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Animal Welfare

Animals deserve to be treated with kindness and compassion! ORANGE Nation Peru treats  their pack horses and mules with dignity and respect. All of our non-Inca Trail hikes work with mules and horses to carry your camping gear.

No one is more concerned about animal welfare than our company! Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about mules and horses. If you have any other questions – please ask!



What Kinds of Animals do we use?

We use mule teams and single horses for emergencies while trekking. We use more mules and horses than most companies, allowing them each to carry less weight per trip.

How Many Animals do we have?

We do not own them; each horseman has a team of about 20 mules and 10 horses. The horseman chooses which horses and mules have rested and are ready for another trek. There are 7 Orange Nation Peru horsemen.

How Long do the Animals Work each day?

Their work hours and days are very limited. They can work 5 hours a day, 5 days a week, but this is the maximum.

If the Animals are Sweating, is that Bad?

No, it’s actually good. Sweating is the animal’s way of cooling itself. We help our horseman with vitamin E supplements into the animal’s feed to promote sweating and also add electrolytes to their feed to replace necessary elements lost through sweating. Animals never go more than an hour without access to water.

How often does the Vet check the Animals?

As an example, our animals are seen by a vet a minimum of 2 times a year or as needed. This is a requirement to work with us. This is part of our commitment to animal welfare.

How much do the Animals Weigh?

The average weight of a pack horse or mule is 1200 pounds.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! We hope this gives you a better idea about our services and our responsibilities!


What our travelers say

Discover why thousands of people around the world trust us to explore the best of Peru.

Gideon G 5 of 5 bubbles

Couples

Trip to Rainbow mountain. First to the mountain thanks to Yair’s expert driving and special thanks to Cristian for being my guide. Highly recommend!

Written July 2, 2025

Steven C 5 of 5 bubbles

Family

We had an incredible experience hiking the Inca Trail with Ray as our guide. Ray was amazing. He was super knowledgeable about the history of the Incas, and he brought that history to life. We visited three larger sites, and several smaller ones that we arrived at by foot deep in the Peruvian jungle. Ray's was an incredible, passionate, and experienced guide, and also just a great person we are lucky to have met. I also have to mention Moses, our porter who made an amazing lunch and hiked it up to our resting spot 2000 ft above the Urambamba River to Wiñaywayna.

Written July 4, 2025

Charlie C 5 of 5 bubbles

Family

Did the short inca trail through sam travel and it was an unforgettable experience. Hiking from the train to the Sun Gate with its beutiful views of macchu piccu was incredible. Our guide, Ray, was extremely knowledgeable, passionate, and always positive. At every location and along the way he had fascinating information to share and no question went unanswered.

Written July 4, 2025

Ignacio R 5 of 5 bubbles

Family

We had a great experience with our guide Cristian during our visit to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. He shared clear and detailed explanations, with a fascinating historical narrative that helped us truly connect with the places we explored. I learned so much thanks to him. The atmosphere was also really positive and friendly throughout the tour. Highly recommended!

Written June 26, 2025

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