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 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 after a long day of travel. You will stay at this hotel for the next 4 nights and will have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

Today you will begin work on a service project that has been pre-approved by the community members and is supported by the local government. This year, students are continuing work on a potable water project that was started in 2015. One of our most ambitious service projects, providing access to clean drinking water to multiple villages in the Sacred Valley will help improve health conditions and quality of life.

Today is 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.

The group will depart Ollantaytambo after breakfast and head towards the city of Cusco. Along the way you will have the opportunity to test the extent of your courage on a high-adventure rock climbing and zip line course. Climb 400 meters up the face of the mountain, enjoy incredible views of the Sacred Valley, and zip line back down. Truly a unique and thrilling experience (add-on activity). Upon arriving to Cusco, we will spend the afternoon exploring the historic city. You will have the opportunity to traverse the cobble stone streets and visit temples and cathedrals dating all back to the Incan and colonial periods of Peru.

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

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 IV rapids of the upper Urubamba River. After the 3 hrs rafting trip and lunch along the river, we will continue to climb into to the Andes to Abra Cuyuni. At the top of the pass lays the small town of Cuyuni. During the afternoon we will have a cultural demonstration of Andean life before setting up camp for the night in the town.

Today you wake to the view the magnificent peak of Ausangate. With 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 glacier. At an elevation of over 12,000ft 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 the group loses altitude on the descent into the basin. In the evening we will arrive to the animal shelter outside the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado.

Spend the day volunteering and helping with the care of the animals. You will work alongside the shelter employees assisting with cage maintenance, animal feeding, and if you’re lucky, take a picture with a monkey or two. All the animals at the shelter are being rehabilitated so that they can be released into the wild and return to their natural habitat. This will be an awesome opportunity to get up close and personal with a range of exotic creatures! Spend the night at the animal shelter and get a taste for life in the jungle.

Say goodbye to the animals and head up to a secluded jungle lodge located in the spectacular Las Piedras watershed.  Upon our arrival to the lodge, we will get settled into our accommodations. Relax and listen to the sounds of the jungle 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 flushing toilets, cold showers, and limited electricity. All students will be provided with bug nets.

Each day will 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: Rising before sunrise, head to the local clay lick, where parrot 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. Cacao Farm: Visit a local cacao plantation and learn how chocolate is made. Have a chance to buy local products and learn about sustainable agroforestry. Jungle walks: Head into the forest in search of local fauna and learn about the medicinal uses of the plants and insects in the forest. The local guides are incredibly knowledgeable about the rainforest and you will be amazed by all the uses they have for almost every plant and animal in the forest.
 Tread lightly as you look for animal tracks and hopefully you will spot a few on your excursions. 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 as well for safety. Visiting with local communities: The forest is home to amazing wildlife, but it is also home 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 back home.

Wake up in Miami and make your connecting flight home.