Produced by the largest and most trusted travel media brand in the United States, the ‘T+L 500’ list gathers the cream of the crop as these properties scored the highest in Travel + Leisure's most recent World's Best Awards survey. Places to which discerning readers want to return to time and time again, as these deliver the bucket-list locations, outstanding design, exceptional service, and original amenities.

We are proud to announce that Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is one of Travel + Leisure’s 500 Favorite Hotels and Resorts in the World.

Established at the foot of one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel comprises 83 whitewashed villas tucked away in the cloud forest amid stone pathways, terraces and waterfalls. The hotel’s world-class restaurant offers guests the many marvels of Andean cuisine, while Unu Spa (“water” in Quechua) provides a spiritual experience with 100% natural botanical extracts, freshwater ponds, and a candle-lit Andean sauna. Additionally, the organic tea produced in hotel grounds won the gold medal at the 2023 Annual Teas of the World Awards in Paris, France.

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is a pioneering case of regenerative tourism. Its grounds were originally used for grazing and as a sawmill. Since 1976, Inkaterra began the restoration of the cycle of life in the Machu Picchu cloud forest, through the reforestation of native flora such as ferns, bromeliads, and native trees such as the queñual and the pisonay. Nowadays, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is considered one of the most diverse urban hotspots in the world. Its lush gardens host the largest native orchid collection (372 species) according to the American Orchid Society, while eBird has registered 299 bird species in hotel grounds – including the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock.

“We are deeply thankful and humbled by Travel + Leisure’s most recent recognition,” says Inkaterra founder José Koechlin. “Travel + Leisure previously gave us the 2020 Global Vision Award, and in 2018 named Inkaterra the best hotel brand in South America as well as the third best in the world. This new mention of Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in the prestigious T+L 500 List is a celebration of Inkaterra’s 50-year history pioneering ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru, with research and conservation as the driving force of our endeavors.”

The international exhibition Orchids of Machu Picchu came to an end on March 31 after reaching a historical record that makes it the most visited exhibition about Peru.

Orchids from Machu Picchu were on display at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, one of Southeast Asia's most iconic natural parks. Produced by the Embassy of Peru in Singapore in alliance with Inkaterra, Orchids of Machu Picchu has been an unprecedented initiative to highlight the cultural and natural heritage of Peru.

In this exhibition, Inkaterra presented its special collection of 87 orchid flowers native to Machu Picchu, preserved in acrylic through an exceptional technique that keeps their natural shape and color, as to be able to appreciate them out of their habitat. It was the first time that this beautiful collection – which captures the intricate beauty and delicate details of Peruvian flowers – was featured abroad. It was shown alongside a scale model of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and other species and hybrids of Peruvian descent, grown in Gardens by the Bay.

“With the support of Inkaterra and Mr. Felix Loh, General Director of Gardens by the Bay, we bring Orchids of Machu Picchu, a unique experience to share the greatness of the biodiversity of Machu Picchu,” said Mr. Carlos Vásquez, Ambassador of Peru in Singapore and SOM Chair for the APEC 2024 summit, at the opening of the exhibition on August 18. A ceremony attended by several Singapore authorities, including Ms. Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office.

The floral exhibition found inspiration in the Inca Trail, thanks to a replica of the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) and a selection of emblematic artifacts from the ancient cultures of Peru, reproduced by the Peruvian artist Edi Mérida. Visitors were able to go back in time and travel the same path taken by a 15th century Inca emperor on his pilgrimage, amidst a plethora of orchids rarely seen in this part of the world.

“Orchids are one of the most extraordinary manifestations of mega biodiversity in Machu Picchu,” said José Koechlin, founder and chairman of Inkaterra. “Within 10 hectares of Andean cloud forest, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is home to the world's largest collection of native orchids in their habitat, according to the American Orchid Society. A genetic bank with 372 native species, including 26 species new to science described by allied researchers of the Inkaterra Association,” he said.

Biologist Benjamín Collantes, main orchid researcher at Inkaterra Asociación and discoverer of several of the 26 species new to science found at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, was the curator of the selection presented at Gardens by the Bay.

In an interview with Singapore's The Straits Times, Gardens by the Bay biologist Dr Shawn Tay said: “We want to show how the Incas revered orchids in their natural environment and their beauty. We hope that this collaboration with Inkaterra and the Embassy of Peru will educate visitors about the need to conserve orchid species around the world and especially in cloud forests.”

Orchids of Machu Picchu had the invaluable sponsorship of PSA Marine, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), and KLM Airlines.

Last April, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) launched an immersive academic program for alumni from its School of Political Formation in Peru, to learn the challenges and opportunities in the Peruvian Amazon.

Organized in alliance with Inkaterra Asociación, the visit to Madre de Dios allowed the former scholarship recipients to acquire first-hand information on the various scenarios this region faces. The KAS alumni learned about the critical threats posed by illegal gold mining and logging, as well the strategies to secure a sustainable future for the Amazon rainforest. Such is the case of the Madre de Dios Sustainable Lanscape Corridor, Inkaterra Asociación’s initiative in alliance with the Smithsonian Institution and USAID, which aims to restore genetic connectivity and the procurement of green entrepreneurship.

Hosted at Amazon Field Station by Inkaterra, the KAS program visited the community of Lake Valencia, and held various meetings at the Inkaterra Canopy Center with some of the key actors in Madre de Dios, including tropical forest ecologist Dr. Varun Swamy and Mr. Julio Cusurichi, president of the Native Federation of the Madre de Dios River and Tributaries (FENAMAD).

The KAS program aims to contribute to the sustainable development of the Amazon region, both through public policies and the promotion of political agendas that address the various needs identified.

Green Initiative is an international climate certification and advisory services company, designing climate positive mitigation solutions to address climate change risks, market challenges, and innovation opportunities linked to the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. As a strategic partner for Inkaterra, The Green Initiative is responsible for the endorsement of Machu Picchu as the First Carbon Neutral Wonder of the World, whilst also certifying Inkaterra as the first-ever Climate Positive hotel brand.

In its latest blog entry, Green Initiative features a guide to regenerative tourism and its transformative power. “In the shadow of overtourism, climate change and cultural erosion, the tourism industry is at a crossroads, with one path leading to a deeper, more holistic approach known as regenerative tourism. This forward-thinking concept seeks not only to mitigate the negative impacts of travel, but to actively improve the environmental, social and economic fabric of destinations worldwide… By aiming to leave destinations better than they were found, regenerative tourism goes beyond traditional sustainability. It focuses on revitalizing ecosystems, strengthening community ties and ensuring tourism supports the overall wellbeing of host areas. It’s a method that sees tourists as active participants in regeneration, not just visitors.”

The article features Inkaterra as one of the successful cases of regenerative tourism worldwide. “In Peru, Green Initiative works closely with Inkaterra Asociación to regenerate critical ecosystems in Tambopata in the Madre de Dios region, one of the planet’s most biodiverse areas, with a high plant biodiversity of up to 300 tree species/ha.”

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