Choquequirao Community Homestays in Peru
Choquequirao Community Homestays with Trail Hostels
This US$5,000 grant supported the Choquequirao Community Homestay Trail Hostels project in 2023.
Global Pearls is a non-profit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whose mission is to reduce suffering and foster hope among marginalized populations in developing countries by empowering changemakers from within.
In 2017, they partnered with Juan Covarrubias Caihuari, a Quechua from Marampata, Peru, next to the Choquequirao (pronounced: Choke-EE-Corah) archeological site. The Choquequirao archeological site is unique, and its remote location allows tourists to enjoy fabulous Incan ruins set in the majestic Andes in their original tranquil environment.
The Issue
Choquequirao was relatively unknown until Lonely Planet named it the number one destination in 2017 in its “Top Regions” category. Suddenly, tourists started flocking to the site, and large foreign firms wanted to buy indigenous land and displace locals to reap the revenue from the increase in tourism along the trail. Juan helped the Quechua communities band together to cater to tourists' needs and retain ownership of their lands along the trail.
The only way to access the Choquequirao archeological site is by trekking for several days, and many trekkers like to continue on the trail to Machu Picchu. Tourists are increasingly interested in skipping the tent and renting beds along the route because there are long stretches between these tents, and trekkers wish to find a more accessible and comfortable option.
The Solution
Global Pearls and Juan partnered with community leaders along the trail and started the Choquequirao Trail Hostels project. This partnership empowers locals to lead the project while Global Pearls provides financial support.
The goal is to help local families build and furnish tiny rooms with beds, or “hostels," to rent to trekkers. Every interested family along the trail from Cachora to Yanama will have either one hostel with four beds or two hostels with two beds they can rent to trekkers. This will allow them to benefit from the growing numbers of tourists who trek to Choquequirao. This project will also help preserve this unique archaeological site's physical and cultural beauty.
The Project
The Choquequirao Trail Hostels project creates an income-earning opportunity for the Quechua families along the Choquequirao Trail. The locals must invest their labor by harvesting the timber, making the adobe bricks, and building the structure. The hostels will be small and built in a traditional Quechua style to blend in, and the traditional feel of the villages will be preserved.
Global Pearls will provide funding for the roofing, bedframes, mattresses, blankets, pillows, and other hospitality materials and supplies needed. Based on the number of interested families, the goal is to build and furnish 31 hostels with 124 beds.
With rapidly growing numbers of trekkers (22,091 visitors trekked the trail in 2019), there is a growing need for lodging and food along the trail. Providing safe and clean beds to rent in a dry shelter will be a wonderful source of income for the indigenous families along the trail. This will allow local Quechua to retain control of their land and reap the rewards of preserving their cultural heritage on their own terms.
2023 Update
The hostels along the Choquequirao trail are completed and doing well, and many families are using their profits for more beds. A family in Chikiska has turned the original four beds into 28!
One downside of the growth of trekkers is that septic tanks are on the verge of overflowing. A high priority for the coming year is to improve their septic system to handle the higher volume.
Details of what it cost
Funding request: US$5,000.
Global Pearls can match every public donation 2:1, which triples the amount of each dollar donated.
All costs are in US dollars for 31 hostels:
$4,340 - Roofing materials transported by mule.
$31,000 - Bed frames, mattresses, blankets, and pillows transported by mule.
The complete project will cost $35,340,
Roofing materials will be the first supplies to be provided once funding begins. As more funding is provided, the beds and linens will be hauled-in so families can complete their hostels.
The expected timeframe for completion of all 31 hostels will be 2023.
Choquequirao Trek in 2021
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