Pasión Andina - Your incoming agency in South America

Pasión Andina, founded in 2009, is a travel agency based in Cusco, dedicated to creating unique and authentic experiences throughout the South American continent. Its philosophy is based on responsible tourism, in close contact with local communities and far from conventional tours. Discover through this exclusive interview why every trip with them is a true human adventure.

1. Agency Presentation

Could you briefly introduce yourselves and tell us who is part of Pasión Andina?

What is the story behind the agency's name? Name, year of creation, specialties, areas of operation, vision of tourism in Peru.

Pasión Andina was created in 2009 by Bertrand Gross, after a first visit as a volunteer with a Swiss NGO in Cusco. It's a story of Passion for Peru, its people, its noble heart, its living culture, and of course the splendid and varied landscapes of the Coast, the Andes, and the Amazon Jungle. Having worked for other large agencies, Bertrand decided to open a small agency that would truly have meaning and a positive impact.
Pasión Andina's DNA is reflected in the tours it offers, to meet the local population, in a respectful and harmonious relationship, on routes where traditional agencies don't go, to live unique and authentic experiences. Since every client is different, we offer tailor-made trips, combining the best that each country has to offer. Our area of operation is the South American continent.
Internally, Pasión Andina's organization is holacratic. We don't have departments and subdivisions. Each team member is a Travel Artisan, trained and passionate about their work, accompanying their passengers from their first contact until their return home.

2. Origin and Motivation

What inspired you to create Pasión Andina?

Why did you choose Peru (and/or South America) as the heart of your activities?

Pasión Andina was created in 2009 by Bertrand Gross, after a first visit as a volunteer with a Swiss NGO in Cusco. It's a story of Passion for Peru, its people, its noble heart, its living culture, and of course the splendid and varied landscapes of the Coast, the Andes, and the Amazon Jungle. Having worked for other large agencies, Bertrand decided to open a small agency that would truly have meaning and a positive impact.

3. Philosophy and Values

What are the values that guide your work every day?

How are these values reflected in the experience you offer travelers?

We do everything possible to ensure that the trip is an adventure forever etched in the travelers' memory. We are committed to providing them with close contact with our local partners (guides, drivers, host families, etc.), whom we pay above average. We value local traditions, which are the true source of the country's wealth. With our office in Cusco and our passion for quality, like a Swiss army knife, we use a thousand resources so that travelers can enjoy their vacation with complete peace of mind. We are in permanent contact during the trip through a dedicated WhatsApp group, where we daily share information for the next day and the days to come.

4. Experience and Tourist Offerings

What unique experiences do you offer travelers who choose Peru with your agency?

Our agency offers travelers unique and authentic experiences, far from conventional tourist routes. We like to travel at a leisurely pace, exploring little-known or almost forgotten treasures like Waqra Pukara, Ananiso, Pallay Puncho, the Cañón de los Perdidos, the Chimpa fortressThe Chimpa Fortress is an impressive and remote Inca fortress in the Andes. This site is a demanding trekking destination, offering spectacular views and the opportunity to discover a little-visited archaeological gem. or KanamarcaKanamarca is a pre-Inca archaeological site of the Canas culture, famous for its unique chullpas (funerary towers) and its circular stone houses. It is a key place to understand the Andean history before the Incas.. We propose experiences that bring the visitor closer to the local population and Andean traditions, with exclusive treks. Among our most special experiences are nights in bivouac under the stars in the Huacachina dunes, our camper routes away from the crowds in places like the Morón lagoon, Tambo Colorado.

How do you select your guides and local partners? How do you ensure an authentic immersion and a positive impact on the communities?

They go through an interview process with our managers. Everyone must first respect formality criteria. As for languages, we ask for their diplomas and check their level with conversations and in-person interviews. We travel to get to know all our offerings before offering them to our clients. We have a continuous presence on the ground to always be up-to-date. We pay our contacts in the communities a fair price as we define the price of their services together with them and do not negotiate it. We support the communities with several additional projects besides the simple service and tourist income.

What are your most popular tours? And if you had a “hidden gem” for us to discover, what would it be?

Among our most popular tours we can highlight:
Sun Route, Altiplano: From Cusco to Puno or Arequipa, and back, we propose to link these cities through a new unique circuit, passing through the wonderful landscapes of Tres Cañones, Pallay Puncho, and Palcoyo, and the cities of Kanamarca and Raqchi.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu via the ancient Inca roads: With Machu Picchu as the final destination, the route harmoniously combines spectacular landscapes of the Andes and valuable experiences of meeting with local communities.
Family immersion in the Cusco region: The ideal option for those who wish to travel with family. We propose two full weeks to calmly discover the most beautiful landscapes of the region, while sharing experiences with Peruvian families on the way to Machu Picchu.

5. Target Audience and Personalization

What type of travelers do you mainly accompany? (Families, backpackers, luxury travelers, cultural explorers, etc.)

We welcome various types of travelers, from young backpackers to families with children. In addition, we organize high-end trips with unique experiences that allow you to discover South America while enjoying excellent comfort.

Do you offer tailor-made services? How do you personalize trips to satisfy each client's unique desires?

We offer our trips tailor-made if clients wish. We adapt to their requests and their desires so that they have the best possible stay in Peru.

6. Memorable Experiences

Could you share an anecdote or special moment experienced with a traveler or group?

There are many, in fact every smile from a passenger is our greatest satisfaction. Recently we returned to Cusco with 2 passengers and stopped at the Community of Raqchi. Talking with the son of the family where we stayed overnight, we learned that he still didn't know Palcoyo. The next day will be an unforgettable memory for him and his mom. As an extra gift on the way down, we had the alpaca fair in the small community of Palcoyo.

What has been the biggest challenge you have faced and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenges come when you add an unforeseen event to an already complicated passenger. A smile and patience are the only true remedies. However, we also have experience and an extra budget to solve different types of problems.

7. Responsible Commitment

How do you integrate sustainable and responsible tourism into your practices and travel offerings?

Do you support community, ecological, or social projects in Peru? Could you give us concrete examples?

We are in close collaboration with local communities, who gladly welcome us into their environment. This way, they can show clients their daily life, and travelers can even participate and help with their tasks. We strive to minimize the use of plastic on our tours in the Cusco region. We offer filtered water bottles and prepare the lunch boxes ourselves; that is, a short circuit. We pay our guides and transporters fairly and equitably.

8. Logistics, Safety, and Competitive Advantages

What are the main advantages of choosing your agency over large international platforms? (Personalized service, flexibility, prices, local experience...)

Choosing our agency is living an authentic trip, created by people passionate about Peruvian culture and in direct contact with local communities. We offer tailor-made, ethical, and sustainable stays, with personalized support from our office in Cusco. Comfort, quality, and sincere encounters make each trip a unique experience, very different from the standardized tours of large platforms.

How do you manage unforeseen events or emergency situations (climate changes, strikes, health problems, etc.) to ensure the safety and well-being of your travelers?

What measures do you take to ensure the safety of your clients throughout the trip?

We create WhatsApp groups and have an emergency phone that our clients can contact at any time of the day or night. We are attentive to each of our travelers' requests.

9. Adaptation and Innovation

How have you adapted to changes in tourism in recent years (for example, after the pandemic)?

We have created a new agency, offering excursions focused on Peru and Cusco: www.escapateperu.com.

Have you incorporated new technologies or tools to improve the traveler's experience?

We are in the process of obtaining ISO 9001 and 14001 certificates.

10. Tips and Trends

If you had to convince an undecided traveler in one sentence to choose Peru, what would you say?

Peru has it all!

What essential advice would you give someone planning their first trip to Peru?

Let yourself be surprised, don't compare, just admire!

What are, in your opinion, the new trends or main developments in Peruvian tourism?

Slow tourism

11. Reviews and Customer Relations

Could you share a customer testimonial that has particularly touched you?

“Hello, on behalf of the group, I would like to thank the entire Pasión Andina team for having accompanied us during these 19 days in Peru. The families where we stayed, at Julia's, Dolores', Rubén and Sylma's, welcomed us with great warmth and prepared delicious local dishes for us. Our guides were charming, friendly and professional... I recommend this local agency run by Lionel, who respected our wishes, made us discover places off the beaten track and gave us free time. Thank you again everyone... We came back with our minds full of images and, in my case, with the desire to discover other corners of Peru...”

How do you maintain contact with travelers after the trip?

We always keep in touch with our clients after their trip to make sure, first of all, that they have arrived safely, and then we send them a satisfaction questionnaire in order to receive their feedback and be able to improve after each trip.

12. Future Projects

Do you have any exciting projects or news you can tell us about?

www.Camperperu.com / www.andenesdelsol.com.

What do you dream of for Pasión Andina in the coming years?

To bring together the largest, best, and happiest team of Travel Artisans.

13. Contact and Collaboration

How can interested travelers contact you or book a trip directly through your agency?

They can contact us via WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, through our email address, or by sending us a message to our direct phone number. We will be happy to answer them.

14. Final Message

What message would you like to leave for future travelers who dream of discovering Peru and South America?

First of all, it will be a pleasure to advise them if they have questions about their future trip to Peru and South America. Once they have made the decision, we will do everything possible to make the trip we propose as close as possible to what they had imagined. Once at their destination, we will do everything to ensure they have the most pleasant experience possible, one that will stay in their memories for a lifetime.