Sacred Valley Service

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

Welcome to your first day in Peru. After a continental breakfast it is off to the airport to 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 Pisaq, a small town located in the heart of the famous Sacred Valley. You will be staying a step away from the city plaza of Pisaq, which on most days hosts one of the most colorful handicraft markets in the region.

You will spend the night in a hotel in Pisaq where you will have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

After breakfast, you will board a bus and descend into the valley toward the bustling hub city of Urubamba. Once in Urubamba you will have the opportunity to visit an ancient Incan villa, explore the local market, and take pictures in main plaza. During a buffet lunch, you will likely meet up with the provincial mayor and other government officials that make this service project so successful. After lunch, you will meet your host families, where you will spend the next few days working and living amongst the locals.

The next 3 nights will be spent in homestays. Students will have beds in a private room (shared with other Rustic students), access to flushing toilets and non-heated showers, and limited access to electricity.

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. While many of the inhabitants still speak the native language of Quechua, many also speak Spanish. If you don’t speak Spanish though, don’t worry, we have Spanish speaking staff and with a little imagination, it won’t be long until you master the art of non-verbal communication. We also work with local school children and provide donations to these underfunded schools.

The next two days will be dedicated to service as you continue work on the potable water project. Work hard to provide access to clean drinking water to your host community members.

After three hard days of work in the village, you will leave for a day of outdoor adventure. Glaciers will be the backdrop for this once in lifetime paddle on a high mountain lake. After a morning on the lake we will have a picnic lunch before mounting our bikes for a descent along a dirt road back into the valley. You will be outfitted with a bike that fits your height and will begin an off-road adventure where you will be able to marvel at the beautiful landscape.

Tonight, you will sleep in a comfortable hotel in Ollantaytambo, one of the last remaining towns where villagers still live in original Inca homes. Students will have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, you will hike up to a beautiful community in the Sacred Valley where you will camp for the next few nights and finish up your community service project. Depending on the local school’s schedule, you will have the opportunity to visit the school and spend time with the children. At school, you will have time play games and help students with their English and math homework.

You will spend the next 4 nights camping. While camping, students will sleep on sleeping pads inside tents (both provided by Rustic, remember to bring your sleeping bag!) Students will be able to take occasional bucket showers and use a camp toilet, but will not have access to electricity.

Continue working on your service project.

Today you will finish your community service work in the village. Congratulations! Work on this day will culminate with a farewell celebration. The group will share a typical Incan meal with the community and participate in several local dances. On this day, you will also have the opportunity to try the specialty of the region, guinea pig!!!

Board the train for a scenic ride along the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Along the way, the group will pass under the majestic Veronica Peak and along the intense bottom section of the Urubamba River. Nestled in the cloud forest amidst jagged peaks, it is amazing to think that you are just a short ride from the drier alpine villages of the past week. The rest of the day will be spent in and around Aguas Calientes. The activities will vary based on the interested of the group, but may include shopping at the local market, visiting the Machu Picchu museum, or hiking to a nearby waterfall.

You will spend the night at a comfortable hotel. Students will sleep in a bed and have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

Wake up early in the morning and travel the windy road up the mountain to the world famous ruins of Machu Picchu. The group will be there in time to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu and long enough to explore the magnificent ruins. In the afternoon, you will re-board the train and return to Ollantaytambo

You’ll spend the night in Ollantaytambo  in a comfortable hotel. Students will have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

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, you 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 spend the night in a comfortable hotel in Cusco. Students will sleep in a bed and have access to electricity, showers, and flushing toilets.

Today you will wake up and enjoy a refreshing breakfast in your hostel before getting your last taste of Cusco. We will walk to the local San Pedro food market where you can indulge in a delicious fruit smoothie from one of the many juice vendors, sample some dried fruits and nuts, or purchase some local-made Peruvian chocolate. Haven’t found the perfect alpaca sweater yet? No worries, we will also make our way over to the famous Cusco artisanal markets where you can get any last minute souvenir shopping done. After lunch, we will say our goodbyes to Cusco and board our flight back to Lima. Enjoy a final dinner as a group and reminisce about past two amazing weeks spent together in Sacred Valley. Say goodbye to your program leaders and board your plane to Miami.

Wake up from your overnight flight in Miami and make your connecting flight home.