Reversing Overtourism: Lessons from the Inca Trail

Few places on Earth better illustrate the challenges and triumphs of sustainable tourism than Peru’s Inca Trail. This ancient pathway, winding through the Andes to the mystical city of Machu Picchu, has evolved from an endangered victim of its own popularity to a global model for responsible tourism management.

For destinations worldwide grappling with overtourism, the Inca Trail’s transformation offers valuable lessons in how thoughtful regulation and committed stewardship can protect cultural heritage while enhancing the visitor experience.

The Journey to Sustainable Tourism 

In 1983, UNESCO recognized both the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage Site, acknowledging their extraordinary cultural significance and biodiversity. 

However, by the late 1990s, this prestigious designation was under threat. The trail had suffered from uncontrolled tourism, with up to 1,500 people beginning the trek each day. This overwhelming volume of visitors led to severe environmental degradation, including trail erosion, waste accumulation and damage to archaeological sites.

The impact extended beyond environmental concerns. Porters faced exploitative conditions, often carrying dangerous loads, 100 pounds or more, without proper compensation or protection. Unregulated camping near archaeological sites threatened both the historical structures and the surrounding ecosystem. The absence of licensed guides meant visitors often lacked crucial education about the trail’s cultural significance and proper preservation practices.

Facing the possible loss of its World Heritage status, and, more importantly, its natural beauty, Peru took decisive action in 2001. The government implemented comprehensive regulations that would fundamentally change how the trail operated. These included a strict daily quota system, mandatory licensed guides, designated campsites and porter welfare regulations. Additionally, annual closure periods were established for maintenance and restoration.

The results have been transformative. 

Today, the trail operates under a carefully managed system that balances preservation with access. Daily visitors are capped at 500 people, including support staff. Designated camping areas protect sensitive archaeological zones. Porter welfare regulations ensure fair treatment and safe working conditions. The trail has become the first section of a Wonder of the World to achieve CarbonNeutral certification, demonstrating how tourism can evolve from threatening a destination to protecting it.

Insights from an Inca Trail Expert

In October 2024, Noble Studios co-founders Jarrod and Season Lopiccolo trekked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. There, they met Juan Jose Auccahuaqui Huaman, a veteran guide whose deep knowledge and passion for sustainable tourism sparked conversations that have continued long after the journey ended.

Juan has walked the Inca Trail more than 500 times over two decades as a professional guide. He has witnessed firsthand its evolution from an overwhelmed tourist destination to a carefully managed Wonder of the World. 

In this Q&A, Juan shares insights into how proper regulations, dedicated guides and community involvement have transformed tourism on the trail, offering valuable lessons for destinations facing similar challenges. [Editor’s Note: Where necessary, responses have been edited for clarity and length.]

How has the Inca Trail changed since regulations were implemented?

Before 2001, it was a mess. People camped anywhere on the trail for seven days or more, running up and down looking for spots. There was drinking, fighting and hunting along the trail. The porters carried dangerous loads – more than 100 pounds sometimes – and were treated terribly. Sometimes we would cry together because of the harsh conditions.

Now everything is controlled. We have a limit of 500 people per day on the trail – about 300 hikers and 200 porters. We’ve divided Machu Picchu into three circuits to manage visitor impact better. Circuit one covers about 20% of the site, circuit two covers 80% and circuit three about 60%. The campsites are safer too because we change them if there are landslides or other hazards.

Important changes happened for local families, too. Before, they couldn’t make money from their land even though tourists were camping on it. In 2020, they went on strike because the government wasn’t paying them anything. Now, they receive payment for the campsites and can sell drinks and snacks to hikers. The tour companies and guides pay them extra, too.

But we still have work to do. Some companies don’t follow the rules and need more education, especially for new guides about protecting the trail and our culture. What we need is balance – between modern life and our traditions, between making money and protecting these sacred places.

What are the biggest challenges in protecting the Inca Trail environment today?

The government has two offices managing the trail. The Ministry of Culture’s rangers look after the ruins and archaeological sites, while the National System of Protected Wildlife Areas by the State of Peru takes care of the environment – the trees, the trail condition and waste management.

But our biggest challenge is still with the porters’ working conditions. Some companies don’t respect the weight limits. Just this week there’s a new regulation – 20 kilos for male porters and 15 kilos for female porters. If companies don’t follow this, they lose their license and pay a big fine.

But honestly, many companies still don’t want to follow the rules. They promise porters more work if they carry extra weight. When the police come at 5 or 6 in the morning to check weights, the porters feel forced to say everything is fine. I think only about 10% of the companies are doing the right thing.

Many of these porters are older – 40, 50, 60 years old. Many didn’t finish school, so they don’t know how to complain or stand up for their rights. Companies take advantage of this. The younger generation and the porters’ union are trying to change things, but it’s difficult.

As a guide, how do you help protect the Inca Trail?

We guides become like park rangers on the trail. It starts before the trek – the companies send information to visitors about what they should and shouldn’t bring. Then one or two days before the hike, we meet with them to explain everything in detail.

The most important thing we teach is that there are no trash bins on the trail. Everything we bring – tents, food, everything – we must take back with us. We remind people of this every day, especially at lunch and dinner times. Sometimes young travelers don’t care and try to hide garbage under stones or throw it around the trail. We have to be very clear with them – we don’t need police, but we do need everyone to understand why protecting the trail matters.

Every year, we guides take special education programs to renew our licenses. We learn about emergencies – how to evacuate people, how to give first aid – but also about protecting the environment. We organize cleanup trips too. Even when visitors are careful, sometimes trash gets dropped accidentally, or the wind brings garbage from elsewhere, especially in August. So the guides and companies work together to clean not just the trail, but also the rivers.

How do you teach visitors to respect the trail’s environment and culture?

First, the companies send information by email about what’s allowed and what isn’t. Then we meet with the group before the trek to explain everything in detail. But the most important thing is, we don’t just tell them once – we teach them every day, especially at lunch and dinner time.

We make everything very practical. We show them, ‘Look at this plant – we don’t step here because it prevents landslides.’ Or ‘See these stones? They look loose but they’re actually part of an Inca drainage system that still works today.’ Every day we show them something new, so they understand why protecting the trail matters.

Sometimes people don’t listen, especially young travelers who don’t understand why the rules are important. We try to explain calmly at first. But if they take shortcuts or damage the trail, we have to be firm and show them how their actions cause erosion or hurt the plants that protect the mountain.

Even our cooking team helps teach – they show visitors how we separate waste and carry everything out. When people see how much work goes into protecting the trail, they start to understand. We don’t just give them rules – we show them why each rule matters for protecting this sacred place.

How are local communities and traditions being preserved while modernizing tourism?

The families living along the trail face a delicate balance. They need tourism income – it helps send their children to school in Cusco and improve their lives. But living in a National Park means they can’t build big houses or make major changes to their land. They’re rich in land but poor in cash.

During COVID, we saw how nature can recover – the spectacled bears and deer returned when the trail was quiet. Now local families are planting native trees that prevent landslides and feed the wildlife. They get paid for this work, so they’re earning money while protecting the environment.

The next generation is bridging traditional and modern ways. Many porters’ children study biology and environmental science in Cusco. When they return, they help monitor wildlife and water quality, combining their traditional knowledge with modern science. The communities are also reviving ancient farming on the old terraces, growing native plants that prevent erosion and provide food.

However, protecting culture remains a challenge. When visitors bring impractical gifts like fancy clothes or shoes instead of useful items like books, it creates problems. In one community, Kos (Q’eros), children who started wearing modern clothes lost interest in their traditional attire. Within ten years, the community lost its cultural identity, and we stopped taking visitors there. While Kos is still known as a place of great Andean shamans, few people visit now. More visitors are going to other communities, making it essential to protect the culture and traditions in those places.

Our biggest concern is our language, Quechua. The schools teach Spanish and English but not our native tongue. How can children understand their grandparents or their history without it? We encourage adults who work in the city to wear traditional ponchos and hats when they return home. It’s about finding the right balance – embracing opportunities while keeping our traditions alive.

What improvements would you like to see for the trail’s future?

I have one big idea to help the porters – we could build storehouses along the trail where companies could keep their tents and heavy equipment. Then porters would only need to carry sleeping bags and personal items. Yes, we’d pay a little more for the storage, but we can explain to visitors why this cost helps protect our porters.

The thing is, we need to tell visitors how they can really help our communities. When tourists bring fancy jackets and sunglasses for the kids, it creates problems for our traditional ways. After COVID, we saw what the children really need – they were walking up to the hills, five or six kids sharing one phone just to study online. That’s why we try to tell visitors to bring practical things like books and pencils instead. These are the things that actually help our families without changing our culture.

And finally, we need better education programs for everyone – guides, porters, families and visitors. When people truly understand why the trail is sacred and why we protect it the way we do, they naturally show more respect. It’s about teaching the meaning behind our rules, not just the rules themselves.

What makes the Inca Trail such a transformative experience for trekkers?

There’s something magical about this trail that changes people. In my 500-plus journeys here, I’ve seen it happen over and over. People arrive thinking they’re just going to see some ruins, but the trail has other plans for them.

The physical challenge is just the beginning. When people struggle with the altitude or the steep steps, they have to look deeper inside themselves. They find strength they didn’t know they had. But more importantly, they start to understand why this place is sacred.

You see, before we eat or drink anything on the trail, we always give a little bit first to Pachamama – that’s our Mother Earth – to thank her for taking care of us. I remember one woman who was very scientific, didn’t believe in spirits or energy. But by the third day, she was offering coca leaves to Pachamama before every meal, just like we do. Another man came four times arguing about facts and history, but on his last visit, he finally understood the trail’s spiritual power.

That’s what makes this trail special – it doesn’t just challenge people physically, it opens their minds and hearts. They leave with a different understanding of the world and their place in it.

How does it feel to watch trekkers complete the trail, especially those who struggled along the way?

When I see someone reach Machu Picchu who almost gave up on day one, it fills me with emotion. In all my years guiding, I’ve only sent three people back, and that was because of serious health problems. Everyone else finds a way to finish, even if they think they can’t.

I remember one group where a woman was crying at every rest stop, saying she couldn’t go on. The porters started walking beside her, quietly encouraging her. By the final day, the whole group was supporting her. When she reached the Sun Gate and saw Machu Picchu below, she just broke down – not from pain this time, but from joy.

Sometimes at Machu Picchu, people tell me, “I cannot move my legs anymore.” But after a little rest, they find the energy to explore every corner. During those four days on the trail, we build special connections that last long after the hike. Like with Jarrod – now we message each other, share photos, keep our friendship going. That’s what happens on the trail – the porters, guides, travelers – we all become like family. Some of my clients still send me pictures of their children growing up. These relationships are what make being a guide so special.

That’s what makes me proud about this work. Yes, we reach Machu Picchu, but the real achievement is how people come together and help each other get there.

What drives your passion for guiding on the Inca Trail?

First, I met my mentor, Manuel Chavez Ballon. Originally, I wanted to be a priest or a shaman, always thinking about helping people. But my mentor told me, “You don’t need to be a shaman or a priest to help people.” This led me to connect more deeply with nature and Mother Earth.

I’ve walked the trail maybe 518 or 520, I’ve lost count! But each time feels special because each group is different. I’ve made connections with people from all over the world. Some still send me pictures of their kids growing up. It’s more than just a job – it’s a way of life.

For us, the trail is not just a path – it’s part of Pachamama, our Mother Earth. My mentor taught me that everything here carries a spark from the Creator – the mountains, the rivers, even the smallest plants. When visitors understand this connection to Pachamama, they start to see the trail differently. It’s not just a famous hike anymore – it becomes something sacred that we all need to protect.

That’s what inspires me – sharing this sacred connection with others and helping them understand why we must protect this special place. When people experience the trail this way, they leave with a different view of the world.

Can you share your most memorable experience from your years of guiding?

One time, we faced a serious challenge – a big landslide blocked the main trail. The porters knew about an old Inca path that wasn’t part of our regular route, but while we were planning what to do, the local families came to help us. They brought ropes, helped carry bags and showed us a safe way around.

We ended up camping with these families that night. They cooked for us in their traditional underground ovens and taught our visitors their cooking methods. Their children showed everyone how they use local plants for medicine. What started as a difficult problem turned into something amazing and special – a real connection between visitors and our community.

Even the porters learned new things that night. There was an elder who told us stories about his grandfather helping the first archaeologists discover these trails. The whole community came together not just to help us, but to share their knowledge and traditions.

This is what makes me proud about being a guide – not just getting people safely to Machu Picchu, but creating these unexpected moments where people truly connect and understand each other. Sometimes the biggest challenges lead to the most beautiful experiences.

Moving Forward with Sustainable Tourism

Guides like Juan don’t just lead travelers along a path – they educate, inspire and transform how people interact with these sacred places. This kind of authentic storytelling is crucial for building visitor respect and support for preservation efforts.

From Nepal’s reach cultural heritage and iconic peaks to National Parks like Yosemite, iconic destinations worldwide face challenges similar to what the Inca Trail encountered two decades ago.

The trail’s evolution from crisis to model of regenerative tourism shows what’s possible when destinations prioritize both preservation and storytelling. Through thoughtful regulation and dedicated stewardship, not unlike Hawaii’s regenerative tourism bill, Peru created a system where tourism actually regenerates rather than depletes – wildlife has returned, local communities have strengthened and cultural traditions have endured.

This approach has proven successful across diverse destinations. Visit Lake Tahoe’s “Awe and Then Some” campaign demonstrated how educational initiatives can disperse visitors across seasons. Visit San Luis Obispo’s commitment to carbon neutrality and partnership with Kind Traveler’s “Every Stay Gives Back” initiative shows how destinations can make it effortless for visitors to support sustainability efforts.

Each success story reinforces how strategic communication can support sustainable tourism while enhancing visitor experiences and protecting natural resources. As destinations worldwide seek to balance access with preservation, the need for thoughtful messaging and visitor education has never been more critical.

Ready to explore how your destination can better communicate its commitment to sustainable tourism? Contact Noble Studios to learn how we can help craft your sustainability story.

About Juan Jose Auccahuaqui Huaman

Juan Jose Auccahuaqui Huaman is a veteran guide who has completed the Inca Trail journey more than 500 times over two decades. Born and raised in Cusco, his path to guiding began when he met archaeologist Manuel Chavez Ballon at a University of Cusco conference. Under Ballon’s mentorship, Juan developed a deep connection to his ancestral culture and natural environment, inspiring him to pursue guide certification.

For 20 years, Juan has worked as an independent guide specializing in hiking, adventure tours and cultural programs throughout Peru’s diverse microclimates. He leads groups through both cities and countryside, sharing expertise in archaeology, ancient history, architecture and astronomy. His intimate knowledge of native cultures and passion for environmental stewardship have made him instrumental in shaping sustainable tourism practices on the trail.

When not guiding, Juan pursues his love of travel, photography and cycling – believing that travel broadens cultural understanding, cycling brings joy in any circumstance, and photography captures moments that tell the story of a place and its people.