Our team consisted of Roulionof, our guide, Frank, the assistant guide, 17 porters including the cook and assistant cook, and the 9 of us.
The porters carry 25kg each and generally ran past us on the trail. The youngest porter was 19 and the oldest was 58.
A tour provider in Cusco told us they make about $10-$15 American per 4 day trip, plus tips. The company we booked with is supposed to pay better, but we don’t know how much. We tipped about $20 American per porter, the recommendation is about $16. A farmer in this area makes about $320/year on top of what his family eats, and the government pays about $2/hour for labour, so this is actually a well paying job in this area.
The porters are equipped with back supports, water bottles, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and shoes provided by the company. They sleep in the food and kitchen tents.
Most of the porters have never been to Machu Picchu. There is an alternate trail down to the train from the last checkpoint that bypasses the ruins. Because we got to Machu Picchu a day earlier than usual, and because one girl was sick and needed help, the cook and assistant cook were allowed to came along to help her out. It was the first time they had seen the ruins that they have helped so many tourists get to over their 200 or so trips they have completed.
