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School Trips to Peru: Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley & the Andes

A school trip to Peru sits along the wall above Machu Picchu, arms raised toward the ruins and Huayna Picchu

School trips to Peru are private, customized educational programs built around experiential learning in the Andes and at Machu Picchu.

Peru school trips last 9 to 10 days and cost $3,645 to $3,995 per student, depending on trip length and season.

No commitment, and no sales call unless you ask for one.

4.9 Trustpilot 4.9 Google
per student across the three sample itineraries
$3,645–$3,995
three sample itineraries
9–10 days
built around your dates, curriculum and budget
Custom school trips
for every 8 paying students
1 free teacher spot
Rustic Pathways has operated student travel programs
Since 1983

Choose a Peru school group travel program.

The three Peru school travel itineraries are Machu Picchu & the Amazon, Sacred Valley Service & Culture, and Andean Adventures & Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu & the Amazon starts at $3,645 for 9 days, Sacred Valley Service & Culture starts at $3,655 for 10 days, and Andean Adventures & Machu Picchu starts at $3,995 for 9 days.

An Amazon lagoon in Peru at sunset, palms silhouetted against the orange sky and mirrored in still water
Peru · Andes & Amazon

Machu Picchu & the Amazon

Mountains, rainforest, Machu Picchu

9 days10+ studentsHistory · Environmental Science$3,645

Lima · Sacred Valley · Machu Picchu · Cusco · Tambopata

Choose this program

Your 9-day starting itinerary

Each card is one program day. Scroll across to follow the trip from arrival through departure.

Day 1
Students cross a wooden suspension bridge over a slow brown jungle river

Depart Home Airport

Meet up with your group at a pre-selected location at your home airport. Once everyone has arrived, check your bags and go through security as a group.

Day 2
An Amazon channel at dusk, orange sky mirrored in still water between silhouetted trees

Welcome to Peru!

Arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima (LIM) and meet your program leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program.

Day 3
A school trip stops at a community visit, students wrapped in woven Andean textiles and knitted caps beside an alpaca

Cross the Andes to the Sacred Valley

Wake up and take a bus back to the airport for your quick flight to the Sacred Valley and Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco (CUZ). This flight will only be about an hour.

Day 4
Machu Picchu's stone terraces below Huayna Picchu, cloud drifting across the green ridges

Explore Machu Picchu

Get set for a day at Peru’s most famous site. The day starts off with a picturesque train ride to Aguas Calientes, the base town of the Machu Picchu ruins.

Day 5
A student sits at the bow of a wooden canoe on a calm Amazon channel in low morning light

The Capital of the Inca Empire

Enjoy a mix of the past and present as we explore Cusco’s 16th-century cathedrals, ancient Inca temples, and colonial streets at this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 6
Students walk a stone path between granite boulders and eucalyptus on a dry Andean hillside

The Amazon Jungle

Head into the heart of the Amazon jungle. Wake up early and fly to Puerto Maldonado, our gateway to the Amazon.

Day 7
A scarlet macaw perches high in the rainforest canopy, red and blue against green leaves

Deforestation in the Amazon

Over the next two days you’ll learn about many of the complex issues that threaten the Amazon. Stay at an education research center in Peru’s only Amazonian national park.

Day 8
Andean children in red woven ponchos and hats smile together under a clear sky

Puerto Maldonado, Lima, and Home

Pack up and say goodbye to your friendly jungle staff before boarding a boat and returning upriver to Puerto Maldonado.

Machu Picchu's terraces and stone buildings in morning light, Huayna Picchu rising behind
Peru · Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley Service & Culture

Andean culture and educational service

10 days10+ studentsService Learning · Culture$3,655

Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley · Machu Picchu

Choose this program

Your 10-day starting itinerary

Each card is one program day. Scroll across to follow the trip from arrival through departure.

Day 1

Depart for Peru

Meet up with your group at a pre-selected location at your home airport. Once everyone has arrived, check your bags and go through security as a group.

Day 2
A woman in a woven shawl hands flowers to arriving students in a sunlit courtyard

Welcome to Peru!

Arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima (LIM) and meet your program leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program.

Day 3
Students carry wooden chairs up a dirt slope below snow-streaked Andean ridges

Cross the Andes to the Sacred Valley

Wake up and take a bus back to the airport for your quick flight to the Sacred Valley and Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco (CUZ). This flight will only be about an hour.

Day 4
A student holds up a shovel beside a project guide on a hillside above terraced fields

Hike to Rural Communities

Hike into the mountains around the Sacred Valley to get a perspective on the landscape challenges that make access to education more difficult.

Day 5
Students and local children pull opposite ends of a rope in a tug of war on dry grass

Service in the Sacred Valley

Participate in service initiatives with the Sacred Valley Project, a local organization that supports the secondary education of girls from remote Andean communities.

Day 6
Llamas graze on the terrace above Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu rising beyond the ruins

Experience Machu Picchu

Start your day with a picturesque train ride to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the Machu Picchu ruins. Explore the town and shop, and gear up for the adventure ahead.

Day 7
Quechua women in felt hats and bright woven shawls sit together on a grassy hillside

Explore Cusco

After breakfast this morning, drive for approximately an hour and a half from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, taking in the breathtaking views of the Southern Peruvian Andes.

Day 8 – 9

Adios, Peru!

Visit the local San Pedro market, taste the local fruits and vegetables, and bargain for any last-minute gifts for family and friends during your final morning in Peru.

Arrive back at your home airport and reconnect with your friends and family. Thank you for joining us on this adventure!

Students walk the stone paths of Machu Picchu with the peak and terraces beyond
Peru · Sacred Valley

Andean Adventures & Machu Picchu

Sacred Valley exploration and Machu Picchu

9 days10+ studentsAdventure · History$3,995

Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley · Huaypo · Machu Picchu

Choose this program

Your 9-day starting itinerary

Each card is one program day. Scroll across to follow the trip from arrival through departure.

Day 1
A student raises both arms overlooking Machu Picchu as cloud breaks around the peaks

Depart Home Airport

Travel to Peru

Day 2
Students gather at the shore of a turquoise glacial lake beneath a snow-covered peak

Welcome to Peru!

Arrive in Lima · Flight to Cusco in the Andes

Day 3
Students leap and pile together on a steep hillside above a dry Andean valley

Travel to Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Arrive in Cusco · Descend into the Sacred Valley · Acclimatization afternoon

Day 4
Machu Picchu's terraces and stonework spread below Huayna Picchu under clear sky

Historic Landscapes

Andean highlands hike · Visit traditional mountain communities · Learn regional history and ecology

Day 5
Students pause with mountain bikes on a dirt road, Andean peaks and cloud ahead

Paddle in Huaypo, Mountain Bike and Explore Salt Flats

Kayak on Lake Huaypo · Mountain bike through Sacred Valley · Explore Maras salt terraces

Day 6
Students share a meal at a long table outdoors, steep green mountains rising behind

Experience Machu Picchu

Train to Aguas Calientes · Guided exploration of Machu Picchu · Return train through Sacred Valley

Day 7
A student hangs from a zipline cable strung high across a wide Andean valley

Rock Climbing, Ziplining and Traditional Arts

Via ferrata rock climb and zipline over Sacred Valley · Traditional weaving workshop in Chinchero · Travel to Cusco

Day 8
Students sit on grass learning from Quechua women in traditional woven dress

Explore the Capital of the Inca Empire

Cusco historic center exploration · Chocolate making workshop · Farewell dinner and Rustic Ties ceremony

Day 9

Return Home

San Pedro Market visit · Return flight

What every Peru school trip includes

Included

  • Accommodation for all program nights in shared, gender-separated rooms
  • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner from airport pickup through airport drop-off, and drinking water throughout
  • Airport transfers, in-country flights, and all scheduled ground transportation
  • All scheduled activities, excursions, and entrance fees in the itinerary
  • Gratuities and donations: guides, drivers, homestay and community contributions. Students never need to bring money to give away
  • Bilingual Program Leaders, on site overnight, and a 24/7 emergency support line for parents
  • Community donations required by a service project, paid by Rustic Pathways and never collected from students

Not included

  • Flights to and from Peru. Your school books them, or Rustic Pathways can as an add-on
  • Medical insurance with coverage in Peru. Families arrange it themselves
  • Travel insurance, recommended and not required
  • Passport and visa fees
  • Vaccinations and health preparation costs
  • Personal spending: souvenirs, snacks, laundry, phone use, and data

How much does a school trip to Peru cost?

A school trip to Peru costs $3,645 to $3,995 per student for program tuition, or approximately $366 to $444 per day. Tuition covers lodging, meals, airport transfers, in-country transport, scheduled activities, guides, and entrance fees.

Schools receive one complimentary program tuition place for every eight paying students. International airfare and insurance are not included. Final costs vary by dates, group size, itinerary, and lodging.

Payment and cancellation

Installment plans are available. Schools pay as a group, or families pay monthly under the terms and conditions.

What moves the cost of a Peru school trip?

Five variables drive the pricing variance: season, trip length, group size, chaperones, and accommodations.

  1. SeasonPeru’s dry season is May to October. Peak and holiday weeks cost more than shoulder dates.
  2. Trip lengthShorter trips can cost more per day because fixed costs are spread across fewer days. Beyond that, season and what the itinerary includes matter more than length.
  3. Group sizeLarger groups lower the per-student price.
  4. ChaperonesOne chaperone place is complimentary for every 8 paying students. Additional places are shared across the group, so the number of chaperones you bring moves the per-student price.For example, a group of 24 students earns 3 free chaperone places; a group of 40 earns 5.
  5. AccommodationsLodging tier moves the price directly. The Westin in Lima costs more than the standard three-star option, and Rustic Pathways can arrange either.

Price an itinerary around your group.

Dates and group size are enough. Options come back within 48 hours.

Get my Peru proposal

How a Peru school trip manages altitude

A Peru school trip uses a descent to acclimatize. Students fly from sea-level Lima to Cusco at 11,150 ft on day two, then drop to the Sacred Valley at 9,000–11,000 ft for three nights before returning to Cusco.

Sea level 11,150 ft 9,000–11,000 ft 7,970 ft 11,150 ft Day 1 · Lima Day 2 · Cusco Days 3–5 · Sacred Valley Day 6 · Machu Picchu Days 7–9 · Cusco

What do students learn on a school trip to Peru?

Students on a school trip to Peru learn Inca history, Andean ecology, and contribute to community development projects in the Sacred Valley.

  • History

    Students compare Inca, colonial and contemporary Peru on the ground, and what they discuss may sit at an angle to the textbook.

    Who gets to decide what Machu Picchu means?

    Andean Adventures & Machu Picchu

  • Environmental science

    Students study Andean ecology across the elevation gradient, collecting field data on ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity to analyse back in the lab.

    How do people who share a landscape describe what it is for?

    Machu Picchu & the Amazon

  • Service learning

    Students work alongside staff at the Sacred Valley Project, which addresses barriers to education for girls from remote Andean communities, and eat with the girls who board there.

    What does a community need that an outsider cannot decide for it?

    Sacred Valley Service & Culture

Quechua women in felt hats sit together outdoors at a community work site
Students stand arm in arm with Huayna Picchu rising steeply behind them

What makes a Rustic Pathways educational travel program different?

  • 01No mixed groups. Just your school
  • 02One student, one bed
  • 03Your school picks the dates
  • 04Monthly payment plans available
  • 05No tipping; Rustic Pathways Program Tuition includes community donations
  • 06Aligned to your curriculum

Who supervises and manages the trip to Peru?

School chaperones and Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise and manage the school trip to Peru together.

Rustic Pathways manages the itinerary, accommodation, ground transport, activities and emergency procedures; your school manages its own student conduct and communication policies.

Your school can book international flights directly or ask Rustic Pathways to arrange them. Families receive trip logistics and itinerary information through the MyRustic web app.

How is safety managed on a school trip to Peru?

Lima and Cusco programs involve city travel, while Sacred Valley routes add hiking and rural travel. Altitude is a key consideration: Cusco sits at 11,150 feet, so itineraries allow time to acclimatize before demanding activities.

Each route is reviewed for its operating environment. Program Leaders brief students daily, licensed providers handle transport and specialist activities, and risk plans identify hospital access and evacuation pathways for remote areas.

Rustic Pathways has had a dedicated Medical Director since 2015. Dr. William R. Smith is a board-certified emergency physician and U.S. Army colonel.

From 2014 through 2026, 87% of 4,139 incident reports across 57,079 traveler records were GREEN, the minor incident tier.

Read Rustic Pathways safety protocols →
8 minfrom first call to crisis-team response, measured company-wide
27 minaverage parent notification, measured from the point an incident is assessed
2 minimumtrained Program Leaders on every school group trip, one male and one female, in addition to your teachers
4 monthsvetting per Program Leader, including Sterling background checks and the National Sex Offender Registry
100%of Program Leaders hold current CPR and First Aid certification
24/7in-country staff plus a U.S. emergency support line
Rustic Pathways Peru sticker, used to mark a travel day

Is Rustic Pathways the right Peru partner for your school?

Rustic Pathways is the right fit for a school with ten or more students traveling as its own group on its own dates, and the wrong fit for an individual student or a school that wants to join an existing departure.

A strong fit if

  • You are a school group of 10 or more, middle school through university
  • You want your school to travel as its own group, on your own dates, never merged with others
  • You want the itinerary built around what you teach

Worth a conversation first if

  • A student has significant mobility, medical or mental-health support needs, a condition affected by altitude, or a specialized dietary or religious accommodation
  • You have fewer than 10 students, or a budget below the range above

None of these is automatically a no. Each is assessed before Rustic Pathways sends a proposal.

Probably not the right fit if

  • You are an individual student or parent looking to join a departure. Individual-student Peru programs are a better fit.
  • You want a mixed group with other schools, a fixed-date catalog tour, or a departure sooner than a proposal and planning cycle allow
Patrick Ziemnik, Leader of Global Operations at Rustic Pathways.
Patrick Ziemnik joined Rustic Pathways in 2012 and leads global operations. He has been a Country Director in Mongolia, Tanzania and Costa Rica.

Have a question before you ask for a proposal?

Patrick Ziemnik answers Peru school-trip questions directly.

Send your group size, dates, trip length, and what you want students to learn.

I’ll reply within 1 business day and send you options within 48 hours. No sales call unless you ask for one.

Questions about school trips to Peru

How much is a school trip to Peru?

School trips to Peru start at $3,645 per student. International airfare, travel insurance, and medical insurance are separate.

Is Peru safe for a school trip?

Peru school trips require structured risk management, particularly for altitude and regional travel. Rustic Pathways uses at least two trained Program Leaders per group, altitude protocols, and 24/7 emergency support.

Check the current U.S. State Department Peru travel advisory for regional restrictions and entry conditions.

Is the altitude in Cusco safe for students?

Students can travel safely to Cusco when their itinerary allows time for proper acclimatization. Cusco sits at 11,150 feet, so groups first stay at the lower-elevation Sacred Valley before returning to Cusco, while leaders monitor for altitude symptoms.

When is the best time for a school trip to Peru?

The best time for a school trip to Peru is during the dry season from May to October. The wet season runs from November to April, while nights at altitude can be cold year-round.

Do students need a visa for a school trip to Peru?

Most students traveling from the United States, Canada, or European Union do not need a visa for a short school trip to Peru. Requirements vary by nationality, so schools should confirm current entry rules before departure.

Start with your travel window

Start a Peru trip proposal with your travel dates, group size, and student learning goals. Receive a reply within 1 business day and trip options within 48 hours.

Or reach a person directly: +1 440-975-9691 or groups@rusticpathways.com

Have a quote from another operator?

Send it over. Rustic Pathways will show you what’s possible for the same budget.

Need approval or funding first?

Certificate of insurance and help with risk management plans, on request.

Need help fundraising?

Rustic Pathways provides parent-letter and sponsor-letter templates, plus a fundraising ideas sheet, to help families cover the cost.

Step 1 of 2 · Your contact details

Options come back within 48 hours.

Submitting this form starts a conversation with the Rustic Pathways school travel team. Read the Rustic Pathways privacy policy.

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A traveler walks a red earth ridge with a snow-capped Andean range across the valley A student rides a zipline in a helmet and harness high above a green valley floor Students share a meal at a long table inside a dining tent, mugs and bread laid out A young llama and an adult face each other on grass above the ruins, Andean peaks behind