Program Photos
Volunteer and Travel in Peru
Location: Peru: Cusco
Program Duration: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: Year round
Call Us
Phone: 0011 51 84 272 508
Fax: 0011 51 84 272 508
Description
The Peru's Challenge Program is different from most volunteer programs as it offers a complete volunteer and travel package. Each package is designed to offer you the opportunity to affordably travel in South America while contributing directly to local communities and creating real opportunities for the children of Peru. It is the best way to truly experience and understand a country.
We ask that volunteers contribute around 25-30 hours per week at their designated placement. The rest of the time is yours to enjoy and explore amazing Cuzco.
Generally, the day starts at 9am working with the kids at school until 1.30pm. You may lead classes in English, sport, art, dance, music, drama or computers.
If you are not interested in teaching, you can assist with development work such as building, renovating, plumbing, painting, cleaning and gardening. We strive to put you in activities that interest you, but mostly volunteers choose to partake in everything!
Each day, we help the kids with general hygiene - washing hands and faces, applying lotion and cleaning teeth.
From Monday to Thursday at 3pm, we run craft workshops for the mothers of the communities. Volunteers can help instruct with weaving, sewing, jewellery making, pottery, card making, knitting, etc.
In the afternoons, volunteers have a choice of activities: building and development work, conducting house visits through our House Challenge program with our social worker, organising extracurricular activities, attending Spanish classes or having some free time to explore Cuzco. Afternoons are also the time when volunteers with a specific skill can help out with marketing, web design, database management, journalism, business planning.
Highlights
Apart from working amongst the beautiful mountain ranges of the Andes, you will have the chance to experience any of the following.
- Spanish language course
- Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu
- Lake Titicaca tour
- Arequipa tour
- Sacred Valley of the Incas tour
- Horse riding trek through Inca ruins
- Cusco city tour and tourist ticket
- City tour and accommodation in Lima
- Accommodation in the volunteer house
Travel Types
- Horseback Riding
- Language Immersion
- Native Culture Studies
- Overland Tours
- Tours
- Volunteering
- Eco Tours
- Homestay
- Paragliding
- RainForest Tours
- Trekking
Degree Level
Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)
Qualifications
Anyone can become a Peru's Challenge volunteer. You don't have to have ever spoken a word of Spanish, worked with children or even thought about volunteering.
Our programs suit all age groups and caters for all needs. Our youngest volunteer was 2 years old and our oldest has been 72 years old.
Peru's Challenge volunteers must be mindful of the country they are volunteering in. Sometimes volunteers find it difficult adjusting to the Peruvian culture. You must always remember that we are not here to introduce our cultural ways, rather we are here to learn from the Peruvian people and assist where ever possible.
You must also have the ability to understand where your help is needed and also respect the culture of the Peruvian people - things will be different to what you are used to at home. You must not force your cultural ideals onto the Peruvian people even if you think it will be better for them. They have lived like they do for thousands of years. We are not here in Peru to change their way of living but rather to improve it - little by little.
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Cost in US$:
Prices start at 1,040
Cost Include Description:
- Project and development costs
- All tours
- Flight from Lima to Cusco
- Accommodation
- Spanish language course
- In-country agent
- Pre-arrival information
- Flight from Lima to Cusco
We believe that you will not find a better option. By joining the Peru's Challenge volunteer team you will travel and experience the best that Peru offers, while also directly living and helping the communities in which you visit.
Normally, when travelling in South America you need to budget for approximately USD 100 - USD 140 per day to pay for tours, Spanish lessons and accommodation. Join the Peru's Challenge Program and you will do all of this while also directly helping local communities for approximately USD 40 per day (depending on which program you join).
For a complete breakdown of where your funds are going, please visit our website.
Credit Available
no
Volunteer Types
- Adult Education
- Anthropology
- Arts
- Athletics
- Building Maintenance
- Building/construction Projects
- Business
- Childcare/children
- Community Centers
- Community Development
- Community Health
- Community Organizing
- Cooking
- Counseling
- Culture
- Digging
- Drama
- Drug Or Alcohol Recovery
- Eco-tourism
- Education
- English Teaching
- Fixing Fences
- Food
- Gardening
- Gender Issues
- Grassroots Organization
- Handicapped
- Health
- Health Care
- Health Education
- Home Visit
- Housing
- Income-generation
- Indigenous Issues
- Infrastructure Planning
- Literacy
- Marketing
- Medicine
- Micro-enterprise
- Microcredit
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Office Work
- Organic Farming
- Painting
- Planting
- Playgrounds
- Primary Education
- Public Education
- Renovation
- Repairs
- Sanitation
- Self Help
- Social Services, Social Work
- Solar & Hydro Projects
- Sports
- Teaching
- Tourism
- Translation
- Tutor
- Volunteer Management
- Volunteering
- Water
- Women
- Youth
- Youth Development
Typical Volunteer
Our volunteers will have an interest in any of the following: working with children, construction and renovation, health and nutrition, travel, gardening, meeting people, learning to speak Spanish, living and working with the indigenous people of Peru, organising events, teaching or helping with: reading, writing, art and craft, drama, dance and music, and sport.Age Range
2-75 (under 18 to be accompanied by parent or legal gardian)This Program is open to
Worldwide Participant. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.
Typical Living Arrangements
- Group living
- Home-stays
Participants Travel to Peru
Independently or in Groups
Application Process Involves
- In-Person Interview when Feasible
- Phone/Video Interview
Typically The Application Process Time is
Two weeksPost Services Include
- Exit Debriefing Abroad
Peru's Challenge's Mission Statement
Peru's Challenge is a not-for-profit organisation working with volunteer travellers to improve child education, health and hygiene standards in indigenous mountain villages of the Andes in Peru, South America. Our Aims 1. To create basic opportunities for the children of Peru; Education, health and a happy and safe environment. 2. To provide an exceptional travel and volunteer experience. Peru's Challenge is also very committed to providing and exceptional volunteer travel experience to all of our participating volunteers. Our volunteers are the life-blood of the organization. It is their invaluable assistance that makes our job of assisting local Peruvian communities possible.
Year Founded
2003
