Nature Conservation

Since 1975 Inkaterra has taken steps to help nature fulfil a social function by providing jobs within local communities of Peru, in order to understand that they must conserve by examining their country’s native flora and fauna. Inkaterra has devised a replicable model through research financed by revenues from the luxury tourism sector as well as volunteers. Inkaterra uses hard facts gathered independently about nature to create environmental settings (clusters - a large diversity of birds, butterflies, orchids and culture) to create jobs that encourage communities to take care of their environment as a source of ecotourism & wealth. 

According to the American Orchid Society magazine (May 2001): “Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel has the largest orchid collection that is open to the public in Peru. In all probability, it is also the world’s largest orchid species collection set in a natural environment in a private facility”. This large collection of native orchids also acts as a seed bank. 

Edward O. Wilson, Harvard University entomologist and ant specialist, says that in the area of the Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica lodge he has found the highest concentration in the world of ant species (362 species).

The Inkaterra hotels that finance the company’s operations have been recognized worldwide and awarded by various international organizations and tourism and environment related media. As such the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, was considered among the 100 best hotels in the world in 2008 according to Travel + Leisure; Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica, considered by the Latin-American Travel Association (UK) to be the best hotel in the Latin American rainforest in 2008; and the Inkaterra La Casona in the ancient city of Cusco, considered by Condé Nast Traveler (USA) as one of the 140 best hotels in the world in 2009, as well as by Travel + Leisure (USA), among the world’s best 45 new hotels in 2009.

Inkaterra has been a responsible tourism operator for 34 years. Research funded by ecotourism has already provided Inkaterra with 15 new species to science found on-site, 07 new species of orchids such as Kefersteinia koechlinorum, Epidendrum quispei and Maxillaria deniseae, 05 new species of amphibians including Hyla koechlini and Hyla allenorum, a new butterfly, Greta hermana koechlin; and a species of liana new to science. Inkaterra research has produced educational instruments for residents and guests such as ‘Identification & Check-list Cards’ for birds, orchids and butterflies; CD recordings of bird songs, an interactive DVD on Amazon and cloud forest birds, support for the conservation of native communities and cultural preservation such as the CDs of Peruvian music: Café Inkaterra (platinum recording of the year) and Serenata Inkaterra (nominated for a Latin American Grammy), weaving traditional Peruvian music in with modern musical trends.

Visitors arriving at the hotels receive introductory instructions about the environment in which they find themselves. The NGO Inkaterra Asociación has been in charge of managing local biodiversity conservation programs. In 1980, the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel Inkaterra began work on the ecological restoration of the cloud forest. Plantings were made of trees and plants that serve as hosts and feed birds, such as the ‘Cock of the Rock’ (Peru’s native bird), and other wildlife in the area. In turn 192 species of birds can now be sighted within the hotel gardens.

In 1982 the planning and implementing of the orchid garden began, as well as an ecosystem with many insects, reptiles and even wild Spectacled Bears who come to eat the abundant restored bromeliads. The plantations of the tea consumed by the guests and resident staff, reduced transport carbon emissions and encouraged reforestation of the area’s own products for human consumption. According to the award-winning film maker Werner Herzog "... the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is without doubt the most wonderful place there. It is so beautiful ... You don’t see anything else like it in the world!” (Somos, supplement of the National Newspaper, El Comercio, April 2009).

For twenty years the Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica lodge received one hundred researchers from various universities and institutions across the world on location to make inventories of flora and fauna, ecological and ethological studies, etc. These scientific activities were consolidated and hosted by Inkaterra (at its own cost). For example a group of researchers from the University of California visited to evaluate whether this area was worth preserving and during which, the main species of the Amazon ecosystem were studied, thus obtaining a factual guide to start tours to show visitors in an orderly way the great biodiversity of this part of the Amazon basin. The natural value of the initial area of 200 hectares was determined, and then an environmental department was formed. Thus, in November 1979, the Peruvian state delivered the first concession for the use of 10,000 hectares (24,000 acres) for research, conservation and tourism. That was how a team of researchers was established who made inventories of the flora and fauna, coordinating with national and foreign experts to study specific groups of animals. The conservation and research activities were directed by recognized scientists, such as Edward O. Wilson, Ted Papenfuss, William Duellman, Oliver Phillips, among others, from prestigious institutions including Harvard University, the University of California at Berkeley, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the University of Leeds in England, the Universidad Mayor de San Marcos, the Universidad San Antonio de Abad del Cusco, among others. 

The design of the hotel facilities is in line with local cultures, maintaining the native style Ese'eja in Madre de Dios and the highland Andean style in Machu Picchu. Construction materials are from the locality without disturbing the environment. In the city of Cusco, an old 16th century colonial mansion was restored and has become a successful boutique hotel with 11 elegant suites.