Peru Community Service Program

Impactful Service and adventure in Peru!

Immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of Peru! You will delve into its vast ecological landscape, historical marvels, and vibrant local culture as you do hands-on community service work. From living with local families, to seeing the jaw-dropping Machu Picchu, this program is truly epic!

Itinerary

DAYS 1-2: ARRIVAL & ORIENTATION

The group flies together into Lima, and then heads to Cusco for orientation. We settle into our B&B for introductory activities, including a team scavenger hunt that gets the group speaking Spanish and working together. We learn some local expressions, work our bargaining skills at a bustling artisan market, and get acquainted with the life and culture of Peru, while also getting to know one another.

DAYS 3-7: MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE EXCURSION

Throughout this week, our group will take part in conservation and research projects. We get involved in diverse projects like mammal tracking the Jaguar, Puma, Tapir and Peccary! We use cameras and set footprint traps and fruit-bated butterfly traps in different areas of the rainforest. We also monitor the clay lick where Blue headed Macaws are observed and studied, among other interesting birds. We will go out for hikes using various surveying techniques for recording data, as well as sound surveys at night. We will also experience multiple forest types as we discover exotic wildlife.

These community based projects will teach us about subsistence farming and reforestation. We will assist local community members in implementing bio-gardens, while learning about crops and sustainable agricultural techniques.

DAYS 8-10: SACRED VALLEY EXPLORATION

We leave Manu and settle in our hotel in Urubamba in the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will discover the ancient town of Ollantaytambo and learn more about the role of Inca culture in Peru. We will also visit the local artisan market in Pisac, allowing us to practice our Spanish while getting some awesome Peruvian souvenirs. Not to mention- we will visit an alpaca farm!  We also take this time to prepare for our homestay experience through language lessons and  role-playing.

DAYS 11-17: CALCA HOMESTAY AND PROJECTS

Next, we immerse ourselves in Peruvian culture as we begin our homestay. While living with families, we gather daily to work on community service projects. Working alongside our host community and local schools, we delve into projects they deem necessary. Previous projects have included constructing playgrounds, producing adobe bricks for a student dormitory, painting a school classroom, and working with local youth on educational activities. We spend our afternoons exploring the region and visiting such cultural landmarks as the unusual Inca ruins of Moray.

Please see The Homestay Experience for more information on how we select our homestay communities and families!

DAYS 18-19: MACHU PICCHU GUIDED TOUR

This wouldn’t be an ‘Epic’ trip to Peru without a stop in Machu Picchu! We hop on a train from Ollantaytambo to the small, scenic town of Aguas Calientes. Accompanied by a local guide, we rise early to behold the majestic lost city of the Incas. Nestled high in the mysterious Andes, Machu Picchu is a phenomenal and dramatic way to highlight this adventure of a lifetime in Peru!

DAY 20: CUSCO AND TRAVEL HOME

We spend our final days in Peru in the city of Cusco, as we shop and explore important cultural highlights of the city. We share a final group dinner in the Plaza de Armas, overlooking the beauty of Cusco at night. We all fly back to Lima.

When flights become available, please contact us for the latest airfare pricing or visit our Flight & Travel Arrangements page for more information about travel days.

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change.

Tech Free Programs:

Global Works does not allow phones/internet-capable devices on our summer programs. We believe this enhances group cohesion and allows students to be fully present to their experience.

Service Projects

Environmental

Do various environmental projects in the rainforest like animal tracking, field research, and subsistence farming

Community Development

Build a market space in an indigenous community to increase community funds and access to goods

Work with Children

Work with students with disabilities at an underfunded school.

Education

Construct dorms and classrooms to improve access to education for young women from low-income families in remote communities

Adventure & Cultural Activities

terraced hills of Sacred Valley in Peru

Explore Incan Ruins of Moray

Barter for artisan goods in indigenous markets in Pisac and Cusco

Visit Machu Picchu - one of the wonders of the world!

Animal Track through the Rainforest

Gallery

Accommodations

MANU

The group stays at a traditional Amazonian style ecolodge in the middle of the rainforest. Students will sleep 4-6 per room in bunk bed style lodging. With the lodge’s unique location, students will have access to hikes and service projects from their front door.

URUBAMBA

Our lodge near Urubamba is a retreat center set on sprawling grounds with a lush mountain garden. Rooms are comfortable and include beds for two to six students and bathrooms with hot water. Meals are served on premises.

CALCA HOMESTAYS

Global Works has longstanding relationships with the communities where we place students and complete our service projects. Students will stay 2-3 in a home with a private room that is shared between participants. All homes have bathrooms complete with a flush toilet and a shower. Meals are prepared by the homestay families and families are trained in proper food preparation and food handling.

AGUAS CALIENTES

Nestled at the base of Machu Picchu is the bustling town of Aguas Calientes. We take a train into town and settle into our hotel for the night. Accommodations here feature clean and comfortable bedrooms in an idyllic location.

CUSCO

This former Inca capital is a tourist mecca and lodging options abound. Our choice of lodging is in a quiet, quaint hotel set back from the busy streets. It not only offers comfy rooms and ample group space, but its proceeds support a nearby orphanage which will inspire us during our stay and provide opportunities for cultural exchange.