Volunteer in Peru: Andean Cultural Immersion

Location

Volunteers will primarily be based in Cusco, but may also participate in projects in the Sacred Valley and surrounding Jungle. Cusco is a city in south-eastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range. Cusco is at an altitude of around 3,500m (11,500 ft), and is where the majority of volunteers will be based. Volunteers on the Andean Cultural Immersion project will be located in the Sacred Valley, and those on the Jungle conservation program will be based in the Jungle reserve outside of Cusco. For all projects, orientation will take place in Cusco, after which volunteers for the Andean Cultural Immersion project will be placed approximately 30-40 minutes away from Cusco.

Andean Cultural Immersion

You will be volunteering in a very small village of approximately 60 people in the Andes Mountains outside of Cusco. This project provides an income source for small communities and promote cross cultural understanding. Volunteers should consider this project an intense, cultural encounter. It will be very rewarding but also very challenging.

Volunteers will help with a variety of activities in the following fields:

• Agriculture  (as an agriculturally based community the most common crops are potatoes and quinoa. Volunteers assist with planting, harvesting, storing and transporting crops)
• Construction  (volunteers help mix and form adobe bricks and construct adobe homes and buildings within the community)
• Textiles  (volunteers have the opportunity to learn about traditional weaving skills and natural dyes by working with the women who create traditional textile products to sell at local markets)
• School (volunteers can help teaching and caring for young children at the local primary school)

Volunteers are expected to take part in local festivities and community gatherings. It is also very important to note that no English is spoken at this project. The first language in this community is Quechua, not Spanish, though Spanish is spoken as a second language. Despite the language barrier, it is possible to have a full and complete experience, though it is critical that you approach your project with this knowledge in mind.

The community is very warm and welcoming to all volunteers. The village of Chinchero is approximately 30 minutes for your project and the city of Cusco is approximately 1.5 hours from the village of Chinchero. This makes Cusco very accessible for weekend excursions and nightlife.

Note: Volunteers in the cultural immersion program will NOT be able to take part in Spanish lessons during their project. However, we can arrange for Spanish lessons before or after your project, though this may include additional costs for housing.

Accommodation

For volunteers on the Andean Cultural Immersion program you will be housed at a home stay in the Sacred Valley.   Due to the extremely rural setting of this project volunteers should expect the accommodations and meals to be very basic. For example, running water is unreliable and hot water is completely unavailable. Bathing is done using buckets of water. Please be prepared to do you laundry by hand.

Free Time

Volunteers are expected to work Monday to Friday, with weekends free to travel and explore the region.

We encourage you to make the most of your time in Peru, and there are some fantastic sights to see not far from the city.

Communication

If you'd like to bring a cell phone, our partner will instruct you how to get a Peruvian sim-card to use for your phone in Peru. Many volunteers use Peruvian sim-cards to receive international calls or send text messages. Calling cards are readily available and make for a cheaper way to make calls home.

Volunteers have access to free internet at the partner’s headquarters or volunteers can use internet cafes in Cusco. Internet and phone are essentially unavailable as cell phone coverage is almost non-existent. There is an internet cafe in town but it is very unreliable.

Number of Volunteers

The Andean Cultural Immersion project has a maximum of 5 participants at a time, while the overall Peru program usually fluctuates greatly between 7 and 40 volunteers per month. The number of volunteers varies depending on the season. 

Costs

Application Fee – US $97

Your application fee is fully transferable and will secure your place on the program, (or any other GVN program of your choice), at a placement date that is suitable to you.*

*Your application fee provides you with access to any of GVN's volunteer programs over the next 5 years, as many times as you like without having to pay another application fee!

Children under 18 are not required to pay the application fee when volunteering together with a parent/guardian.  (Except for participants in our Youth Tour program who are required to pay a US$97 application fee.)

To return to the main Peru program, click here.