Environmental science: Peru

Overview

Gain a unique scientific insight into Peru’s remarkable and irreplaceable ecosystems while enhancing your students’ knowledge of innovative environmental conservation techniques.

Each student will live among native flora and fauna in the Amazon and learn how indigenous groups utilize the natural Andean environment to sustain their lives and communities.

Our Environmental Science Peru trip takes you through Cusco and the spellbinding Sacred Valley, to the peak of Machu Picchu, before winding through the rivers in the depths of the Amazon.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Impacted

Your experiences

Quechua Homestay

Women's weaving workshop

Amazonian immersion

Reforestation workshop

Explore the Amazon

Rainforest walks

Tour Sacred Valley

Visit Machu Picchu

Hike to Inca ruins

Example Itinerary

Day 1: Arrivals (Cusco)

Your expert local guides will meet you at the airport arrivals area and take you to the hotel. There you’ll check in and take a tour of the UNESCO-listed old town. The group will enjoy an evening meal in the center and receive an introduction to the program.

Day 2: Temple of the Moon & market challenge (Cusco)

Students will learn about the fascinating history of the famous Incas with a tour of some ancient ruins just outside the center. After lunch, you’ll head to the bustling San Pedro market for a team challenge that will bring students closer to Andean culture.

Day 3: Inspiring, pioneering composting project (Cusco)

Students learn the science behind an impactful composting project that is helping to transform waste management issues in Cusco. Led by a pioneering young local, students will volunteer at the plant and take part in interactive workshops.

Day 4: Women's weaving co-op & transfer to Ollantaytambo

Students discover how a group of women from the Quechua community create stunning garments like dresses and bags using materials and dyes from insects. We’ll then enjoy a home-cooked meal with them before moving on to the beautiful market town of Ollantaytambo.

Day 5: Epic train journey (Aguas Calientes)

Today you’ll enjoy one of the most awe-inspiring journeys in the world with a train ride through the Sacred Valley to the Andean town of Aguas Calientes. Students will explore the market and get an early night before tomorrow’s visit to Machu Picchu.

Day 6: Experience Machu Picchu

Students will prepare for the experience of a lifetime with a visit to Machu Picchu. The group will enjoy an expert-led tour of this Wonder of the World, immersing themselves in its history, intrigue, and breathtaking views. Afterward, students continue to live the life of an Inca by descending the ancient city back to Aguas Calientes. They’ll then take a scenic train ride back to Cusco, where they will spend the night.

Day 7: Flight to the Amazon (Puerto Maldonado)

Students will prepare for a dramatic change in environment as we head into the Amazon and Puerto Maldonado. We’ll enjoy land and river transport to our eco-lodge, receiving full safety information on the way. We’ll take part in a jungle walk once we arrive.

Day 8: Environmental impact of preserving the Amazon

The Amazon not only encompasses the single largest remaining tropical rainforest in the world, but it also houses at least 10% of the world’s known biodiversity, including endemic and endangered flora and fauna. Students will enjoy an interactive walking tour with a local expert who will teach us the science behind this natural wonder. After lunch, we’ll search for some caimans and encounter a remarkable type of parrot.

Day 9: Reforestation & native cultures

Today students take part in a reforestation project, exploring the challenges of protecting an environment known as the lungs of the earth. Afterward, we’ll join our hosts in a cultural immersion workshop, learning how to cook, dress, dance, and sing in a traditional Amazonian way.

Day 10: Departures

After a boat ride along the river, we’ll take students to the airport in plenty of time for their flight home.

Essential information

Locations visited: Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Puerto Maldonado, Amazon
Date: Flexible
Cost: From $899 p/p (price doesn’t include international flights)
Teachers: Teachers travel for free!
Language: Spanish or English

Your students will:

Learn about new and unique ecosystems in Peru’s Andes and Amazon rainforests.
Gain a greater scientific understanding of sustainable composting methods.
Learn about the history and traditions of native communities in the Andes and Amazon.
Learn essential conservation methods, including reforestation, in the Amazon rainforest.

All meals (we’ve chosen varied dishes to give a real taste of Peru’s Andes and Amazon)
Accommodation (eco-lodges and hostels)
Transport – buses and trains
All scheduled excursions and activities
Local guides and translators
Safety documents – risk assessment, safety protocols, liability cover
Health Insurance
One Kagumu guide for every 10 students

Book this itinerary or tailor one to suit your curriculum by contacting us.

Fully Customizable

Remember we customize every itinerary to your curriculum. If you have a specifc academic focus in mind, allow us to tailor a trip for you.