Raul Montes was born in Cusco and has always been passionate about the area around Mount Salkantay. From a young age, he saw groups of tourists coming to his grandfather’s property, the Hacienda Pincopata (which is today Pincopata EcoCamp). In the early days, the property was the starting point for the early expeditions to Mount Salkantay, Choquequirao, Espiritu Pampa in the remote Vilcabamba mountain range. Raul was a young assistant whose job was to prepare the expeditions to ensure their success. This began his curiosity to become a mountain guide and for many years he led treks in the region and also a specialist guide for Choquechurco archaeological site which remains on the edge of his family’s property. It wasn’t until 2016 that the area began to see many more tourists and hence the beginning of Salkantay treks and horseback adventures.

Peru EcoCamp is a dream come true to see the family heritage evolve into a project that is environmentally friendly, eco-development and helps benefit local people. The communities themselves are strategic partners and have learned valuable skills, which is a major initiative in job creation and forming the Peru EcoCamp family.