SAS Travel Tour Operator - Adventure travel agency in Cusco, Peru

SAS Travel Peru : A well-established quality Tour Operator with over 16 years of Experience & Expertise organising a huge variety of Tours,Treks, Amazon, Jungle Trips & Packages in Peru. Everything from the trek of a lifetime to Machu-Picchu Choquequiraw, Lares, Salkantay Trails or a magnificent train trip through the Andes Mountains to get there: Manu National Park and Puerto Maldonado Adventures in the Jungle, staying with families on the Islands of Lake Titicaca and watching in awe as Condors fly overhead at Colca Canyon,( the deepest canyon in the world) and the Coast for the mysterious Nazca Lines and the rich wildlife reserve of the Ballestas Islands.
SAS Travel Peru also offers excellently guided cultural tours of the Sacred Valley and City of Cusco or for those who want a little excitement around Cusco there`s white-water rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, climbing, paragliding and more.
Recognised and Honored by the Regional Govt Tourist Ministry as:
" 2007 Best Inca Trail Tour Operator "

OUR VISION :

- Quality personilized and honest tours, outdoor camp trips or jungle excursions at a reasonable prices.
- To be recognized as the leading Tour Agency & Operator in the Cusco Region & one that contributes greatly to the development of the Tourism Sector.

OUR COMMITMENT :

- Exceeding expectations through effective, resourceful, caring service while inspiring the highest level of trust
- Continual quality improve our trips, up-dating qualification of our staff and guides and being the best once again every year.

OUR VALUES :

- Honesty & integrity
- Client = Friend
- Commitment with the Culture and the Society of the Andean World.
- Work in Team - Knowledge, Experience & Dedication.
- Creative & Innovating - Solidarity
- Replace attacks and criticisms by proposals & actions.
- Made by Peruvians

SAS Travel Peru - IDEALOGY-

SAS Travel Social, Cultural & Economic Responsibility through Tourism; Commitment to our professional staff & local communities: creating new jobs and opportunities to change their lives. - Fair wages for all employees- Health & Insurance for our porters & staff. - Special community work shops- Prolonging the indigenous wisdom of the native Incas communitiesby helping tourists understand the sensitive nature of the cultural & economic balance throughout the Andes.
SAS Travel Peru; An Environmentally & Socially Friendly Tour Company ;
Here at SAS we focus on seriously taking care of and preserving our environment, keeping the trails clean and as undisturbed as possible to insure that future Peruvians and visitors from around the world will be able to appreciate the essence of these historic and unique landscapes of the Peru Andes .We do respect and follow the values and practices of low impact tourism, and we conduct all of our tours adhering to our strict responsible travel principles and request that you also do so. The destinations we visit require a sustained commitment from our staff, and also our customers to protect our fragile communities, cultures, economies and environments and to benefit from the positive impacts of tourism. " Silverio has an incredible appreciation for the environment. He picks up trash along the trail.." Jeff Jacquin 23rd Oct 2007

SAS Travel Peru; Expectations & Goals ;

Our goal, operating and making our Tours and Excursions are a pleasing experience, comfortable and safe, applying original details and personal touches,
but mainly demonstrating that customized attention is the base of a good service, always endorsed by the experience and the professionalism of our great working team. At end of your visit we want you to take home "a one of a kind" rewarding positive experience, that will resonate throughout your life. Encouraging and motivating you into learning more about this amazing Andean & Incas Civilization, sharing with each of you the sacred Inca wisdom, spiritual thought and practices. For the years to come we expect to continue providing an exceptional tour of this enchanted part of our earth Peru.

FUN, EDUCATIONAL, FULL OF ADVENTURE, SAFE & UNFORGETABLE !!!

SAS Travel Peru; Another Level of Customer Appreciation ; Here at SAS Travel we understand that the time you spend with us should be well organized for an optimum authentic experience, through the cooperation of our hand picked well trained staff & work system. Any program you choose to take a part of, our SAS Travel agents feel the responsibility to follow you step by step, whether you’re on the trail or any time during your visit to ensure your comfort and total satisfaction.

SAS Travel & the Future of Tourism in the Andes

We feel the responsibility and play the role in creating an example, of what kind of service a professional tourism company should provide. For example SAS Travel employees embark on a long term learning adventure.This specialized training, creates a variety of opportunities that allow employees to find the role in the company that best suits their abilities. We also measure success through the positive reaction received by our customers throughout the course of their visit. In the future we understand that tourist expectations will grow so we created a system catered around this fact.

OUR PROYECTS with Discover Adventure & the Charities from the UK

SAS Travel Peru strives to channel the generous contributions of these visitors/tourists so that they reach the local people directly.
Some Examples:
- Play Ground & Bathrooms in Chacan Santiago Kindergarten Izcuchaca.
- Kids Play Ground in Qèllo Qèllo School Pisac
- Kids Play Ground in Pampallaqta.
- Computer gift for Chacan School 2006 Miles Buckinghamshire
- Walk a Mile in My Shoes
- Educational Materials in Chacan, Quiswarani, Huacawasi, Cuncani, Pallata, Chincheros, Piuray Lake, QelloQello, .. so many people to thank...but Beth Cummings (Shetland Islands) who donated her entire 2007 Birthday money to support many activities and ensure that so many children received educational materials in isolated communities will be thanked for many years.
- Helping Choquecancha,(Lares) Chincheros, Pampallaqta Communities Weavers to sell their beautiful work at Hotel Marqueses.
- This is a SAS Travel - Hotel Marqueses Project to enable weavers in isolated mountain communities to sell their products direct to the public and by cutting out the middlemen who take all the commission ensure fair pay for work and
- Education Scholarships for some individuals who lack resources to realize their valuable potencial.
- Construction of the Weaver House in Pampallaqta – Far Frontiers UK
- Educational Material for Children in Chawaytire and Pampallaqta.
- "Wawa-Wasi" : Children of single working mum`s Project, Library, Activity/ Toy room and weekly nutricious meal ;
- Values, Moral and Material Support for young "working boys" shoe shiners, etc
The young "working boys" and Wawa Wasi Projects are generously supported and made possible by the kindness of the Canadian Community :

SAS Travel Peru is committed to sharing the spirit of Christmas giving and participates in activities distribuiting presents, meals / hot chocolate to around a 1000 children.
All of these small activities could not happen without the support we have received from so many tourists and so have named our cd of photos " We couldn`t have done it without YOU" We want to take this chance to thankyou sincerely for bringing out childrens shoes, clothes and educational items which have been so gratefully received and people who generally supported the Ica Earthquake Victims in so many ways.

SAS Travel Peru Crew :

OUR PORTERS :

More than 250 porters from Amaru, Qello Qello, Pampallaqta, Sacaca, Ampay, Yanahuara, Paru Paru, Chincheros, Umasbamba
"Hard workers, honest, humble and cheerful guys".
" The porters were exceptionally hard working and always kind and helpful."

OUR COOKS :

Fabulous Cooks... Delicious & abundant meals: Peruvian and international Cuisine are prepared by our professional and dedicated cooks from a mixture of local and exotic products. We also cater for vegetarians and special diets. " The cook Mario conjured delicious food at every stop, how that wonderful food came out of a kitchen tent on the side of a mountain we´ll never know."

OUR TOUR GUIDES :

Highly recommended, Fluent and clear English. Experienced & very knowledgeable, passionate for the Inca heritage/ history, Dedicated to continual personal development and learning to ensure you recieve accurate recognized theories about the Inca Andean culture. Fun loving, great sportsmen and well educated crew, some of them great Entertainers and the best "Salsa Dancers" this side of Machu Picchu as well as having a degree in Archaeology!

OUR OFFICE STAFF :

Our office crew are chosen for their organisational skills, travel experience and the pre-requisite sense of humour. Professional well prepared and sincere.
Proficience in French, German, English, Italian and Spanish.

OUR AWARDS :

AWARD Dircetur 2007 " The Best Tour Operator "
AWARD Dircetur 2005 " The Best Tour Operator "
AWARD Dircetur 2002 " The Best Tour Agency in Treks & Jungle Trips "

MANU NATIONAL PARK OFFICIAL OPERATOR

At SAS Travel Peru we work very hard to ensure that you receive first rate service. Your personal safety and a pleasurable trip is our first priority. As part of our quality control, we really care about your vacation time in Peru, with all of your details being at the top of our lists.Thank you for your patronage, from our tour guides, drivers, cooks and especially our porters who always look forward to serving you, as they provide for their own families.Thank you for choosing SAS Travel, for a safe and exciting travel experience. Thanks for visiting the Land of the Incas & Cusco, her ancient Incan Capital.
Experience your trip of a lifetime with SAS Travel !

But Don´t Just take our word for it!
Take a look at the experiences and comments of our clients.

We wanted to drop you a line on our return home to say another huge thanks to everyone at SAS who helped make the Cusco part of our holiday so fantastic.

> From the first time we contacted you to enquire about trekking to Machu Picchu, through to being dropped back at the airport for the next leg of our trip - everyone excelled.
We had an amazing time on our trek and loved it all. Hilbert and Javier were brilliant, although I'm not sure Hilbert will ever forgive Andy for kicking his ankle during the international football tournament en route! We have got loads of amazing pictures (which I'm sure you've seen about a million times), we'll be emailing some to Hilbert soon who I'm sure will share them if of interest. Boris & his team were star cooks, producing more amazing food in the cooking tent than we can in the kitchen at home. My one complaint was a constant fear of gaining weight whilst in his hands - everything was irresistible! Unbelievable and greatly appreciated by all as the clean plates showed. And thanks so much to you for all your help with the organisation of everything. It all worked out brilliantly including the elements you arranged for us in Puno.
SAS travel were recommended to us by two separate friends and your reputation is so well deserved. We'll certainly be recommending you too. Best of luck for continued success and lots more happy clients.
Annie & Andy White

My husband and I trekked the Inca Trail with SAS Travel January 2008 ( 5 day tour).

They were recommended to me by a very good friend and I had high expectations for the tour and I must say we were so impressed with SAS that I recommend them to everyone I talk to! I did have some concern over the treatment of their porters but to me they appeared to be well looked after. This is just my perception. Others may disagree with me. They had fairly decent gear for the weather- fleece vests, rain ponchos, reasonable footwear (which was 10 times better than other porters I saw). We had the opportunity to give the porters their tip directly rather than via the guide. To me that was really important seeing them receive it. They are the lifeline of the Inca Trail. The staff were extremely helpful, both email contact and at their base in Cusco. Any query was answered immediately or within 1 day. We were prepped one day before the tour started. We had 2 guides and they were great. One was based at the front, the other at the back. I had a slight bit of nausea on the way up and the guides both assisted me with medication. They carry oxygen and other medications for altitude sickness. I had complete confidence in these guides in these situations. I must say that the food was absolutely AMAZING! - we ate like kings for 4 days. The variety of food that we had was simply astounding. Breakfast consisted of pancakes and bread and jam, lunch and dinner consisted of great soups with meat and vegetable dishes. Happy hour at 6pm consisted of popcorn, endless cups of milo, machu tea (fruity rum mix), biscuits and other snacks. So I could go on forever but the entire experience was special and SAS Travel are a great company to trek the Inca Trail with. Jodi Coleman Colorado USA.

SAS Hike Inca Trail Machu Picchu Sep 04, 2007

When we were purchasing our Inca Trail package we checked all the travel books and picked one of the top 5 rated companies: S.A.S. Travel. Rated in the top 5 companies for cost, guides, food and experience. They met and exceeded our expectations and I would strongly recommend this company to any individual who is interested in hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. To start with, you must understand that the Peruvian government requires all hikers to go with a certified Inca Trail guide. So if you wish to do the trail, like it or not, you have to find a travel company. SAS Travel:
First: All included great cost$$: S.A.S. will include all park fees, passes, train cost, bus cost and registration costs in their price. Everything is taken care of when you get there so all you have to do is pack your bags and hike. Not all companies do this, so if you try to take the cheaper way out with a different company - be sure the company is actually saving you money and not just expecting you to pay for the $70 park fee or the $x.xx transportation cost etc...
Second: Great food: Every meal was complete with soup, main course, and 2-3 side items. All flavourful and all in plenty. S.A.S also provides enough boil water for each hiker every morning - this is a big deal when on the trail. There are places to purchase water/gatorade on the trail - but you will pay a high price for it as the locals have to haul it up the mountain by foot.
Third: Great guides: Encouraging, informative, and able to assist in any circumstance. Any trek will provide you with guides who will tell you the history of the trail and ruins, and this is important- but will they provide guides who are genuinly concerned about each hiker? My partner became extremely ill on the trek. Headaches, nausia, vomiting, dizziness, cramping... All classic symptoms of serious Altitude Sickness. The guides were equiped with meds, O2 masks, special meals, and on the first day (when he was feeling the worst) the guides found a horse for my partner to ride up the mountain on the first day. But more than their knowledge, medications and resoursfullness - the constant encouragement and considerate nature of the guides is what helped my partner make it through the trail. It didn't matter how slowly we needed to go, our guides were always happy and gracious constantly reminding us to, "Hold our llamas, Machu Picchu doesn't move! Take your time... This is your vacation - do the trail at your own pace..."
Fourth: Icing on the cake!: August 30th was my partner's birthday. In secret, the guides and porters made a birthday cake for him and surprised him at dinner on the 30th!
I have no complaints. It was a great experience - SAS is a great company. If you are interested in booking with SAS, it is advisable to book 8 months in advance as hikes fill up early, but book no less than 4 months in advance. SAS will take care of purchasing all the required tickets, authorizations and trail passes. Certain passes have to be purchased 2-4 months prior to the hike - so you must purchase early and trek dates cannot be changed as the passes are purchased for specific dates only. Marie Bourke Toronto Canada

HONEST reviews of SAS Travel 4 day Inca Trail Hike, Cusco, Peru: 1 1/2 years ago my brother bought me a 4 day hike on the Inca trail for my b-day/xmas ...

1 1/2 years ago my brother bought me a 4 day hike on the Inca trail for my b-day/xmas present (best present ever BTW). The tour company was SAS travel. Let me just say, well worth the extra pesos to get a reputable company to guide you on this magnificent hike through the Andes. The guide, Oz, was courteous, knowledgeable, and best off funny as hell. It was amazing, the group had a bunch of porters who (literally) ran up in front, setup tents, and lunch. The meals were absolutely amazing. I have heard some horror stories from other people on the trail about horrible food, and guides that didn't seem to know anything about the history surrounding Machu Picchu.
I have just done a little research on SAS, and I saw a few blogs with people trash talking them. All I have to say is, I loved it, my brother (who's done the trail twice with SAS) loved it, and all the people in my group seemed to have a blast.
Peace I'm out!! Matthew Bryce Australia