Peru: Homestay and Immersion

Upon arrival in Lima, travel by plane directly to Cusco where you will be greeted by your Global Works leader. We then transfer via private bus to Urubamba where we settle into our cozy hotel near town. Orientation begins with an excursion to the amazing Pisac market place to barter for local crafts while beginning to practice our Spanish. In the evening, we prepare for our upcoming homestays through language lessons and homestay role-playing.

Transition to our homestay families in Calca. For the next few nights, our friendly and hospitable host families will open their hearts and homes to us; you will quickly feel like part of the family. As most of the families do not speak English, your Spanish language skills will improve daily! 

While meals and evenings are reserved for homestay family time, our group gathers daily to work on projects. We will collaborate with our host community and local schools for hands-on development projects in local schools. Previous projects have included constructing playgrounds, building a community center, 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 Inca ruins of Moray. We spend one day with families in a local indigenous community to experience traditional village life for a day. On the last day, we throw a final fiesta to celebrate the time spent with our new Peruvian families.

After transfer via private bus to Ollantaytambo, we travel by train to the small, scenic town of Aguas Calientes for the night. Accompanied by a local guide, we rise early to behold the majestic “Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu. Nestled high in the mysterious Andes, Machu Picchu is a phenomenal and dramatic way to highlight this adventure of a lifetime in Peru!

We spend our final full day in Peru souvenir shopping and exploring important cultural highlights in Cusco such as the Museo del Oro and Sacsayhuaman ruins above town. We then hop on a short flight back to Lima before heading home to share new memories with our friends and family.