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• Peru
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  • Getting There and Away
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• Costa Rica
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• Thailand
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• Cuba
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• Nepal
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• Brazil
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• Cambodia
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• Laos
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• Vietnam
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• India
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• Jamaica
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• Romania
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• Ghana
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• Mexico
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• China
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Peru: Volunteer Vacations and Volunteer Travel

Volunteer Vacations to Machu Picchu

Experience life in the Peruvian Andes and participate in cultural activities and excursions to sites of historical and archaeological importance, such as Machu Picchu.

Volunteer Travel to San Pedro de Casta

In the mountains north of Lima, travel to the village of San Pedro de Casta, where the campesinos work the terraced land.

Machu Picchu Volunteer Vacations

Care for Cuzco: Heart of the Inca Empire

Cuzco is known the world over as the enchanting heart of the Inca civilization and the gateway to Machu Picchu, one of the great wonders of the world. With its narrow, cobblestone streets, colonial architecture atop Incan stonework, and locals in vibrant and traditional dress, you will forget you are living in the 21st century.

Photos of volunteer vacationers at new facility for needy children.

Service Vacations: Volunteer Work Projects in Cuzco

Globe Aware adventures in service offer many different opportunities in Cuzco, including working in a home for impoverished children from rural households. While some of the children have families, most are too poor to care for them. Without this home or "alburgue," these children would have no educational opportunities.

Other service vacation projects include improvements and maintenance to facilities, such as painting classrooms, creating a garden, or constructing desks and beds. The children attend public school in Cuzco during the day, but you will have ample opportunities to work directly with them after classes and on the weekends. You may also visit a local family to construct a Lorena stove. Your hosts will arrange your volunteer projects prior to your trip based on the immediate needs of the children's home.

Meet some of Globe Aware's service vacation volunteer coordinators - click here.

Globe Aware Volunteer Vacations to a Marchu Picchu - Signup Now!

Click here to view a short video on this volunteer travel program.
*Please note it may take a couple of minutes to buffer before viewing, but it does NOT download to your desktop

Volunteer Holiday Food and Lodging

The children's home is just a few minutes' drive from the main square and all the major sites within Cuzco. Volunteer vacationers will stay in dormitory rooms (two to three per room) at the children's home. Modern plumbing, warm running water, flushing toilets, and electricity are all available. Traditional, delicious Andean meals are prepared fresh daily for you.

Leisure Activities During Your Service Vacation

Volunteer vacationers can make a scheduled excursion to Machu Picchu (at your cost, since your program fee cannot be used for this due to tax regulations), and to the other surrounding ancient sites - several of which are in very close walking proximity. You will also have free time to explore the charming pedestrian town of Cuzco with your fellow volunteer vacationers, to learn how to make Peruvian food, etc.

Previous volunteer vacation groups have met with traditional shaman to learn about their way of life. Others have gone on a Pisco sour tasting mission. Depending on your cultural interests, your volunteer coordinator will help organize these cultural explorations.

Click here for a sample itinerary.

Arranging Your Volunteer Vacation Airfare

You will need to be in Cuzco by 11:00 am on the Saturday your program begins. The program ends at about 10:00 am the following Saturday. It takes approximately five minutes for our driver to get you to the Cuzco airport. You can arrange any return time on Saturday, as long as it is before 4:00 pm as the driver will make trips based on your return trip time.

For more on flight tips, click here.

LIMA-To-Cuzco airfare: As of January 2010, the airlines flying from Lima to Cusco include: LAN, TACA, and StarPeru.

Safety and Security During Your Volunteer Vacation

Lima, Cuzco, and immediate surroundings are considered quite safe in terms of political stability and health risks. Be aware that both Globe Aware Peru programs are at a high altitude, and if you have any sort of high blood pressure or respiratory condition, you should check with your doctor before deciding to go. More Safety and Security.

Globe Aware Volunteer Vacations to a Marchu Picchu - Signup Now!

The Andean Village Volunteer Vacation Experience

The Road Less Traveled high in the Andes

If you are looking for a truly "off the beaten path" experience in a community with real need, then you've found it! Your volunteer program will take place in beautiful San Pedro de Casta, a secluded and traditional village located high in the Andes, about 4 hours outside of Lima. The people of San Pedro make their communal living by farming the terraced land of the surrounding mountains, as their ancestors did for thousands of years before them.

Working Vacation: Volunteer Work Projects in San Pedro de Casta

Volunteers work on a variety of community development projects, from building repair, establishing irrigation channels for the schools, reforestation, offering instruction in basic skills such as English, computers, hospitality, and first aid.

Volunteer vacationers also build simple Lorena stoves (which greatly reduces fuel consumption and increases health of the home's inhabitants by reducing smoke), and work on other projects. Work projects are selected prior to your arrival based on immediate need in the community.

Some of our Super Volunteer Coordinators.

Projects vary and depend on the number of volunteers; which projects were completed by the previous group of volunteer workers; what priorities have changed; weather conditions; which supplies are available; and often the interest and fitness level of the volunteers. For these reasons, specific projects are often not fixed until the week prior to your arrival and can even change upon arrival.

Globe Aware Volunteer Vacations High in the Andes - Signup Now!

Click here to view a short video on this volunteer travel program.
*Please note it may take a couple of minutes to buffer before viewing, but it does NOT download to your desktop

Volunteer Holiday Food and Lodging

Volunteer vacationers stay in the central village lodge. Electricity and modern bathrooms with running (not hot) water are available. Fresh Andean specialties with lots of fresh vegetables and beans from the surrounding hills will be served.

Leisure Activities During Your Service Vacation

Many enriching activities are offered throughout the week. All activities are planned, but participation is optional. You may choose to take a horseback ride to the ruins at Marcahuasi, visit the cheese or hat maker, learn to cook an Andean specialty, visit the mummies at the local museum, make Hualquies alongside local women (special pouches for carrying coca leaves) or explore the town at your leisure.

San Pedro de Casta is small and quiet, offering no bright lights or big city night life. Volunteers will feel they are living in ancient Peru. Click here for a sample itinerary.

Arranging Your Volunteer Vacation Airfare

You will need to arrange to be at the meet up point in Lima by 9:30 am on the Saturday your program begins. The program ends at between 7:00 am and 9:00 am the following Saturday. It takes approximately four hours to return to Lima. The airport is one of the return drop-off destinations our driver will make. You should not arrange a return flight that departs any earlier than 3:30 pm. For more on flight tips, click here.

Safety and Security During Your Volunteer Vacation

Lima, Cuzco and immediate surroundings are considered safe in terms of political stability and health risks. Be aware that both Globe Aware Peru programs are at a high altitude, and if you have any sort of high blood pressure or respiratory condition, you should check with your doctor before deciding to go. More Safety and Security.

Globe Aware Volunteer Vacations High in the Andes - Signup Now!