School expedition in Peru

As we encourage interaction with locals, we’ll set students a challenge based in Cusco’s busy San Pedro market. Teams will have a set time to answer some questions, bringing them closer to Peruvian culture.

Students will learn about the environmental impact of certain foods and the culture and customs of the locals who work in this beautiful market. We’ll stay overnight once again in Cusco.

After journeying through the bewitching Andean mountains, we’ll arrive at our homestay in Cuyo Chico, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here students will meet their friendly host families and have lunch in their house.

Students will explore the community’s self-sustaining lifestyle with an adobe brick-making workshop. We’ll then have dinner with our host families and stay with them overnight.

Students will prepare for their challenging two-day Lares trek with a half-day hike to the peaks surrounding the community. Students should work in teams to ensure everyone completes the hike in good health.

Afterward, we’ll learn how to create stunning ceramics using locally sourced materials. This memorable day culminates with some local myths and stories around a bonfire. We’ll once again stay overnight with host families.

An essential part of this expedition in Peru is a two-day hiking adventure in the Sacred Valley. Students will follow a lesser-traveled route through the towering Sacred Valley mountains, passing Andean villages, and walking through native forests and dramatic valleys. You will get a taste of true Andean cuisine as your group is accompanied by local cooks who prepare delicious and hearty meals, giving you the energy to tackle the challenging route.

Along the way, you will experience ancient Andean living as you pass small farms, thatched-roof houses, and farmers transporting their goods with packs of llamas. Of course, you will also encounter Inca ruins and learn about how local communities used to live and travel in the valleys.

This unique experience will bring you closer to the magic of the Sacred Valley region, as you sleep under the stars in cozy, comfortable camps prepared by your dedicated local team. Your final overnight stay will be in Ollantaytambo.

One of the most magical experiences of visiting Peru’s archeological wonder is the train journey that winds through the towering Andean mountains. Once in Aguas Calientes, students will enjoy some free time to buy locally-made handicrafts from the markets.

We’ll have an evening meal before an early night ahead of tomorrow’s tour of Machu Picchu.

There’s a reason Machu Picchu is billed as one of the most spectacular and unmissable travel experiences on the planet. This ancient Inca city bewitches, beguiles, and captivates visitors with 15th-century ruins poking through the clouds at 7,970 feet above sea level.

Students will hike to the ancient city and enjoy a guided tour. After, we’ll have lunch in Aguas Calientes before traveling back to Cusco for an overnight stay.

Today, students will witness the effects of one woman’s empowerment project in the community as they visit a village that was almost destroyed twice – first by a mudslide and later because of the negative effects of tourism.

After enjoying a traditional lunch with the ladies, students will participate in a hands-on workshop where they’ll learn traditional weaving methods and find out how clothes are dyed using plants and insects. We’ll then take the group to the airport in plenty of time for their flight home.