Peru: Epic Service Adventure

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.