Description

Peru is a fascinating and beautiful country with many wonderful volunteer projects and internships available. With an extensive Pacific coastline, a vast area of Amazon rainforest and the magnificent Andes, Peru provides an opportunity for you to experience much of what South America offers within just one country. Wildlife, beaches, historical sites and the most beautiful mountains in the Andes range are found in abundance. There are also interesting cities full of colonial history, especially Cuzco, which is an archaeological paradise.

Peru, which is about two-thirds the size of Mexico, was shaped by the Incas and the Spanish. Hispanic and Amerindians live, for the most part, in harmony, and Spanish and Quechua are both spoken in the markets of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, as well as in Lima.

The mysterious and magnificent lost city of Machu Picchu attracts tourists, archaeologists and historians alike. Incan ruins are everywhere; you will find they even form part of the structure for modern day buildings!

Our projects in Peru are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, including those on a college summer break, gap year, career break or volunteer vacation.

Projects Abroad Peru has its office in Urubamba, a town in the heart of the Sacred Valley. There are voluntary placements in many of the small towns within the region, the people of which are eager to welcome volunteers into their communities. Our unique Inca project is based in Huyro, about three hours from Urubamba.

If you want to work in the rainforest, our Conservation & Environment project is an hour's flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, followed by a two-hour boat trip up the Madre de Dios River - it's a jungle adventure just to get there!

Our host families in the Sacred Valley may live in houses with walls built by the Incas or, if you're volunteering in the Amazon rainforest, you'll live and work in our own Taricaya Lodge where you'll be living alongside playful spider monkeys.

Highlights

Peru is the perfect place to immerse yourself in South American life while you're volunteering abroad. In the towns you can sample local foods and delicacies and you may even find yourself celebrating your birthday with Cuy - guinea pig - as the main dish!

From Urubamba it's easy to visit Cuzco and Machu Picchu. You can also go rafting on the Urubamba River or see traditional Andean theater and dance. If you're seeking thrills of an adrenaline-driven nature, venture into the Andes, which offer some of the best mountain-climbing and trekking opportunities on the planet. Take a weekend trip to explore the enigmatic Nazca Lines, or enjoy a boat ride on Lake Titicaca, the world's highest lake.

Puerto Maldonado is a dynamic young town, home to 25,000 people. On your days off from the Rainforest Project, as well as taking the boat back to enjoy life in a frontier town, you may have the opportunity to take a river trip to the Sandoval Lake where you can enjoy fishing, wildlife watching or just meeting with the locals.

Although Peru is a great gateway to the rest of South America, there are so many rich things to see within the country itself that you may not ever want to venture over its borders! It's a magical melting pot of different cultures, stunning scenery and bio-diversity.

Qualifications

For our medical placements in Peru you need to have at least an intermediate knowledge of Spanish.

Intern Types

• Medicine
• Sports
• Education
• Spanish
• Social Work

Type of Programs

• Adventure Travel
• Community Service / Volunteerism
• Cultural Exploration
• Language Immersion
• Student Tours

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

The price of each placement includes all your food and accommodation, transfers to and from the airport, full travel and medical insurance plus support and 24 hour back-up from our staff based around the world.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range

16-70

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992