From ancient Inca cities to Lima’s sprawling landscape, and from lush Amazonian jungles to the snow-capped Andes, Peru’s culture and countryside offer no shortage of diversity. Take a journey into the southern region of Peru, where you’ll explore archaeological treasures like Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. Then, venture south to one of the highest lakes in the world, Lake Titicaca, where you’ll be in the indigenous cultures of villages surrounding the scenic lake. Working together with locals, you’ll participate in meaningful service projects focused on eco-tourism, community development and cultural immersion.
Chris Cruz
Park Management
Department Contact, Instructor
(408) 741-2622
[email protected]
Che 110A
Maureen (Molly) Schrey
Biology
Biology Instructor
(408) 741-2585
[email protected]
SM 55J
11-Day Itinerary
- Meet your Tour Director at the airport
- If arriving before 8:00 PM, enjoy dinner in Lima
- Take a guided tour of Lima
- With your expert local guide you will see:
- Government Palace, the official residence of Peru’s President
- Archbishop’s Palace, the residence of the Archbishop of Lima
- City Hall, Lima's governmental center
- Cathedral of Lima, a 16th-century Roman Catholic cathedral
- Visit San Francisco Monastery which houses a museum of fine religious art as well as catacombs first dug in the 16th century
- Visit the Larco Museum and see the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru
- Take a walking tour of Miraflores, the “Heroic City," with its popular shopping areas, lavish gardens, and breathtaking views of the Pacific
- Enjoy dinner in Lima
- Fly to Cuzco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former seat of the Incan Empire
- Enjoy lunch in Cuzco
- Take a walking tour of Cuzco and visit a local market
- Visit the Seminario Ceramics Studio and shop in Urubamba, where you will see traditional ceramic practices and designs
- Enjoy dinner in Sacred Valley
- Travel by train to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
- Tour Machu Picchu, the fabled “Lost City of the Inca” located atop the Andes, with an expert local guide
- Enjoy dinner in Machu Picchu
- Travel via train to Ollantaytambo and Pisac to Cuzco
- Tour Ollantaytambo, once the estate of Incan Emperor Pachacuti, with an expert local guide
- Enjoy lunch in Cuzco
- Visit the market in Pisac, located among ancient Incan ruins
- Visit a silver workshop and spend time exploring Cuzco on your own
- Enjoy dinner in Cuzco
- Travel via Raqhi Temple to Puno, located along Lake Titicaca
- Visit the Raqhi Temple, whose enormous walls are all that remain of this Incan ritual structure
- Enjoy lunch and dinner in Puno
- Set out for the Uros Islands by boat, which were made from tortora reeds by the Uro people
- Begin your service learning project
- As communities evolve, so do their needs; that’s why we work closely with non-profits to better understand the local challenges, and since projects are determined closer to your actual tour date, here’s a glimpse at what a typical day might look like:
- Begin your eco-focused and community development projects in a nearby community
- Evenings are a chance to draw connections between the day's work and relevant global issues
- Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are included on days 7 and 8
Continue Service Project
- Take a boat excursion to Taquile Island and walk along old pre-Inca pathways for beautiful views of the island
- Stop by a center where locals will offer interpretations of their textile art and techniques
- Take a kayak adventure along the coast of Llachon
- Return to Puno
- Enjoy dinner in Puno
- Time permitting, visit a local market in Lima
- Enjoy dinner at the airport