Peru » Service in the Sacred Valley

Peru: Service in the Sacred Valley
Our 21-day Flagship programs provide the ideal amount of time to satisfy every dimension of the GLA Experience. Although many of the same objectives can be achieved on shorter programs, students and parents report that three weeks is the optimal time to develop lifelong friendships with local people and fellow students, to make a greater impact on the community, to fully immerse themselves in a culture, and to explore difference facets of the host country.

The ancient Inca Empire is yours to discover while making a difference in the lives of families.

Highlights:

Volunteer to improve the health and education of children
Bike-tour through the Sacred valley
Visit key archaeological sites of the Inca Empire
Hands-on workshops on Andean music and dance
Whitewater rafting through the Andes mountains – watch video.
Shop and barter at the local indigenous craft market
Visit the lost city of Machu Picchu – watch video.

Overview

Discover Cusco, the cultural heart of the ancient Inca Empire, a 5,000-year-old civilization shrouded in mystery and tradition. Volunteer with non-profit organizations that work to improve the health and well-being of indigenous children. On the weekends, explore the Sacred Valley by bike, raft, and hike to the lost city of Machu Picchu.

Watch video: GLA Alum David G. describes the service project.

Community Service

Our community service projects focus on improving public health for women and children. You will have a choice of which service site you work at. At one site, we work with a project to build clean-burning stoves to improve the respiratory health of women and children. We also plant traditional medicinal plants so rural families can treat illness, and plant vegetable gardens to combat malnutrition in children. At the other site, we volunteer at a village school, helping to build and re-paint classrooms.

Hands-On Learning

The Quechua people of the Peruvian Andes are the direct descendents of the Inca Empire. We will learn first hand about their unique and rich culture through Andean music and dance workshops, a Quechua language crash course, talks on Andean cosmology and meetings with traditional healers. Informally, you’ll experience the local culture through soccer games with local youth, meetings with farmer communities and engaging discussions with non-profit organizations.

Adventure

The Sacred Valley surrounding Cusco is full of archeological marvels built by the Inca Empire. We’ll visit many of these famous sites and even visit the lost city of Machu Picchu. On our 21-day flagship program, you’ll also spend a weekend delving deep into the Sacred Valley by visiting ancient ruins on bicycles, camping in the hills and whitewater rafting down rivers winding through the Andes Mountains. We’ll also visit Pisac, one of Peru’s largest artisanal markets.

Watch video – Bike tour through the Sacred Valley
Watch video – Shop and barter at the local indigenous craft market.

Lodging

The GLA Home Base is located high up in the quaint mountain town of Cusco (elevation: 10,850 feet, 3.3 KM) in a beautiful colonial style hotel run by a Peruvian family.

The hotel is small and is reserved exclusively for GLA staff and students. There are two students per room; with a private bathroom for each bedroom. There is wi-fi internet access in the Home Base and students may purchase calling cards to call home. Our local cooks will prepare authentic Peruvian cuisine, which is among the most diverse and delicious in the world. On the 21-Day Flagship Program, we will camp in tents provided by GLA during one weekend; students should bring a sleeping bag.