Virginia Hiker Ian Treger Missing in Peru's Andes for 38 Days, Search Ongoing

Ian Thomas Treger, a 29-year-old Virginia man who taught English in Latin America, arrived in Peru on May 11, 2026 for a planned 10-day trip. He last contacted his family on May 13, when he was in the Wanchaq district of Cusco city, according to the U.S. Embassy alert distributed by Peru's state news agency Andina on June 11.

Surveillance footage captured him leaving his Airbnb that day. He told his family he was heading toward the Choquequirao Archaeological Complex, a remote Incan site that requires a multi-day trek through Apurimac and Cusco provinces. He left his belongings at the Airbnb and told staff he would return in five days, according to Diario Correo. He never came back.

The Peruvian National Police formally registered him as missing on June 2, per a missing persons report cited by the NY Post. The U.S. Embassy in Peru reported the disappearance to PNP's Missing Persons Investigation and Search Unit, which distributed a nationwide alert on June 11.

The Search

As of June 19, Peruvian police were actively running both helicopter and ground operations. PNP Colonel Carlos Guizado, chief of the Public Order and Security Division of Cusco Police Region, confirmed to Andina that High Mountain Rescue Units from both Arequipa and Cusco, along with Kallpas rescue teams, are conducting ground operations. Helicopter crews are also deployed.

Two primary search zones have been identified: Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain, located between Canchis and Quispicanchi provinces) and the Choquequirao Archaeological Park (between Anta and La Convencion provinces). An earlier Diario Correo report from June 17 added a third possibility, Ausangate mountain, citing PNP General Virgilio Velásquez, who said Treger may have headed there.

None of these locations are confirmed. As Colonel Guizado told Andina: "We do not have reliable information about where the tourist may have gone, which is making the search more difficult." Treger's phone has gone offline, cutting off any geolocation data.

At Choquequirao, searchers faced an additional bureaucratic hurdle. Guizado said police needed authorization from the Cusco Directorate of Culture, led by Director Maritza Rosa Candia, to land helicopters on the archaeological site's esplanade because the park is protected territory. As of June 19, that permission had not yet been confirmed.

The Family's Situation

Treger's mother, Michelle Ludwig, launched a GoFundMe to cover private search and rescue costs. "Please help me fund costly private search and rescue efforts. The area is extremely large with hazards around every corner," she wrote. She shared trail maps showing the scale of the terrain, which includes high-risk slopes and dangerous ravines.

Family friend Donna Welch told Virginia station WDBJ that Treger was an experienced hiker who was accustomed to rigorous mountain trails. Peruvian authorities also recovered Treger's laptop from the Airbnb and are working to send it to the United States in hopes it contains information about his planned route, according to Ludwig's GoFundMe updates.

Peruvian officials met with U.S. Embassy representatives to coordinate the response. General Velásquez told Diario Correo that Army personnel and radio patrol units were being organized alongside the mountain rescue teams.

The Terrain Factor

The Cusco region's high-altitude terrain is genuinely dangerous. Choquequirao sits above 3,000 meters and requires days of trekking on remote trails. Vinicunca, the famous Rainbow Mountain, sits at over 5,000 meters. Weather conditions shift fast at altitude, and seasonal patterns compound the risk for rescue operations. Colonel Guizado specifically cited both geography and weather as factors limiting operations over the past three days, per Andina.

Treger is described as physically fit, experienced with Latin American travel, and familiar with high-altitude hiking. It is possible he is injured and sheltering in terrain that aerial crews have not yet covered.

What Remains Unresolved

The most consequential open question is whether Treger left any digital record of his intended route. No confirmed entry records exist at either Choquequirao or Vinicunca, per Diario Correo, which means investigators cannot rule any trail in or out. If his laptop contains booking records, downloaded maps, or trail research, that could narrow the search area significantly.

Treger is described as 5-foot-10 (1.78 meters), average build, fair-skinned, blond hair, blue eyes, and two small fish tattoos on his right calf. Anyone with information can call the PNP at (+51) 903-450-981, dial 105 from within Peru, or contact the nearest police station.