Join us as we travel and explore the remarkable country of Peru and give back to the local communities and environments we visit along the way.
Through out your adventure in Peru, you will participate in a number of conservation and community assistance initiatives. First, travel south along rugged Peruvian coastline to the sleepy and charming fishing village of Pucusana and work alongside local scientists and residents on groundbreaking bottlenose dolphin research. You will take a boat out to islands inhabited by hundreds of birds while photographing the dolphin populations as they play alongside the boat. Returning to the mainland, work will be focused on cataloguing individual dolphin photos in a database and recording behavior patterns to learn more about this species and the important southern coast ecosystem as a whole.
After logging some nautical miles with the dolphins, travel south to the bustling town of Arequipa. Located at the base of the majestic Misti Volcano, Arequipa’s unique architecture of local volcanic rock has gained it the nickname the ‘White City.’ Here the focus of service work will be with local schools where you will teach basic English and other subjects to underprivileged primary school students. Outside of the classroom, smiles will abound during games of volleyball or soccer, and creative minds will come together during art projects.
After sad goodbyes and a side trip to the second deepest canyon in the world, the pace will shift as you travel off the beaten path into the famous Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will live and work alongside local families and their children on a variety of community projects in these rural communities. These projects vary depending on the needs of the local community and often include community development projects, such as building bathrooms, painting schools, and assisting teachers with a variety of basic lessons. After work, get ready to relax and immerse yourself in a traditional way of life that has changed little since the time of the Incas. The slow, simple way of life, colorful costumes and grateful smiles of these villagers have helped remind many visitors of what is most important in life.
While the focus of this program is community service, time will also be spent exploring some of Peru’s most important sights and adventures. Explore the famous lost city of the Incas – Machu Picchu, float along whitewater rapids while gazing up at the imposing jagged peaks of the Andes, and ride a mountain bike in the second deepest canyon in the world. If that’s not enough high-adrenaline action, you will also have a chance to get a unique view of the Sacred Valley during an optional leap off the highest bungee jump in the Americas!
Special Note: Scheduled Gap Year programs generally include all breakfasts and about half of the lunches and dinners during the program. Students are responsible for getting to the starting point for their Gap Year program. Internal transportation, all accommodation and included tours, activities, admissions, and fees are included as stipulated in the itinerary. If you have any questions about any of our Gap Year programs, please e-mail us.
Important Note:
The below Itinerary is based off of our most recent and accurate information. Please know that due to the realities of international travel this itinerary may be changed at anytime due a variety of reasons beyond our control. Students will be provided with more detailed itineraries closer to the trips departure.
Day 1: USA to Lima
Arrive in the evening
Meet your guides at the airport
Go to Miraflores, one of the nicest neighborhoods in Lima
Sleep at a comfortable hotel in preparation for your upcoming adventure
Day 2: Lima to Pucusana
Wake up and have nice warm breakfast at the hotel
Go over any questions or concerns
Purchase any necessary items before heading out of Lima
Drive about an hour south of Lima to the port town of Pucusana
Check into guesthouse, have lunch and relax
Walk along the beach, visit town, local pier and talk with local fishermen
Dinner at the house or at local restaurant
The evening discussion topic may be about dolphins in Peru and current conservation efforts
Day 3: Pucusana
Students will wake up early and have breakfast
After breakfast students will board a boat and being conservation work
Students will head in the direction of Asia Island and photograph dolphins along the way
Lunch will be at Asia Island after which students will have the opportunity to explore
Students will then return while continuing to photograph and document dolphin spotting
The late afternoon will be spent relaxing, visiting the town, and playing group building games
Dinner at the house or at local restaurant
The evening discussion topic may be on marine contamination and its impact on marine wildlife
Day 4: Pucusana
Students will wake up early and have breakfast
After breakfast students will board a boat and being conservation work
Students will head in the direction of Pachacamac Island and photograph dolphins along the way
Lunch will be back in Pucusana at one of the local seafood restaurants
The late afternoon will be spent relaxing, playing a game of soccer with locals, interacting with local fishermen
Dinner at the house or at local restaurant
The evening discussion topic may be on the illegal dolphin trade and killing in Peru
Day 5: Pucusana
Students will wake up early and have breakfast
After breakfast the group will work alongside local biologists in the lab cataloguing dolphins
Lunch will be back in Pucusana at one of the local seafood restaurants
After lunch, students will return to the lab to continue working on the computers documenting dolphin sightings
The late afternoon will be spent relaxing, fishing, going to the beach, playing soccer
Dinner at the house or at local restaurant
The evening discussion may focus on Peru’s biodiversity and the associated problems and solutions.
Day 6: Pucusana
Students will wake up early and have breakfast
Students will head back out in the direction of Asia Island and photograph dolphins along the way
Lunch will again be at Asia Island or if students choose the group may return to town to eat another of the local restaurants
The late afternoon will be spent relaxing, visiting the town, and playing group building games
Dinner at the house at or local restaurant
The evening discussion topic may be on ways to continue conservation work when retuning home
Day 7: Pucusana
Students will wake up early and have breakfast
After breakfast students will board a boat and being conservation work
Students will head in the direction of Pachacamac Island and photograph dolphins along the way
Lunch will be back in Pucusana at one of the local seafood restaurants
After lunch students will go on a whale and bird watching trip
Dinner at the house or at local restaurant
The evening discussion topic may be a wrap up of the weeks dolphin experience and future goals
Day 8: Pucusana
Students will wake up and have breakfast
On this day students may choose to either continue working on dolphin research at the lab or work at a local school
Students going to the school will have the opportunity to meet local students and educate on the issues surrounding the benefits of conserving their marine environment as well as teach kids basic English and Math
Students will share lunch with the students
Afternoon will be spent playing games with the kids and continuing to assist local teachers with basic lesson plans
Dinner will be at a local restaurant
Day 9: Pucusana to Huacachina
After breakfast students will continue their travel south along the Pacific Coast
Students will eat lunch in Paracas
Students will arrive in the afternoon to Huacachina located outside the town of Ica
On a dune buggy, students will be transported to the middle of the dessert
The group will spend a night in a tent surrounded by mountains of sand and the clear dessert sky up above
Day 10: Huacachina to Arequipa
Students will wake up and have breakfast
The group will go sand boarding and on an adrenaline filled drive in a dune buggy through the dessert
The group will head to Ica
Lunch will be at local restaurant near the plaza
The group will then go on a short walking tour around Ica
In the evening, the group will take an overnight bus to Arequipa
Day 11: Arequipa
Students will arrive to Arequipa in the early morning
They will check into the hotel, unpack and relax
Lunch will be at a local restaurant specializing in regional cuisine
The group will tour and familiarize themselves with Arequipa
The group will visit the Santa Catalina Monastery
Students will spend the evening relaxing and discussing the upcoming service project at a local school
Day 12: Arequipa
Student will wake up and have a warm breakfast at the hotel
They will then go to a local school
Student’s will teach basic math and English and help the students with a variety of art’s and crafts projects
Lunch will be shared with the kids
After lunch, students will continue to work assisting teachers with lesson plans
The afternoon will be spent touring and visiting the local handicraft markets and souvenir shops of Arequipa
Day 13: Arequipa to Colca Canyon
Students will wake up and eat breakfast at the hotel
The group will then take a bus to the town of Chivay in the Colca Canyon
Along the way, the bus will stop and students will finish the trip to Chivay on mountain bikes
Students will check into hotel
Buffet lunch at hotel
In the afternoon, the group will have the option of visiting the town or going on a hike into the surrounding mountains
The group will eat dinner at a local restaurant offering typical dances
The evening will be relaxed since the group has to wake up extra early to go see the condors
Day 14: Condor viewing to Arequipa
The group will wake up extra early and have breakfast at the hotel
The group will then take a bus out to the “Condor Cross”
Depending on the day and the weather, students will have the opportunity to photograph Andean Condors flying at eye level
The group will return to Chivay and eat lunch
After lunch the group will tour the local market
The group will eat dinner near the plaza and then go to visit the planetarium
Evening will be spent relaxing at the hotel
Day 15: Arequipa
The group will wake up and eat breakfast
The students will board a bus back to Arequipa
Students will grab snacks and head out back to the local school
Student will spend the rest of the school day teaching and playing with the kids
The group will return to the hotel
The afternoon will be spent visiting a local museum which houses “Juanita”
Dinner at a local restaurant
Day 16: Arequipa
The group will eat breakfast at the hotel
Student will spend the day at a local school teaching and playing with the kids
The group will share lunch with the students
Thank you ceremony will be held
The group will return to the hotel
The afternoon will be spent visiting down
Dinner at local restaurant
Day 17: Arequipa to Cuzco to Pisaq
The group will wake up early and eat breakfast at the hotel
The group will transfer to the airport and take a flight to Cuzco
Students will arrive early into Cuzco
Bus will be taken directly from Cuzco to the town of Pisaq in the Sacred Valley
Afternoon will be spend relaxing and acclimatizing
Depending on the groups energy, the Pisaq ruins will be explored
Dinner will be at the hotel
Local musicians and dancers performing traditional dances will perform in the hotel lobby
Day 18: Pisaq to Village in Sacred Valley
Students will wake up and eat breakfast
Students will the opportunity to tour the local market, considered by many one of the best in the region
Students will head towards village and stop at local restaurant which serves a lunch time buffet of local and international dishes
Students arrive to village and familiarize themselves with the village and campsite
Traditional welcoming ceremony performed by locals
Students will eat dinner
Relax and head to bed in order to wake up early and help locals on community a variety of community service projects
Day 19: Community Service in local village
Students will wake up to tea, hot cocoa, or coffee
Breakfast at campsite
Students will meet locals with whom the will work
The day will be spent working on a community service initiative approved by the locals
Lunch will be at the campsite
Students will return to the campsite in the evening
Showers, clean up, and tea time!!
Dinner at the campsite
Relax, campfire, cards, sleep
Day 20: Community Service in local village
Students will wake up to tea, hot cocoa, or coffee
Breakfast at campsite
Students will meet locals with whom the will work
The day will be spent working on a community service initiative approved by the locals
Lunch will be at the campsite
Students will return to the campsite in the evening
Showers, clean up, and tea time!!
Dinner at the campsite
Relax, campfire, cards, sleep
Day 21: Community Service in local village
Students will wake up to tea, hot cocoa, or coffee
Breakfast at campsite
Students will meet locals with whom the will work
The day will be spent working on a community service initiative approved by the locals
Lunch will be at the campsite
Students will return to the campsite in the evening
Showers, clean up, and tea time!!
Dinner at the campsite
Relax, campfire, cards, sleep
Day 22: Ollantaytambo
The group will eat breakfast at the campsite
They will then be transported to Ollantaytambo where they will have the opportunity to either go whitewater rafting down the Urubamba river or mountain biking
Lunch will be after completing morning activity
Group will return to Ollantaytambo and check into hotel
Walking tour of town and visit to local ruins
Dinner at local restaurant
Relax at the hotel, check internet, call home
Day 23: Ollantaytambo to village in Sacred Valley
Breakfast at the hotel
The group will then return to the village
Group will visit local school
Play games, teach basic English, assist teacher with activities, play soccer game
Shared lunch with local kids and teachers at the school
Afternoon activities may include hike around surrouding village, hike to local waterfall, help locals to plow their fields
Dinner at the campsite
Relaxing evening, campfire, singing songs!!
Day 24: Community Service in local village
Students will wake up to tea, hot cocoa, or coffee
Breakfast at campsite
Students will meet locals with whom the will work
The day will be spent working on a community service initiative approved by the locals
Lunch will be at the campsite
Students will return to the campsite in the evening
Showers, clean up, and tea time!!
Dinner at the campsite
Relax, campfire, cards, sleep
Day 25: Community Service in local village
Students will wake up to tea, hot cocoa, or coffee
Breakfast at campsite
Students will meet locals with whom the will work
The day will be spent working on a community service initiative approved by the locals
The village will host a inauguration ceremony
Lunch will be shared with the village and students will eat a traditional local lunch
Students will the opportunity to try guinea pig (cuy in Spanish)!!
Afternoon events with the village
Game of soccer with the locals
Say goodbye to the village and your new friends!!!
The group will then be transported to Ollantaytambo
Check into hotel
Dinner at local restaurant
Day 26: Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
The group will wake up early and eat breakfast
Students board a train to Aguas Calientes the base town for visiting the “Lost City of Incas” Machu Picchu
Students with hiking passes will hike the Inca Trail from Km 104
Students without permits will take train directly to Aguas Calientes
Check into hotel
Visit local museum, hike nearby mountain, go to hot springs
Dinner in Aguas Calientes
Day 27: Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo
Students will wake up early and eat breakfast
They will then walk or take the bus up to the ruins of Machu Picchu
Take a walking tour of the main palaces and temples
Self explore and visit ruins
Hike up Wayna Picchu to get an birds eye view shot of Machu Picchu
Return to Aguas Calientes
Take train back to Ollantaytambo
Dinner at local restaurant
Day 28: Ollantaytambo to Cuzco
Students will wake up and eat breakfast at the hotel
They will then take a bus to Cuzco
Along the way students will have the option of bungee jumping, playing paintball, or doing the superman!!!
Arrive to Cuzco and check into hotel
Walk around and familiarize yourself with Cuzco
Visit plaza and eat dinner at local restaurant
Day 29: Cuzco
Students will wake up and eat breakfast
A walking tour of the main sites and attractions of Cuzco will be visited
Lunch at a local restaurant
Students will then have the afternoon to explore the city
Visit local handicraft markets and souvenirs shops
Dinner at local restaurant
Day 30: Cuzco to Lima
Students will wake up and eat breakfast
Students can go visit the local food market and try unique culinary specialties
Lunch at local restaurant
Board a flight back to Lima in the early afternoon
Take bus to Miraflores
Eat final group meal at a nice restaurant
Take bus back to the airport
Board overnight flight back to USA
Day 31: USA and GOOD BYE!!
Students will arrive back to the USA
Say good bye to your friends
Catch connection flight to your final destination
An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.
Below you will find a general packing list for the GIVE: Gap Year program in Peru. This packing list provides a general guideline to make your packing easier, though please make sure to bring all essential items! If you have any questions about this list please contact us at peru@rusticpathways.com
Peru’s Climate: What you bring to Peru is important due to its varied climate. On the GIVE: Gap Year program, students will be exposed to a range of climates with wide temperature swings during a single day. It is important that you pack for these differences and be able to layer in order to adapt. While in the Sacred Valley, expect it to be near freezing during the night and up to 65 during the day. While on the coast, the weather will be different. Days will be in the 80’s and nights no lower than 60’s. It is not necessary to pack a lot of clothes for these different climates, but it is essential to pack correctly
PLEASE DO NOT OVER PACK OR FORGET TO BRING ITEMS THAT WE HAVE DEEMED TO BE ESSENTIAL! ALL STUDENTS MUST BE ABLE TO CARRY WHAT THEY BRING! PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MANY THINGS CAN BE BOUGHT WHILE OVERSEAS. Carry-On Luggage: A small backpack is the best carry-on bag Essential Items:
Passport and Wallet *Travel Wallet or safety wallet is a good idea.
*Make sure that your passport is valid for 6 months after your planned date of departure!
Photo Copy of Passport
Medications
Immunization records (If you have had immunizations)
Emergency Contact numbers for Rustic Pathways
Recommended Items:
• Sunglasses
• One change of clothes
• 35mm camera, digital camera, and/or disposable camera * Please don’t bring an extremely expensive camera which can easily get broken, lost, or stolen.
• Journal and Pens
• Good Book (trade with buddies)
• Toiletries
Checked Luggage: A medium sized duffel bag or large back pack work best - wheeled bags are OK as long as they are medium sized and can easily be carried like a duffle over rough terrain. Essential Items:
2 Photo Copies of Passport
Contact lenses and accompanying paraphernalia. Pack in PLASTIC BAG
A lightweight breathable jacket (Shell) Gore-tex or eVent like materials are highly recommended
Sleeping Bag- (20° F or lower strongly recommended as it will get close to freezing during the night.)
Flashlight/Headlamp w/ Extra Batteries
Sunscreen (enough for your entire stay) Pack in PLASTIC BAG
Recommended Items:
Underwear (5 to 7)
Socks (4 to 6)
Non-cotton hiking socks (3)
Long Pants (1 or 2, suggested to have 1 lightweight and 1 jeans or heavier)
*Non-cotton pants that zip off into shorts are wonderful for conserving weight and also adapting to the changing temperatures.
Short Sleeve Shirts (~4) * having some non-cotton shirts is again strongly advised
Long Sleeve Shirts (~3)
Thermal Base Layer- top & bottom synthetic material
One nice casual outfit for going out or meeting with community members
A soft-shell jacket or winder stopper fleece for nights and cool weather. The soft shell jackets are windproof and water resistant and are wonderfully versatile
Shorts (2 )
Swim Suit (1)
Athletic Shoes *Shoes that are waterproof, dry quickly and are suitable for light hiking work best.
Sandals and/or Flip-Flops *it is highly recommended to have a pair of strap on sandals that will not fall off in water (Teva or Chaco brand sandals work great)
Travel Pillow *a pillowcase can be a great dirty laundry bag or a comfortable pillow if you stuff it with a sweatshirt and easy to pack.
Deck of Cards
Picture of mom, dad, boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, to share with local students
Frisbee, Aerobee, or Hackysack,
Musical Instrument (Guitars and Harmonicas - smaller is better)
MP3 player or i-pod
Note on Debit Cards:
Debit Cards are wonderful to travel with though there are a few things to remember.
Please ensure that your international block is lifted and that there are no restrictions in using it in any of the countries you will be traveling
Make sure to look at your daily limit and decide whether this should be raised or lowered
Visa is more widely accepted in Latin America than Master Card, both are fairly widely accepted.
Donations: Should you choose to bring donations, we would be happy to coordinate distributing these for you. Below are some suggestions of things to bring. Please know that it is possible to buy many of these donations in Peru should you choose
ESL Textbooks/CDs for Spanish Speakers
Easy games like Go Fish and Uno to learn basic English, colors and numbers
Children’s books
School Supplies – paints, markers, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks
Clothing – for men, women, children, babies
Cleats, Soccer balls, and other soccer gear
Coloring books, Children’s toys, stuffed animals and Games
1 - How long is the flight to this country?
Peru is a fairly easy jump from the United States, with direct flights ranging from around 6 to 9 hrs depending on your city of departure. Below are a couple of examples.
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) to Lima, Peru (LIM): 8 ½ hrs
Houston, TX (IAH) to Lima, Peru (LIM): 6 ½ hrs
Atlanta, GA (ATL) to Lima, Peru (LIM): 6 ½ hrs
2 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
Students from the United States and traveling with an American passport will not need to get a visa for this program. Students from other countries should check with their consulate. Please know that it is the student’s responsibility to obtain any appropriate documentation before entering Peru.
3 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
Rustic Pathways highly recommends that you visit your family doctor or a travel doctor, before traveling. They can assist your with deciding which immunizations you should have to travel to Peru. Also, please visit the CDC or WHO websites for up to date advice and restrictions. Below, you will find the provinces that students will be traveling in to help you with this process.
Important Note: While students are not required to receive the yellow fever vaccine to enter Peru from the U.S, it may be required to enter other countries after traveling in Peru. For instance, as of this writing it is not possible to fly directly from Peru to Costa Rica without proper documentation of the Yellow Fever vaccine.
4 – What Peru provinces or regions does this program pass through?
Students traveling on the GIVE: Gap year program will be traveling in very diverse regions of Peru. After arriving in Lima, students will travel to Pucusana located an hour south of Lima in the province of Lima. Students will then travel south through the provinces of Ica and Arequipa. In the province of Arequipa students will stop in both the city of Arequipa and Chivay in the Colca Canyon. Students will then fly from the city of Arequipa to Cuzco located in the province of Cuzco where they will assist in various community service projects and also tour the many attractions of the Sacred Valley including Machu Picchu. Students will complete their travel by flying back from Cuzco to Lima.
5 - What kind of food will we be eating?
Students will be eating mostly Peruvian food on their program, but will have a few chances to eat more international fare such as Italian, Chinese etc. Peru is actually well known for their cuisine, which varies from region to region. In fact, due to its Incan and pre-Incan heritage, followed by Spanish settlement and then African Sino-Cantonese and Japanese immigration, Peru boasts one of the most diverse cuisines in the Americas.
While in the Andes region the food will be centered around traditional Andean food dating back to the time of the Incas, with a lot of potatoes and grains such as quinoa. While on the coast, meals will consist of local ingredients and fresh fish and seafood. In addition beans, meat such a chicken and salad are found in most meals. For those that choose, there will be the chance to eat Cuy, or Guinea Pig, which remains a staple of rural Andean diets to this day. If you would like to know more about Peruvian diet Wikipedia actually has a nice summery at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_cuisine.
6) Where are our meals eaten?
We will have a cook provide 3 meals a day while at the villages in the Sacred Valley and while doing conservation work on the coast. While not in the villages, we will eat a various restaurants serving an array of Peruvian and international cuisines.
7 - Will travelers be drinking bottled water?
Yes, students will drink bottled or purified water while traveling in Peru. It is not recommended that travelers drink the tap water in any part of Peru.
8- Can Rustic Pathways cater to specific diets on this program?
Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program and the chefs we work with are very accustomed to doing so. There will be ample access to fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, and grains for those who are vegetarian. Vegan diets can be accommodated, but with a little more foresight and planning as this is not a diet commonly encountered in Peru. Please know that while we are happy to accommodate alternative diets, many of the special diets common in the United States are not common in other parts of the world and travelers must be patient and understanding in having these needs be met. Please contact Gabriel Porter-Henry at gabe@rusticpathways.com with any questions regarding special diets or allergies.
9 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
Accommodation on this program ranges from camping to guesthouses to basic hotels. While performing community service projects in the Sacred Valley, students will be camping in rural villages. In Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and Chivay, and Pucusana students will be staying in 2 and 3 star guesthouses.
10 - How often can I do laundry?
Students will have the chance to do laundry about once a week while on their program. Please make sure to have enough clothes to last least a week. It generally costs around $1 – $2 per Kilo.
11- What is the climate like in Peru?
Peru has 3 very distinct climate regions; the desert coastal region, Andean Mountain regions and the Amazon Basin. Students will visit both the desert coastal and Andean mountain regions. However, the majority of the time will be spent in the Andean Mountains region. During September the mountain region will be transforming from the dry winter months to the rainy summer months, but days will still be generally dry and partly cloudy during this time will occasional rains. The day time temperatures generally are between 45 and 60 degrees while nights can reach below freezing. Please make sure to refer to the packing list when preparing for this program.
On the coastat dessert region, the temperature never reaches below freezing but evenings do get chilly along the coast and reach in the low 50’s. Daytime temperature will rise in the upper 80’s with periods of cloudy and overcast weather. However, you soon find that although it looks like its going to rain, it never really does and instead a persistent drizzle is as bad as it gets.
12- Are there any extremely physical or strenuous activities on this trip?
This program is not overly strenuous, but students should be in at least average physical condition. Activities include, hiking, mountain biking and whitewater rafting.
13 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
Yes! Students will have many opportunities throughout their travel to practice their Spanish. Students will be living in traditional communities in the Andean Mountains and assist by teaching lessons at a couple local schools. At both locations their Spanish skills will be tested. Please know that a basic knowledge of Spanish is not required on this program, but students who take the time to at least learn some basic phases may find their time here more rewarding. A small Spanish- English dictionary is recommended.
14- How often will I have access to email and phones?
Phones and internet will be available occasionally throughout the trip. While in the main cities of Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes, Arequipa, and Pucusana these services will be available on almost daily basis. There will not be internet or phone access, while living in the villages of the Sacred Valley.
15- What costs are not included on this trip?
Students are responsible for paying for half of their lunches and half of their dinners. This is to allow for flexibility in choosing meals and to provide free time to enjoy with new friends. Students can expect to pay between $2 and $12 per meal on average. Other costs not included in the trip are Internet access, travel insurance, medical insurance, medical expenses, International Airfare, laundry, small donations to organizations, temples, charities, souvenirs and excessive snacks (like Red Bull, candy bars and sodas).
There will also be occasional optional activities which students can participate in such as bungee jumping and flying over the Nasca Lines. The costs for these are generally between $60 and $100 per activity.
16- How much spending money do I need to bring?
Students should bring between $400 and $750 for their 4 week program. Spending habits can vary extensively from student to student, so please consider how much you normally spend when considering this. An average person may spend about $170 on food and snacks and $75 on souvenirs and miscellaneous items. There is also the option to bungee jump for around $65 for those students whom choose. Peru is not an overly expensive country, but they are known for their handicrafts and most students enjoy bringing something home for friends and family.
17- What sort of electrical voltage adapters do I need to bring?
Peru has 220V outlets as opposed to the 110V outlets in the United States. The plug shape is the same, so be careful not to fry any of your electronics. These days, most common electronics like cameras, computers and mp3 chargers have built in adapters and can be plugged straight into the wall. For all other electronics, you will need to make sure to purchase a converter. Please make sure to check all electronics before plugging them in!
18) Is there a language barrier and is this a problem?
The national language in Peru is Spanish, or Castilian, though there are a number of traditional languages such as Quechua and Aymara the country as well. If you don’t speak Spanish though, you should not be concerned. Your guides are bi-lingual and can help with translation. Also, in tourist areas such as Machu Picchu, many menus and other signs are in both English and Spanish. Of course, if you are able to get down a few phases before your arrival it will only help to interact with locals and make your experience that much better.
For any additional questions about the Peru Gap Year Program please contact Juan Mayorga at juan@rusticpathways.com or Gabriel Porter-Henry at gabe@rusticpathways.com for more specific questions about Peru.
PARTICIPATE in groundbreaking marine research
on the shores of Peru’s southern coast and photograph
bottlenose dolphins as they play alongside your boat.
WORK with locals on environmental education
programs that promote much-needed conservation.
HELP work on important community development
projects and practice your Spanish as you tutor English
at underfunded rural schools.
IMMERSE yourself in Peruvian culture as you
contribute to service initiatives.
EXPLORE the wonders of mysterious Machu Picchu,
one of the seven wonders of the world, and embark on
rafting or biking side trips through breathtaking scenery.
Join us as we travel and explore the remarkable country of Peru and give back to the local communities and environments we visit along the way.
architecture of local volcanic rock has gained it the nickname the ‘White City.’ Here the focus of service work will be with local schools where you will teach basic English and other subjects to underprivileged primary school students. Outside of the classroom, smiles will abound during games of volleyball or soccer, and creative minds will come together during art projects.
While the focus of this program is community service, time will also be spent exploring some of Peru’s most important sights and adventures. Explore the famous lost city of the Incas – Machu Picchu, float along whitewater rapids while gazing up at the imposing jagged peaks of the Andes, and ride a mountain bike in the second deepest canyon in the world. If that’s not enough high-adrenaline action, you will also have a chance to get a unique view of the Sacred Valley during an optional leap off the highest bungee jump in the Americas! 
