What Makes Us Different?
A Commitment to Excellence and Professionalism
We spare no expense in offering once-in-a-lifetime journeys to our esteemed guests. Providing expert guides, top-notch accommodations and amenities, and the utmost attention to safety and meeting personalized requests are all part of our signature mission. Above all, we here at MLP remain a close-knit group that values family, tradition, and a love for sharing all of the riches that Peru has to offer.
A Personal Connection with Our Andean Neighbors
When MLP founder, Enrique Umbert Sr., began exploring the Salkantay Trail, he realized the importance of building relationships with the remote communities along the route. After all, this region had been their home for multiple generations, and out of respect for their patrimonial heritage, Enrique sought out community leaders to establish a meaningful spirit of reciprocity and personal connection.
A Focus on Environmental Sustainability
When building our lodges, we took great care to protect the landscape and rich natural resources of these cherished lands. Each lodge was designed to blend seamlessly into its unique environment, and all materials were transported, by only man or mule, from approved sources to the building sites. To this day, we continue our sustainability efforts through multiple environmental and agricultural initiatives alongside our NGO, Yanapana Peru.
A Project of Inclusion
The spirit of reciprocity was cemented by training and hiring locals from each community to become invaluable members of our lodge staff. The goal: include our Andean neighbors and promote their future economic success as our partners in a climate of historically-established social unbalance. Our subsequent social initiatives have and continue to include childhood education, access to professional medical care, family counseling, and the empowerment of Andean women in the social and economic landscape of modern-day Cusco.
Vision
We would like to inspire transcendental change through adventure travel.
Mission
Mountain Lodges of Peru creates unique adventure travel experiences for the discerning active traveler, with a core competency in hospitality, lodging, and local personalized service along with a high degree of commitment to social and environmental sustainability.
We are Peruvians who are passionate about our mountains and our Andean neighbors. They inspire us to consistently create strategies for social/economic advancement and environmental sustainability.
Not only are we committed to sharing the celebrated treasures of Peru, we are also devoted to exceeding our guest’s expectations by offering an integrated cultural component that brings these treasures to life.
The opportunity to share our history and culture with travelers from around the world is what drives us. For more than 10 years, we have had the privilege of hosting guests at our lodges and offering journeys that combine adventure and cultural immersion.
Our local teams, comprised of a rich blend of traditions and cultures, receive training to provide outstanding service and will go above and beyond to give each guest an unforgettable experience.
Our family
ENRIQUE UMBERT SANDOVAL
President & Founder
Enrique is originally from Arequipa, Peru. Known as an intrepid adventurer and explorer since childhood, Enrique dreamed many times of building mountain lodges in remote locations … Read Moreto enjoy unfettered contact with nature, as well as connect with the indigenous people whose history and traditions represent a meaningful layer of Peru’s identity. In 2005 that dream came true with the construction of the first lodge on the Salkantay route. Enrique’s vast corporate and entrepreneurial experience in the commodities markets have played a pivotal role in the design and execution of the company’s strategic plan.
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ENRIQUE UMBERT OLAZABAL
Co-founder & Manager
Enrique’s fascination with developing unique and innovative travel experiences became a reality in 2005 with the creation of Mountain Lodges of Peru… Read More ,the perfect platform to blend his passions: business management, marketing, adventure travel, conservation, and sustainability. Enrique is graduate of the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences and holds a Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management from the UIBS/United International Business School/Barcelona, Spain.
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ANDRES ADASME
Head of Adventure, Exploration & Product Development
Andres’ studies in architecture motivated his interest in a more extensive exploration of archaeological sites around the world, with a focus on Mexico, Egypt, and of course, Peru.… Read More This led him to Cusco in 2003. In 2005 he joined the MLP planning and oversight team during the design and construction of the lodges along the Salkantay Trail. Once in Cusco, he also began a more in-depth study of the Inca and Pre-Inca legacy related to modern Andean philosophy. Since then, he has traveled internationally to conferences as a speaker about Archaeoastronomy, the science that studies the relationship between ancient monuments and the sky (stars), knowledge, and passion that he also shares with MLP guests and the community.
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LEONARDO SILVA
Routes Manager
Leo was born and raised in Cusco, Peru. His professional experience in both hotel management and education make him a unique team member as manager… Read More of The Sacred Valley & Lares Adventure to Machu Picchu since its inauguration in 2014. By combining skills from each of his professional pursuits, he has been instrumental in building solid and genuine relationships between MLP and the Andean communities in the Sacred Valley, Lares, and Salkantay areas.
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ELISABETH LEITNER-RAUCHDOBLER
Sales & Marketing Manager – Europe
Based in Austria, Elisabeth’s passion for the Andes and her keen interest in the development of Yanapana Peru, our MLP non-profit organization… Read More , led her to head up the European sales and marketing team, in addition to representing MLP in tourism trade shows around the globe. Elisabeth’s success in her role at MLP is complemented by her broad background as a consultant in business and finance.
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NADIA LE BON
Sales & Marketing Manager – North America
Nadia Le Bon has been immersed in adventure travel all of her adult life, from guiding clients on trips in the Himalayas to managing worldwide … Read More operations for a premier US adventure travel company. She is a well-known figure throughout the international adventure travel industry; her experience in the field, as well as her background in marketing, sales, and PR have contributed significantly to Mountain Lodges of Peru’s success in North America from day one.
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EDOUARD RAUCHDOBLER
Chairman of the Board
Edi’s commercial career spans more than forty years in the commodities markets. After meeting Enrique Umbert Sandoval, they began … Read More a life-long friendship comprised of business ventures and a shared love of mountaineering and skiing. It stands to reason that the two eventually became collaborators in the vision and creation of MLP. As Chairman, Edi’s corporate and commercial leadership make his input into company strategy invaluable.
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FELIPE UMBERT OLAZABAL
Chief Financial Officer
Felipe has always been an adventurer with an avid interest in sociology and personal growth. The opportunity to work side by side with his family… Read More in the creation and development of Mountain Lodges of Peru continues to be a cornerstone of his life. Felipe’s gift for envisioning strategies to create a value added human experience within a successful business model is what makes him unique. He is a graduate in finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and holds a Master’s Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management from the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Spain.
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What We Stand For
K’ata / Unique
We are wholeheartedly committed to making our guests’ experiences unique through exceptional service and personalized attention. Our small group adventures make this possible.
Ujjina / Different
Unique nomadic journeys are in our DNA.
We take great pride in sharing them with our guests in hopes that each day spent with us delivers discovery and growth with the added benefit of comfort and exceptional client service.
Japiqay / Learn
Our foundation, our engine, and our hearts are focused on offering education and memorable life-changing experiences that profoundly impact our guests.
Yachayniyux /
Experience
In 2022, we marked 15 years of continuous success and leadership in the adventure and sustainable travel industries. From day one we have worked very hard to continuously improve our products by offering exceptional service plus the very best in guides, infrastructure, and logistics.
Ayni / Reciprocity
Authenticity is the roadmap we have chosen.
We are committed to creating social and economic value all around us while at the same time maintaining and highlighting the unique traditions of the Andean communities. A key strategy in reaching our objective is to empower, train, and employ as many locals as possible from our neighboring communities to become modern-day travel industry professionals.
Ayllu / Community
Our genuine desire to build human relationships makes us strive to innovate, empower, and create value for our stakeholders, including partnerships with Andean communities as part-owners of the MLP lodges.
Tariy / Discover
Following and discovering uncrowded paths…our programs are designed around remote routes in pristine areas high in the mountains. These itineraries allow us to travel in relative solitude and at our own pace, putting our guests in close contact with the history, culture, and natural beauty of the Peruvian Andes.
Giving Back
In 2006 Mountain Lodges of Peru sponsored the creation of Yanapana Peru, a non-profit organization dedicated to social and environmental responsibility and improvement. We are most proud of our joint venture with the people of Huacahuasi, called Kuska Purispa: Walking Together. A strong belief in empowering Andean communities led to our teaming up with the local people in this remote hamlet to build the Huacahuasi Lodge. Not only are the members of this community active investors in the property, but we also provided them with the hospitality training necessary to join our lodge personnel team. We are looking forward to expanding this innovative business model with the participation of other local communities in Peru.
PURPOSE
Yanapana’s purpose is to reduce the condition of extreme poverty in the Andean Highlands by improving quality of life through sustainable community development.
MISSION
To create a positive and sustainable context for humanitarian, cultural, social, and economic exchange and integration, a context in which all stakeholders are empowered to envision and create a more fruitful way of life.
VISION
To identify and serve the various needs of families and individuals in areas of extreme poverty by promoting participatory and sustainable development.
Philosophy
