Volunteer Abroad in Peru
Volunteer in Peru
How to Find a Program
Top 5 Volunteer Abroad Providers in Peru
Why Volunteer in Peru
Best Places to Volunteer in Peru
Top Tips for Volunteering in Peru
Understanding and Surviving Peruvian culture
Things to do before you leave home
Health, Safety & Travel Smarts
Top 10 Peruvian Sites
Top 10 Peruvian Cuisines
Basic Language
Volunteer in Peru
A Breath of fresh air! The Cleaner Burning Stoves Project is one of the simplest and most popular Volunteer Abroad Projects in Peru.
Volunteering in Peru offers the unique opportunity to explore the ancient secrets of the Incans whilst at the same time getting hands deep in sustainable volunteer projects that aim to aid the development of one of South America’s poorest countries.
Nestled among the Andes, Peru is defined by its long history of Spanish colonization, its rich mountain community traditions and its breathtaking natural beauty. Whether you’re listening to the soft beats of panpipes, taking a mountain trek up to the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu or delving deep into the Amazon, a trip to Peru will forever live long in your memories.
However, despite being a country so favorable to the eye, Peru is burdened with a number of deep socioeconomic problems stemming from more than 30% of its country living in poverty. By deciding to volunteer in Peru, you can help support long term sustainable plans to improve public health projects, social services, education and even environmental awareness whilst at the same time taking in the astounding aesthetics of a unique South American culture.
The abundance of different volunteer projects available in Peru helps delineate the country as one of the top locations worldwide for volunteer abroad programs, offering both specialist projects and projects that require little to no specific training. From projects such as the iconic Clean Burning Stoves Project to projects working with children and the environment, there seems to be absolutely no shortage of ways for volunteers to work towards sustainable change in Peru.
With over ten years of experience in assisting individuals to participate on rewarding and life changing volunteer abroad programs, Goabroad.com has developed this article to help you make the most educated decision when it comes to selecting a professional and responsible program whilst at the same time offering advice on how to survive and make the most of your volunteer abroad in Peru experience.
Finding a volunteer abroad program in Peru that will reciprocate your desires as an individual is an extremely important decision. Many people have described volunteering abroad as one of the most memorable and eye-opening experiences of their entire life. AS a result, there is much to be taken into consideration when browsing and selecting an appropriate volunteer abroad program.
You can view a wide range of volunteer programs in Peru by viewing Goabroad.com’s detailed listings of Volunteer Abroad Projects in Peru.
However, before you finally settle on a program, you need to ask yourself a few questions:-
Is volunteering abroad for you? Can you live in basic living conditions, tropical heat and eat local traditional food? Finding out what each program offers in means of accommodation will enable you to see as to whether or not a volunteer abroad experience matches what you are comfortable with.
How long can I commit for? Some programs do have minimum and maximum project durations. Reflecting on your time and resources will enable you to make the most appropriate conclusion about how long you will be able to volunteer for and if this duration meets the requirements of the program.
Where does your money go?Whilst it may seem strange to pay to volunteer, it is in almost all cases a necessity to pay a program fee prior to your arrival in the Peru. This fee is implemented to provide organizations with the means to accommodate volunteers (organize meals, accommodation, excursions etc) so that volunteers do not become a financial burden to local communities. Asking for a breakdown of your program fee will put your mind at ease and assure you that your money is being used to contribute towards sustainable change.
Is the organization reputable? When selecting your program, make sure you are using a reputable organization. Always insist in asking to read previous volunteer testimonials or to be put in contact with people who have previously volunteered with their organization, this will enable you to be assured as to the quality of the program provided. You can use volunteer abroad program review sites to evaluate which programs are more reputable or read blogs and connect with like-minded travels on the Goabroad Network. If you’re looking for a full comprehensive list of all programs then check out Goabroad.com’s listings for volunteer abroad programs in Peru.
Does the Project Appear to Meet Your Expectations?Does the volunteer project that you’re looking at match your expectations? Will you get the hands on experience you’re looking for? Does the project have significant local staff support? What is the long term goal of the volunteer project? What will my daily duties be? How long will I have to work for a day? Will there be other volunteers there at the same time as me? – All of these questions are extremely important to ask when you’re in communications with your volunteer abroad program provider.
Do I get any support and extras?Does the organization provide on-ground training and orientation? These are extremely useful ways to get you familiar with the local culture and to orientate you on your role as a volunteer, finding out if these items are included in your program is incredibly important as to judge the quality of a program. Aside from this, you may want to ask if there are any extras such as language lessons or weekend excursions that you will be able to participate on. All of this will offer you a much more rounded volunteer experience.
Top 5 Volunteer Programs in the Peru.
ProWorld Service Corps: For years, ProWorld have been the industry leaders for volunteer projects in Peru. Today, they offer 18 different volunteer projects in the country, including their notorious Clean Burning Stoves project which aims to reduce the number of premature deaths caused from the inhalation of smoke from primitive cooking stoves. Peru operates out of Cusco and Urubamba and provides close on-ground support for its volunteers.
Kaya Responsible Travel: Kaya currently promotes a number of volunteer projects in Peru that work in the fields of child welfare, business development and education. Kaya projects offer the opportunity to discover both urban and rural Peru in projects inside and outside of Cusco. Kaya delivers a high quality customer service and is extremely knowledgeable about on ground developments in Peru.
Geovisions: Geovisions Conversation Corps provide a high-end service for individuals wanting to volunteer in Peru and at the same time fully immerse themselves in typical Peruvian family life. Their project assigns volunteers to live with Spanish speaking Peruvian families so that the volunteers can augment support to the family’s English acquisition.
Global Volunteer Network: GVN provides a number of rewarding volunteer projects in Cusco, focusing in areas such as child welfare, education and public health. GVN projects in Peru are open to individuals, families and groups who are accommodated in a group living environment.
Global Vision International: GVI provides a number of rewarding childcare volunteer projects in Arequipa, the second most populous city in the whole of Peru. GVI provide a good service both in pre-program contact and in in-country support.
Change of Perspective: For some, making the decision to volunteer abroad allows them to experience a country from a completely different view-point than that of a traditional tourist. Most volunteer programs in Peru offer volunteers the unique opportunity to retrace the steps of hundreds of years of Peruvian history whilst at the same time immersing themselves in a one-of-a-kind South American culture. By volunteering in Peru an individual can experience a country in a manner which respects and benefits local people, communities, culture and the environment.
Apply Skills: Volunteering in Peru offers the opportunity for individuals to apply their specialist skills in a setting where local specialists are few and far between. Whether you’re a qualified ESL teacher, a Nutritionist, a doctor or a nurse you can gain the opportunity to use your professional skills in grateful local communities.
Service Learning: By engaging in an experiential trip abroad such as volunteering, you are given a unique manner in which to learn and reflect on important issues whilst at the same time providing an important service for local communities. Not only could this benefit your personal life, but could also help enhance your academics and professional life.
Discover a new culture: No matter how well you prepare yourself, you will get culture shock when you arrive in Peru. However this well soon ware off, offering you the opportunity to discover a country rich in history and aesthetic beauty. Whether you’re hiking up the Andes, listening to the gentle tune of panpipesor helping to install a clean burning stove that will significantly contribute to decreasing local mortality rates, you will never cease to be amazed by the cultural differences you will experience during your trip to Peru.
Build Resume: Employers and colleges highly value applicants with international experience. As a result your decision to volunteer abroad in Peru may help you become more attractive to potential employers and also to high level academic institutes.
Experience of a Lifetime:Most importantly, you will never forget the fantastic friends you make and the great experiences you share when you decide to volunteer in Peru.
Best Places to Volunteer in Peru
Peru is much more ecologically diverse than people initially give it credit for, not only does it boast breathtaking mountain peaks, but also dense rich tropical rainforests and magnificent Pacific coastlines.
With so much eco-diversity, finding the right location for your volunteer abroad program could very well define your experience.
Cusco: Located near the Urubamba Valley in the south east of the country, Cusco remains one of the most popular destinations for volunteer abroad participants due to its majestic natural beauty, abundance of historical landmarks and of course its wealth of rewarding sustainable volunteer projects.
Made famous as the ancestral home of the Incan Empire, Cusco today gains fame as being a city with a wide range of famous landmarks, offering international volunteers the opportunity to become fully immersed in local culture and history as they retrace the steps of Incan History, Spanish Colonization and the emergence of the Peruvian Republic.
With easy access to the Andes and such sites as the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Cusco is by far one of the best choices for anyone looking to tie in volunteering abroad with further travel around Peru.
Lima: The capital of Peru is another top destination for volunteer abroad programs, offering volunteers the opportunity to explore the colonial architecture of the city whilst at the same time aiding long term plans to alleviate the severe degree of poverty that the city faces.
Lima is home to a wealth of museums, art galleries, festivals and historical landmarks making it a significant location for people wishing to savor the real taste of Peruvian culture.
However if you’re really looking to taste a country, then again Lima may be the best spot to be as it has been acclaimed as being the Gastronomical Capital of the America’s, offering a wide variety of different foods from an abundance of different cultures.
Goabroad.com’s Top Tips for Volunteering in Peru
Goabroad.com has accumulated a few tips over more than ten years connecting individuals with worthwhile projects in Peru; we’d love to pass on these pearls of knowledge to you.
Quench your thirst for adventure by Volunteering Abroad in Peru on a Water Filtration Project.
Pick appropriate times of the year Volunteer: The dry season in Peru typically runs from May to November, as a result this often tends to be one of the most popular times of the year for people to come to visit. Nevertheless, temperatures at night during the dry season can often fall below freezing and it is advised that volunteers take this into consideration and pack accordingly.
Cusco has a number of festivals or ‘fiestas’ that run at various months throughout the year including Carnivals and IntiRaymi; researching Peru’s festival calendar may allow you to combine your volunteer abroad program with the opportunity to witness a culturally significant event.
Take Time to Adjust to the Altitude: We advise all volunteers arriving in country to take a few days to acclimatize themselves to the new altitude. Don’t be deterred by the altitude but take precautions such as getting plenty of sleep, abstaining from alcohol consumption for a few days or even trying the native coca-leaf tea which is locally considered to help suppress altitude sickness.
Research some of Peru’s Unique Projects: Proworld Service Corps Clean Burning Stoves Project is among some of the volunteer projects that are unique to Peru and have accumulated international recognition from figures such as Hilary Clinton and Julia Roberts as to their importance.
Understanding and Surviving Peruvian Culture
Hundreds of years of Spanish colonization combined with the unique traditions of mountain communities have helped define Peru as having a uniquely diverse South American culture. At first glance the nation appears to have a divide between Creole immigrants and native Peruvian bloodlines, a clash between urban life and the age-old traditions of rural communities, whilst in reality it is the combination of all these amazing attributes that make Peru such a unique place to visit and such a truly rewarding place to volunteer.
Food:Peruvian cuisine is amongst some of the most diverse food in the whole world, combining Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Moorish and African traditions with native techniques and produce to create some mouthwatering dishes. As a result, Peruvians are extremely passionate and proud of their national cuisine.
Amongst one of the most unusual of all dishes is the Andean delicacy of fried guinea pig – will you order it?
Mimado: The term Mimado refers to the fact that there is a common stereotype that Peruvian males do very little and that many of the household chores such as cooking and cleaning are done by the female members of the household.
Things to do before you Leave Home
Get a Passport: You’re not going anywhere without one! For U.S. citizens check out the Department of States webpage for advice on how to acquire or renew a passport.
Get a Visa:In most cases, individuals volunteering in Peru can do so on a tourist visa. For most nationalities, a ninety (90) day tourist visa is issued upon arrival in Peru, however most immigration officials may ask you to present proof of further travel outside of Peru. For further information view Peru’s Department of Foreign Affairs Webpage.
Read Your Pre-Departure Information: Most organizations will provide you with pre-departure information about your living conditions, your volunteer projects and their local on the ground representatives. It is important that you read this material prior to your arrival so that you are well prepared for what to expect.
Get Insured: Anyone who is participating on a volunteer abroad program should acquire comprehensive travel insurance prior to their arrival in country. For more information on insurance companies that specialize in volunteer abroad trips, check out Goabroad.com’sTravel Insurance listings.
Consultation with your Doctor: It is advisable to have a travel consultation with your doctor prior to your departure on any volunteer abroad program. Whilst no inoculations are necessarily required it is advisable for visitors to Peru to get a Hepatitis A, Polio, Typhoid shot and Tetanus shots. For some programs, anti-malarial tablets may also be recommended.
Health, Safety and Travel Smarts in Peru
Register with your Embassy: U.S. citizens can register themselves with the US Embassy in Peru as part of the Department of States Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Getting Around: Peru has a number of different transportation methods depending on your location in the country. For those in the Amazon basin, boat travel is of significant importance and individuals can catch small dugout canoes called peki-pekis for short trips up waterways. For the rest of the country, bus travel is relatively cheap and covers a number of different routes. Visitors to Peru should be reminded that buses do not tend to accommodate tall people that well and that vehicles on more rural routes may be of a lesser quality. At all times individuals should be vigilant of their belongings on all forms of public transport and should be reminded that transport in Peru very rarely departs and arrives on time.
Healthcare: Issues such as altitude sickness could affect visitors to places such as Cuzco. Individuals with illnesses that affect circulation and breathing are strongly recommended to consult their physician before any trip to such area. Even for fit and active individuals, sufficient rest and abstinence from alcohol during the first few days in-country is strongly recommended.
In the case of illness or injury, there are a number of private medical facilities in Lima and in all other major cities; however facilities in rural areas may be sub-standard. For those with serious concerns, transfer to Lima is in almost all cases highly advised.
Local water in Peru is not considered potable and volunteer abroad participants should at all times only consume bottled mineral water. Aside from this, certain areas of Peru also present the risk of a number of mosquito borne diseases such as malaria. Visitors are advised to take all necessary mosquito protection and acquire malaria tablets prior to their arrival in country.
Safety: The majority of all foreign visits to Peru transpire without incident. However, it is still important that volunteers take necessary precautions to prevent them being a victim of crime. In particular volunteers should avoid walking home at night by themselves, avoid wearing flash jewelry and limit the amount of cash they have on them at any one time.
You can read more information about safety advice in Peru on the US Department of States webpage.
Issues of Respect: At all times, volunteers should be respectful to Peruvian culture. If you’re accommodation arrangements are with a local host family then be respectful of your noise levels at late hours of the evening, be considerate with your electricity consumption and remember to tell your homestay parents if you will be home late or will miss a meal.
Obey Local Law:Local laws in Peru may differ to the laws of your home country. Your status as a U.S. citizen will not prevent you from being subject to local law.
- Cuy – or in other words fried guinea pig!
- Pachamanca – A traditional meal involving a the slow cooking of mixed meats and vegetables in a hole dug into the earth.
- RocotoRelleno – Spicy Rocoto peppers stuffed with meat, onions, egg whites and olives.
- Papa Rellena – mashed potato mixed with ground meat and spices.
- El Chifa – Fusion food at its best! Try this to taste the flavors of China in Peru!
- Aji De Gallina – A tasty combination of shredded chicken served with a sauce of milk, onions, chilies and garlic.
- Ceviche – A Popular Peruvian dish which includes chunks of raw white fish marinated in lemon juice and chilies.
- LomoSaltado – Sauté steak strips cooked with soy sauce, vinegar and spices.
- Anticuchos – A very popular street food! Skewered beef hearts grilled on a stick.
- Papa a la Huancaina–Sliced potatoes covered in a cheesy and spicy sauce.
- Macchu Picchu
- Amazon River
- Titicaca Lake
- Lima
- Nazca Lines
- Chan Chan
- Mancora
- Colca Valley
- Manu and Tambopata
- Ollantaytambo
A number of volunteer abroad programs in Peru will usually include the optional choice of Spanish lessons. Unlike other South American countries, Peru does not have as many peculiarities in its Spanish, making it a great place to learn and practice the language.
Aside from this the dialects of Quechua and Aymara are also spoken, but to a much lesser extent.
We’ve included a short list of common terms below in Spanish for you to use upon your arrival in Peru.
Good Morning: Buenos Dias
Good Afternoon: Buenos Tardes
Good Evening: Buenos Noches
How are you?: Como esta?
How much? cuánto?
Thank you Gracias
Should you choose to Volunteer Abroad in Peru, you will obtain the chance to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you’re looking to blog about your Volunteer Abroad Program or want to connect with other like-minded travelers, then sign up to the GoAbroad Network!
Be sure to pack your patience and flexibility alongside the sunscreen and camera. Have the time of your life…see the world!