Arrival In Cusco

Our summer program in Peru begins in Miami where we meet our leaders and travel together as a group through Lima to the Spanish colonial city of Cusco. Once there we settle into our accommodations and meet our guide to begin exploring the city’s intricate array of cobblestone streets on a walking tour. We visit colorful markets as we navigate stalls packed with a huge variety of foods and crafts sold by locals, and make a few stops to iconic locations like the Incan Sun Temple; an ancient stone ruin overlooking the sprawling rooftops of this colorful mountain city.

Sacred Valley & Peruvian Wildlife Sanctuary

The Sacred Valley of Peru stretches from quiet terraced city of Písac to the bustling gateway of Machu Picchu at Aguas Caliente. Over the course of our adventure filled two-week service program, we work our way through ancient ruins and breathtaking sites, retracing the footsteps of the Incas. Traveling to Písac, we explore the cities stunning landscape as we learn about the intricate system of terraces initially set up to provide food for the empire. Here we visit one of the countries largest markets, where families travel down from their high mountain villages to sell food, handcrafted goods, and clothing. We also take the opportunity to visit a nearby Peruvian Wildlife Sanctuary, where we get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe and help protect endangered species like the Peruvian Condor and the Lynx.

Cultural Immersion & Greenhouse Construction

From Písac, we make our way deeper into the mountains where we immerse ourselves in an indigenous Quechua community for the next several days and begin our spotlight community service project. After participating in a grand welcoming ceremony, we settle into a local guesthouse operated by the village leader. Here we learn about the high altitude of the village which limits the variety of food that can be grown and how greenhouses are necessary to grow essential fruits and vegetables and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Working directly with families from the community, we begin our greenhouse construction project, designed to increase the sustainable, healthy food production in the village and help generate income for youth education.  Our downtime is spent engaging with the community through soccer matches with local children and hiking to breathtaking vistas high above the valley. After a few days of hard work, we are honored for our service and invited to take part in a traditional Peruvian “pachamanca” where potatoes, vegetables, and meat are cooked underground by hot stones in traditional Quechua style. We have a chance to enjoy some favorite local dishes and learn traditional dances with our new-found friends, which makes for an unmatched cultural experience on our final evening here.

Discover Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas

Saying goodbye to our remote Andean home, we make our way back to the Sacred Valley floor where we board a scenic train that winds its way through the Andes mountain range along the Urubamba River. After our ride, we arrive at the gateway city to Machu Picchu, Aguas Caliente, and settle into our hotel to rest up for our early start tomorrow. Rising early, we take a bus up the steep, winding road that deposits us among some of the most spectacular archaeological sites on the planet! Known as the Lost City of the Incas and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is a labyrinth of mysterious stone palaces, towers, and temples. We wander alongside some of Machu Picchu’s famous residents as we explore this incredible wonder, learning how its various structures were constructed in accordance with the cosmos and used to enact rituals believed to bring prosperity to the Incan civilization. After taking in the breathtaking panoramic views of Machu Picchu, we hike down through the jungle to Aguas Caliente and board the historic railway back to Ollantaytambo where we settle into our guesthouse along the towns quaint cobblestone streets.

Education Project & Rafting the Urubamba River

After witnessing the majesty of Machu Picchu we dive back into our final community service project in Peru. We shift our focus towards community education and travel out of the Sacred Valley to a rural school with little access to the outside world. Here we spend a few days mentoring and tutoring students, through educational games and activities designed to improve literacy and English skills. Our adventure culminates with an exciting day of rafting on the Río Urubamba, where steep canyon walls and giant boulders surround us, as we navigate Class II to III rapids with the assistance of professional guides. Splashing and laughing our way through the rapids, our whitewater adventure eventually comes to an end, and we make our way back to Cusco. Our final night is spent celebrating our accomplishments and recounting the friendships we made during our time in Peru. We share a farewell feast where we recount stories from our experience and say goodbye to our Peruvian guides and friends, before taking our flight home to Miami the following day which brings our summer service program in Peru to an end.

Below you will find several Group Journal excerpts, written by ARCC students during their summer program with ARCC: