Teen Tours in Peru
RUSTIC PATHWAYS IN PERU
Since 2008, Rustic Pathways has been offering diverse experiences focusing on service and adventure throughout Peru. Students who join us have the opportunity to scale high glaciated Andean peaks, explore ancient Incan ruins, enter the depths of the Amazon Rainforest, and work alongside locals in welcoming communities. We offer year-round programs for high school, group, and college students, as well as adult travel. Our operations in Peru are headquartered atop the Andes in the old Incan capital city of Cusco.
AIRLINE INFORMATION and PROGRAM CONNECTIVITY
Weekly escorted flights departing from Houston to Lima, Peru run throughout the summer. Please see rusticpathways.com/flights for details. All of our Costa Rica and Panama programs connect to Peru with direct flights. All departure dates show physical departures from the U.S. All programs begin on Tuesdays and return to the United States on Wednesdays.
| FACT FILE | |
| Population | 29.5 million |
| Capital City | Lima |
| Currency | Nuevo Sol – 1 U.S. dollar buys about 2.7 soles (as of September 2010) |
| Language | Spanish and Quechua – both official languages |
| Well-Known Attractions | Machu Picchu – the Lost City of the Incas The Amazon Jungle – largest rainforest in the world Lake Titicaca – highest navigable lake on the planet |
LOCAL LINGO
| Cómo te llamas? | What is your name? |
| Sulpayki | Thank you (Quechua) |
| Te gusta cuy? | Do you like guinea pig? |
DID YOU KNOW?
If you like potatoes, then Peru is the country for you! Having originated in Peru, the potato is widely used in Peruvian cuisine. It is estimated that about 3,000 different varieties of potato are cultivated in and around the Andes Mountains of Peru. A visit to one of Peru's many Andean markets will offer a plethora of options when it comes to finding your spud of choice.
The guinea pig is considered a sacred animal in Andean culture. It is also very high in protein and low in fat. During special occasions and celebrations, cuy – or guinea pig – is roasted whole and considered a delicacy.
The Incan civilization started in Peru and spread from Chile in the south through Ecuador in the north. Before the rise of the Incan Empire, Peru was home to great diversity, including one of the world's oldest civilizations, the Norte Chico, the world's largest adobe city, Chan Chan, and numerous independent Amazon cultures.
