Peru: Andes to Amazon

Meet your fellow travelers in Miami and take an overnight flight to Peru, arriving in Lima the next morning.

Welcome to Peru! After clearing customs and meeting your program leaders, catch a one-hour flight to Cusco, the old Incan capital located high in the Andes Mountains. Once we arrive in Cusco, we will jump on a private bus and be transported to Ollantaytambo, a small town located in the heart of the famous Sacred Valley. Upon arrival, learn more about the adventure ahead from your program leaders.

Settle into a comfortable hotel for the next three nights. You will have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

We’ll dive into service today, spending the day working on educational projects. Complete infrastructure tasks and tend to an organic garden at a dormitory for indigenous girls. Share lunch and connect with Peruvian students. Then engage in an educational exchange with local students to learn more about their culture and the schooling opportunities available in Peru.

Today, we will see a completely different side of this beautiful region. We will head up early for a morning paddle on a pristine mountain lake. With views of the surrounding glaciers, this will be a morning you will never forget. Bike through the rolling hills to the site of our picnic lunch before arriving to explore the historic salt terraces that have been producing salt for the region since the pre-Incan cultures populated the area.

Today is a full-day adventure to Machu Picchu. Wake up early and take a scenic train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Hike from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu and take a guided tour of the ancient citadel. After an incredible day of exploring Machu Picchu, take the bus back down to Aguas. In the evening, you will re-board the train and return to Ollantaytambo where you will spend the night.

Start the day with an exhilarating challenge of scaling the rocky valley walls. Harnessed in, the group will ascend hand over hand up an iron ladder attached to the granite walls. From the top, enjoy incredible views of the Sacred Valley, and zip line back down. Truly a unique and thrilling experience. After lunch, we will ride to Cusco, stopping in Chinchero for a workshop on the traditional methods of weaving and dyeing that the area is known for.

You will check into your hotel in Cusco, where you will be staying for two nights. Students will sleep in beds and have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

Enjoy this mix of the past and present as you explore Cusco’s 16th-century cathedrals, ancient Inca temples, and colonial streets—a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the afternoon, visit the Chocolate Museum and make your own handmade chocolates from Peruvian cacao. In the evening, enjoy the opportunity to sample some of the traditional delicacies and international fusion that Peru’s food scene has become famous for.

Today, we will journey to the rural community of Pacchanta at the base of the Ausangate Mountain. The ride to Ausangate will be split up with an exhilarating white water rafting trip on the class II and III rapids of the upper Urubamba River. After the 3-hour rafting trip and lunch along the river, we will continue to climb into the Andes to Abra Cuyuni. At the top of the pass lies the small town of Cuyuni. In the evening, we will arrive at the small hamlet at the base of the glacier and take a quick dip in the hot springs before bed.

Today, you wake to the view of the magnificent peak of Ausangate. After a warm breakfast, the group will gear up for the day’s adventures. Leaving Pacchanta, we will hike to a few of the glacial lakes at the base of the glacier. At an elevation of over 13,000 ft, we will walk slowly, but have the chance to see turquoise lakes, towering glaciers, and wildlife such as Andean geese, deer, and with luck, an Andean condor—the biggest flying bird in the world. After a rewarding day outside, we can relax our muscles in the all-natural hot springs before climbing into bed.

After spending our last night at altitude, we will journey down the eastern slopes of the Andes through many microclimates and deep into the Amazon Basin. Students will watch as the landscape changes dramatically as they descend into the basin.

Head up to a secluded jungle lodge located in the spectacular Las Piedras watershed. Upon our arrival at the lodge, we will get settled into our accommodations. Relax and listen to the sounds of the Amazon until it is time to prepare for our first excursion into the jungle in search of animals and insects. After dinner, we’ll head out on a guided tour in search of the forest’s nocturnal life. The next three days will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly experience and learn about the Amazon rainforest.

For the next 3 nights, you will stay in the jungle lodge, where you will sleep in beds on open-air platforms. Students will have access to toilets, cold showers, and limited electricity. All students will be provided with bug nets.

Each day, we’ll head out on excursions to learn about the forest and those that live there. The daily schedule will vary based on weather and local conditions, but below are some activities you can expect to do during your time in the jungle. These excursions will be led by experienced local guides and conservationists excited to help you explore the jungle.

Colpe Visit: Waking before sunrise, head to the local clay lick, where parrots and macaws come to feed on the mineral-rich clay to help counteract the toxins in the fruit they eat. Listening to the forest come alive with sound and movement is truly an unforgettable experience.

Caiman Excursion: Explore the river at night in search of caimans and nocturnal fauna.

Floating Down Las Piedras: Constructing a raft and floating down the river as macaws fly overhead and the sun sets over the Amazon is the perfect way to end the day. There will always be a support boat with us for safety.

Visiting with Local Communities: The forest is home to amazing wildlife, but also to people who make a meager living off the land. Learn about how they live their daily lives and the challenges they face in this remote area.

Today we will pack up our things and say goodbye to the friendly jungle staff before we return to Puerto Maldonado. Head back to the airport and catch a plane back over the Andes to the Peruvian capital of Lima. Enjoy a last meal with your group before boarding your overnight flight back home.

Wake up in Miami and make your connecting flight home.