes all the camps ending at Machu Picchu, the full journey. For those short on time, we recommend the 7-day program where you visit 3 ecocamps, head into Sacred Valley, and then end at Machu Picchu. People are able to see the highlights of Peru and yet enjoy an off-the-beaten track experience of beautiful hiking and scenery!


Book your trip to Peru Ecocamp →