Compare Peru Children of the Andes by Discover Corps vs Inca Trail Glamping Adventure by Adventure Unbound

Day 1:

You will arrive at the airport in Cusco where you will be met by a member of our staff and be taken to our guesthouse in Cusco for the evening. After a delicious welcome dinner, we will discuss the schedule for the week and give you an overview of the volunteer project.

Day 2:

Wake up to an authentic Peruvian breakfast prepared by our local staff and take in the fresh mountain air and views of the Andes. We’ll take our time in the morning to adequately adjust to the altitude and learn a bit about the area and its fascinating history. After lunch, we will orient ourselves with this impressive city and visit the most important sites in Cusco: the Cathedral, San Blas Church, and Koricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun.

A Picturesque Community in the Heart of the Andes

In a small town, narrow stone walkways meander through traditional Peruvian houses. Children dance around the fountain in the town center amongst old men deep in discussion. The Andes soar in the distance contrasted against the bright mountain sky. This is the location of the Discover Corps Home Base. The town is most renowned for its 17th century cathedrals. But look beyond the lavishly decorated cathedral and you will find small markets selling traditional Peruvian goods and the scents of home cooked food wafting into the air.

In the afternoons, we will visit dynamic non-profit organizations that are working on health issues in the region, engage local children in activities such as soccer, and even sample guinea pig - a local delicacy! One afternoon, we’ll take part in a hands-on cooking class and even help to make a watya, an earthen stove used to make potatoes. Another afternoon, we’ll meet with women’s groups and make traditional dolls using the colorful fabrics that Peru is famous for. You’ll even have a chance to try traditional Andean dance.

Evenings are reserved for discussion, relaxation and reflection. Enjoy a traditional Peruvian style dinner cooked by the local Home Base staff while reminiscing in the day’s activities around the fire pit outside. Some evenings will feature a guest speaker from a local non-profit or leader in the community. Topics range from local health initiatives to the colonial History of Peru.

Days 3-5:

Awake to the sounds of church bells ringing through the streets and fresh mountain air. Relax before breakfast in one of the lush gardens around the Home Base, a century old Peruvian hacienda. We’ll spend the mornings engaging with the local community and culture. Visit a shaman and learn about age old Incan spiritual rituals, learn to sew handmade dolls using colorful fabrics with women from the community and visit a nearby orphanage that takes care of and mentors abandoned children from the community.

After lunch, we will help out at the community after-school program. Engage directly with the students through a combination of language lessons and educational games that will allow you to not only contribute directly to the curriculum, but develop strong bonds with the local children. Whether it’s telling stories as part of an English class or reading a book together, your sheer presence will create a memorable learning experience for the class as a whole.

We’ll return to our Home Base each evening for a delicious Peruvian meal cooked by the in-house chef and relax by under the stars by the fire pit.

Days 6-7:

After breakfast, we’ll head out to a women and children’s development project in the community run by a local artist and his wife. Experience the innovative ways this couple is economically empowering women in the community, including making hand-sewn Peruvian dolls and selling them on the international market. You’ll spend a morning at one of the women’s’ houses learning to make a local dish and seeing how they live.

In the afternoon, we’ll continue our projects with the children in the after-school program. Be creative with the lessons and see how the students get more comfortable practicing their English as the days go on.

We’ll invite guests over for dinner each night, including our students and the women from the community development project. 

Our Peruvian Home Base 

The Discover Corps Home Base is located in the heart of a quaint Andean village called Andahuaylillas, just outside Cusco. Set amongst the soaring Andes Mountains, the Home Base is a hacienda complete with vegetable gardens (which we use for meals), peaceful nooks to read and relax in and a fire pit for our evening discussions.

Our in-house chef will prepare authentic Peruvian cuisine, which is among the most diverse and delicious in the world. While breakfasts are very simple and typically include fresh rolls, eggs and jam, the lunches and dinners feature a wide variety of flavors found in traditional Peruvian cuisine. Be ready for a culinary adventure - you won’t be disappointed!

Meals will be hearty and healthy, locally-grown, consisting of meats, beans, lentils, rice, chapatti, vegetables, and fruits.

Day 8:

After breakfast, we’ll head back to Cusco for tour of its most important sites: the Cathedral, San Blas Church, and Koricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun. Afterwards, enjoy a traditional lunch back in the town square and visit the open air markets to purchase local clothes or just take in the invigorating pace of local life. This evening we will hold our farewell dinner, as the two groups will be departing early for their separate ways.

Day 9:

(10-day program) We will rise early in the morning to take a train through the mountains and into the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. Spend the afternoon taking in the breathtaking surroundings and reflecting on the complexity of this iconic archeological masterpiece. Later in the afternoon, we will take the train back for dinner back in Cusco before departing the next day.

(14-day program)  We’ll also get out of town and discover more ancient ruins of the Sacred Valley: Pucapucara, Qenqo, and Tambomachay. Along the way, we’ll even have a chance to see and learn about the animal that Peru is best known for at a local llama farm.

Day 10:

(10-day program) Travelers will be taken to the airport for their return flights home.

(14-day program)  After breakfast, we will take a scenic two-hour drive to Ollantaytambo, a village that has lots of shops and very impressive ruins.  After a short break, we start the climb up the 13,000 foot pass adjacent to the glacier “Wakay Willca”, also known as “Veronica”. On a sunny day you get an amazing view of this massive, but receding, chunk of ice. We descend about 6,000 feet in less than an hour and arrive at the Pacha Conservancy camp, a non-profit, environmental conservancy organization. Here we have an amazing lunch, hear a short talk about the work of the Pacha Conservancy and admire the rescued and replanted orchids, the organic tea plants, and the Inca-style walls.

After lunch, we drive the final three hour leg and arrive in Santa Teresa in the late afternoon. Santa Teresa is considerably lower elevation so the weather is warm. The town also has three large, naturally fed hot springs that sit in the bottom of a large valley, adjacent to a 100 foot wide river. After soaking and watching stars, we’ll grab a simple dinner in town and get to bed early in anticipation for the hike the next day.

Days 11-12:

From Santa Teresa, it’s a short drive to our trailhead. We’ll walk the entire day along the river and railroad tracks. Take in the scenery as we hike through the mountains and slowly descend into the rainforest. After lunch, we’ll continue our hike onwards to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu where we will spend the night.

Wake up the next morning for the final leg of the journey into Machu Picchu. Spend the afternoon taking in this wonder of the world and it’s incredible surroundings.  Later, we’ll catch catch an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and onwards to Cusco for the evening.

Day 13:

Wake up rejuvenated after a night’s rest back at the Home Base. Today, we’ll have the chance to pick up some final souvenirs, have a coffee in the town center, or relax in a park to the sounds of cathedral bells in the distance. We’ll enjoy our final dinner together with the family of our staff.

Day 14:

We’ll take travellers throughout the day to the airport for their flights home.