Ruway were great in sorting a trip for us. We were not entirely sure what we wanted to do but gave some parameters and Diego came back with 5 different options that he thought would suit.
Why we love
About Us
We love South America the way you love something you know deeply — its contradictions, its rhythms, its generosity. From the Inca heartland of Peru to the salt flats of Bolivia, the Galápagos wildlife, and the granite towers of Patagonia, we’ve spent years learning what makes each place extraordinary. You can read more about our story, our values, and the philosophy behind every journey we design. We’re always here if you want to talk.
Our Company
We’re passionate about showing visitors the real South America
At Ruway, we’re passionate about showing visitors the real South America. Not the version that exists in brochures — but the one that takes your breath away in ways you didn’t anticipate. The morning the condors rise above the Colca Canyon. The silence inside Machu Picchu before the crowds arrive. A weaver in Chinchero explaining the story encoded in the pattern of her textile.
Michael Dakin — Ohio, USARuway was founded in Cusco in 2008, born from a simple and profound conviction: that South America deserves better than generic tours. Our founder, Renato Auca Fuentes — known to travelers as Renato Wicked — is a native cuzqueño of Quechua origin who started the company to put his ancestral knowledge to work, developing the nearby native communities through tourism. What began in the Inca heartland has grown into a South American operation — but the conviction has never changed: every journey should be an act of genuine encounter between a traveler and the place they’ve come to know.
Renato’s commitment to his heritage and his community is at the heart of everything we do at Ruway. As a sustainable and ethical tour operator, we work across Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil with the same principle: that travel should leave something behind in the places it touches. We believe in fair pay for local guides, in working with small family businesses and artisan cooperatives, and in designing journeys that direct economic benefit toward the communities that make each destination worth visiting.
Our Name
The three movements of Andean wisdom
Ruway
Ruway — pronounced “roo-why”
In Quechua, ruway means to do, to make, to bring to life. Not the mechanical doing of a checklist — the doing that shapes the world, that turns an intention into something real. We chose it because that is exactly what travel is: not an idea you scroll past on a screen, but something you do with your hands, your feet, and your senses.
Munay to love
The spark that begins every journey: curiosity about a land you don’t yet know, the pull of a culture that calls to you.
Yachay to know
The understanding that gives that desire shape — the story behind a festival, the reason a dish tastes the way it does, the meaning of a gesture.
Ruway to do
The experience that makes it real: walking the stone path instead of reading about it, sharing a table instead of watching from one.
Our Values
We strive to make a positive impact on the communities
Ethical tourism practices
We have fallen in love with South America — not as an abstraction, but place by place, story by story. The way the Sacred Valley still produces the same potatoes the Incas grew. The silence of the Atacama at 4am, before the geysers erupt. The moment the condors rise over Colca on the morning thermals. These are the places we love — and we design every journey to give you the time and the context to love them too.
Community Development
We believe in using tourism as a tool for supporting and developing local communities in a way that preserves their culture and heritage. A portion of every journey supports the communities we visit.
Respect for the Environment
We are committed to protecting the natural beauty and resources of South America through sustainable and responsible tourism practices that leave places better than we find them.
Authenticity
We are dedicated to providing visitors with unique and genuine experiences that showcase the real destination — beyond the typical tourist attractions. We go where culture is still alive.
Cultural Exchange
We value travel as a means of promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between people from different backgrounds. Every journey is a conversation between two worlds.
Our Mission
I want to show you a broader South America — one that goes beyond landscapes and monuments. To me, culture is the living expression of people and everyday life.
That’s why I curate music, books, films, articles, and local insights that bring each place to life — from a chicha vendor in Cusco’s San Pedro market to a Patagonian estancia dinner under the stars. Every place has its own living culture, and I don’t want you to simply see it. I want you to live it.
Renato Wicked — Founder and experience architect
Packages to inspire
Discover South America with
Discover South America with
Tailored Tour Packages
Classic Cusco & Machu Picchu6 days | From $995 per person
Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu
Andean Treasures & Coastal Charms10 days | From $1,895 per person
Lima, Arequipa, Colca, Puno, Cusco, Machu Picchu
Atacama: Desert, Sky & Salt5 days | From $1,295 per person
Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama
Patagonia Essential7 days | From $2,495 per person
Santiago, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine
Ecuador & the Galápagos9 days | From $3,150 per person
Quito, Mashpi Cloud Forest, Galápagos Islands
Peru Complete: Andes to Amazon14 days | From $2,750 per person
Lima, Amazon, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca
What Our Travelers Say
They’ve already lived the experience
It was a wonderful tour, Leidy! We have no complaints. Our guide, Rumi, was so knowledgeable and passionate, anyone who has him for future tours will be lucky! Thank you so much for the great experience.
Excellent tour to Machu Picchu from Cusco. I planned the trip rather last minute and hence it was worth it to do the booking with this company.
I had an amazing experience. Friendly, professional, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and trustworthy. We had a huge trip planned with them which was led with a lot of patience and a lot of care.
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Placeholder review. Replace this card with a real client review, three or four lines long, so the cards keep an even height.
Placeholder review. Replace this card with a real client review, three or four lines long, so the cards keep an even height.
Placeholder review. Replace this card with a real client review, three or four lines long, so the cards keep an even height.
Placeholder review. Replace this card with a real client review, three or four lines long, so the cards keep an even height.