Passion. Adventure. Solidarity. Honesty.
These are the corner stones on which Chasqui Treks is built. They are what make us the best botique, customizable, tour operator in Ecuador.
Tourism is a huge industry here in Ecuador. The fifth largest after oil, bananas, roses, and shrimp.
And it should be. Ecuador is the world´s most biodiverse country. Where else can you visit the Amazon, the high Andes, sub-tropical Cloud Forests, Tropical coastal beaches, AND the Galapagos Islands in just one small nation?
I have been working, living, farming, guiding, teaching,and raising my children in Ecuador since 1998 and the unbelievable beauty and diversity of my adopted country never ceases to amaze me.
We have seen a huge increase in tourism since 2000. But, like with any business, there are winners and losers. Too often, local communities, people, and ecosystems are the losers in the tourism game here in Ecuador, with tour operators reaping profits while locals fight for the scraps of what should be sustainable, inclusive economic growth.
Chasqui Treks is different.
We work actively to foment true community tourism, helping locals take ownership of tourism programs. We can talk about ecotourism all day, but until the people who actually live in the pristine natural areas that attract tourists see concrete benefits, true ecological conservation will never happen.
Chasqui Treks donates 10% of all post-tax profit to CASA Interamericana, a small foundation working with communities in Ecuador to develop sustainable living alternatives and economic development projects: the establishment of a Spanish School and Community Tourism program, basic infrastructure for rural areas like bridges and constructed wetland sewage treatment systems, environmental and art education in schools, the promotion of sustainable agriculture techniques, subsidies for school transportation, and much more.
We train and hire local, native guides, drivers, cooks, lecturers, naturalists, and ecologists (and pay them the highest wages, by far, in the world of tourism in Ecuador).
We also recognize that there is an ecological cost to bringing tourists to Ecuador. That is why every single Chasqui Treks program and trip is carbon offset through the reforestation of native tree species. We work directly with Canopy Co, a local reforestation program. Chasqui Treks is the only tour operator in Ecuador that can claim to be 100% carbon neutral.
Chasqui Treks offers the best adventure and service itineraries in Ecuador, at a fair price, with a true commitment to conservation, cultural respect, and economic ethics.
Many clients have asked me how we offer better tourism programs for so much less. The anser is simple: We aren´t in it for the money! We simply love what we do, the people we work with, and the incredibly biodiverse part of the world known as Ecuador.
We invite you to become part of our extended family of friends, neighbors, and world citizens dedicated to a sustainable future on this planet.
Yours,
Peter Shear
Owner/Founder
Chasqui Treks
Pete is originally from Vermont, in the USA. He is the founder and owner of Chasqui Treks. A jack of all trades and master of none, Pete is an organic farmer, Geography professor, reforestation manager, painter, otoor guide. and father.
Lead Guides
Milton Arcos
Camilo Andrade
Camilo summited his first 6000 meter peak in high school and never looked back. A certified ASEGUIM mountain guide, his work and adventures have led him to ascend the highest mounatins and most difficult alpine routes throughout the Andes. Despite his love for adrenaline, his tranquil nature, emphasis on safety, and solid composure in the mountains make Camilo an alpine guide universally loved by our clients.
Assistant Guides
Born and bred in the sub-tropical cloud forests of the Íntag River Valley, Milton is the prototypical definition of a native guide. A self taught birder, naturalist, cattle farmer, environmental educator, and nature reserve manager, Milton is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet, a great dad and husband, and a practical jokster of the highest caliber.
Sandra Landázuri
Chasqui Treks strictly employs local residents for the myriad of work entailed with organizing treks and expeditions: cooking, transport, horsepacking, guitar playing, life guarding...you name it, locals do it!
Foto: Peter with local guides Victor Perugachi, Alex Pérez, Rodrigo Vargas, Jaime Cabascango, and José Manuel Chávez
Whether crossing the moonscaped lava fields of Sierra Negra, reintroducing captive-bred tortoises to the wild, or snorkelling with sharks, rays, turtles, and sea lions, Sandra is like a fish in water. Our Galapagos partner, Sandra is a biologist with years of experience working with the Charles Darwin Research Station and as a Galapagos National Park naturalist guide. The only thing more impressive than Sandra´s knowledge of natural history is her soulful smile and infectious laughter.
Dave Jackson
Beloved by everyone who crosses his path, Dave is a native of the UK. A biologist, Dave is a founder of the Andean Bear Project and, perhaps, the world´s most formidable expert on the Andean Spectacled Bear´s migratory and reproductive habits. An adventurer at heart, perhaps his most impressive feat was floating the entire Amazon River watershed --from Andes to Atlantic-- with a severely broken leg! Dave is also the proud father of his lovely daughter, Frida.