Zero shopping stops
We don't stop at jewelry stores or textile shops that pay commissions. Those hours are yours, not the shop next door's.
About us
A travel company that would rather cut a destination than oversell you.
Trips to Peru planned in Portland, with our own guides in Cusco, small groups and zero shopping stops.
The line we hear most from travelers who've been on other tours: "We lost half a morning at a jewelry store."
Our approach
Vacation time is the one thing you can't get back.
Highpass grew out of a practice the industry treats as normal: taking travelers to shops that pay the guide a commission. Nobody asked for it, nobody mentions it, and two hours vanish from a trip that took months of saving.
- Our own licensed guides, the same ones for the whole trip.
- The range to cover classic routes, treks, the rainforest and multi-region trips.
- Predictable: an itinerary with times, a price with exclusions and permits in your name.
Three moments in every trip
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Route
Built around the days you really have, travel time included.
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Pace
Set to fit the group, with altitude factored in from day one.
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Return
Support until you're home, not just until the last tour.
What we solve
It almost always starts with one of these.
We start from what's actually on the traveler's mind, not from a tour catalog.
Pick a situation to see how we'd handle it.
Why do tours stop at jewelry stores?
Because those stores pay commissions. We leave them out: that time goes to the site you came to see.
View related tripAre there still Inca Trail permits?
It depends on your date, and they sell out months ahead. We check and reply the same day, whether the answer is yes or no.
View related tripWhich Machu Picchu circuit is right for me?
Each circuit covers different parts, and some don't pass the view you have in mind. We explain which one fits before you buy.
View related tripI only have five days. Will it all fit?
Almost never. We tell you how many places fit once travel time is counted, and what's better saved for another trip.
View related tripMy parents are coming. Will they handle the altitude?
Arriving in Cusco hits hard. We plan the itinerary with a calm first day and make sure oxygen is on hand.
View related tripDoes the price include entrance tickets?
We spell it out in the proposal. Entrance tickets, the train, tips and meals outside the plan go on a separate list.
View related tripI'm a travel advisor and need a partner in Peru.
Net rates, fast confirmations, a report on every service and someone who answers on your client's schedule.
View related trip Your trip, step by step
From the first question to your trip home.
Every stage has a point where you can ask questions and decide.
- Conversation
- Proposal
- Bookings
- Arrival
- The trip
- Return
How we work
Five steps in every trip.
The same order for a one-day tour and a three-week trip around the country.
- 01
Conversation
Before we propose anything, we ask how many days you really have, who you're traveling with, what interests you and what doesn't. Cramming five sites into one day is the surest way to enjoy none of them.
- 02
A proposal that lists what's not included
The itinerary says what time each day starts, how far you'll walk and how much elevation you'll gain. And the price comes with two lists: what's included and, more importantly, what isn't. Entrance tickets, the train and meals outside the plan are spelled out up front, not at the counter.
- 03
Bookings and permits
The Inca Trail has limited permits and the train has limited seats. We buy those as soon as you confirm and send you the reservation numbers in your name. If permits are gone for your date, we tell you that day and suggest another route, instead of putting it off.
- 04
The trip
You travel with our guide, not whoever showed up that day. The pace fits the group, and there are no stops at jewelry stores or textile shops: those visits exist because they pay the guide a commission, and they steal hours from your trip.
- 05
Return
We arrange your airport transfer with plenty of time before your flight, confirm you made it home and stay available in case anything changes. A trip ends when the traveler is back home, not when the last tour wraps up.
Why HIGHPASS?
What you'll find here.
It's not about seeing more places. It's about coming home feeling like you really saw them.
We tell you what's NOT included
Entrance tickets, the train, tips and meals outside the plan are spelled out before you pay, not at the counter.
Our own guides
You travel with our licensed guide, not whoever showed up that morning. We know who's with you.
Altitude, taken seriously
We order the itinerary so you acclimatize before going higher, and tell you how far you'll walk each day.
Small groups
We don't run fifty-person buses. In a big group, half the people can't hear the guide.
Support on the road
While you're traveling, you have a number that's answered at any hour, every day.
0 Shopping stops on our tours No jewelry stores or textile shops that pay the guide a commission.
8 Ways to travel Four planned routes and four services that support them.
6 Months to book the Inca Trail Permits are limited and sell out; we tell you so in our first reply.
Who we are
Who we are, in six answers.
What's worth knowing about Highpass before you plan your trip.
What we do
Cusco and Sacred Valley tours, treks, custom trips, tickets, transfers, food tours and nature trips.
Where we're strongest
Realistic itineraries built on the days people actually have, and treks with permits secured.
Who we work with
Independent travelers, families and mixed-age groups, and companies and travel advisors.
The problem we solve
Making sure you enjoy the trip: no rushing, no price surprises and no hours given away to shops.
How we do it
A conversation first, a proposal with exclusions, permits booked in time and our own guide on the road.
What sets us apart
We take no commission from any shop, and we say no when the route doesn't fit your days.
Next step
Plan your trip.
We'll send you an itinerary with times, the price and the list of what's not included.