Course Details
Updated dates, costs, and course descriptions for 2020 will be posted by Nov. 1, 2019
Dates
June 28 to July 17, 2019
20 Days
Departure City
Miami International Airport
Tuition: $5265 *
Airfare & Fees: $1330 *
Total Course Cost: $6595
* discount and important info here
The first days will be spent acclimatizing, exploring Urubamba, participating in various cultural activities, and learning about the Llama Pack Project, our non-profit partner, at the pasture where they raise llamas. Although communities in the Sacred Valley have rich cultural backgrounds rooted in breathtaking settings, many residents are forced to work in cities far from their homes. The Llama Pack Project works to reestablish the use of llamas as pack animals in these high Andean communities as a way to provide an attractive economic alternative to urban dwelling. In addition, the Llama Pack Project works to conserve the precious ecosystems of these communities through environmental education and conservation projects.
After spending the first few nights at the Llama Pack House in Urubamba, SStS participants will hike to an Andean community were they will stay in tents or the local community center. While in the community, they will spend a few days teaching environmental education classes and fixing a playground or doing maintenance at a local school. Before the second week of project work, SStS participants will tour some sites in the Sacred Valley and take a class on Andean conservation. After these activities, students will learn more about the mission of the Llama Pack Project during their second week in the Andean community. In this stunning location, they will continue to teach environmental education and work shoulder-to-shoulder with community members on a conservation project such as building a native tree nursery or a llama pen. Upon completion of this project, the group will do a llama trek back to Urubamba before visiting Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this striking setting, students will have the opportunity to consider what they have learned about ethical leadership.
Learn More
The Llama Pack Project teaches Andean villagers how to raise pack llamas for the tourism industry as tools for sustainable development and conservation of mountain ecosystems. To learn more, please visit their website.
Course Elements
The course elements are based on a rating from 1 to 5, 1 being the least rigorous, 5 being the most rigorous.
Students will begin by teaching environmental education and fixing a playground or doing maintenance at a school. Then, they will work on a project such as a native plant nursery or constructing a llama pen.
Prior to their travels, students complete a series of online activities (30 minutes each). While traveling, they also read engaging articles, participate in cultural experiences, and create presentations in small groups.
During both weeks of project work, students will trek to an Andean community. The group will carry packs as they hike through high-altitude mountainous terrain. It is critical that participants actively prepare prior to travel so they are physically fit.
During the first and last days of the course, the group will stay in a hostel for volunteers in shared rooms with bunks. While at the project sites, the students will stay in a simple community center in a remote Andean village situated at a high elevation and then camp in tents during a two day llama trek.
After arriving in Cusco, the group will drive for a couple hours to Urubamba where they will stay for the first few days. They will then drive and trek to the project site. Finally, they will take a train to Machu Picchu before returning by van to Cusco.
Although the group will spend a lot of time with the children at a school and stay in remote villages, they do not stay in the homes of individual families.
In addition to several days spent outside of the small city of Urubamba, the group will spend ten nights in remote Andean communities.
Preparing for a llama trek
I learned that we should look at the world’s problems as all of our problems and work together to solve them. I also learned more than I can put into words about the value of resilience, a positive attitude, and education.
PERU // 2015 COURSE
PERU
Photo Gallery
Native tree restoration in a remote Andean community
Setting up camp in a high Andean community
Building a native plant nursery
Teaching classes at a local school
Itinerary
Peru
1
the 5 Lenses Curriculum
Prior to departure, students are guided by their course instructors through a series of interactive, online lessons. Organized by SStS’s Five Lenses Curriculum, these activities (30 minutes per week) allow students to directly engage with other members of
the group.
2
partnering with ngos
The majority of the days at each site are spent engaged in meaningful service work with our NGO (non-governmental organization) partner. Days not dedicated to project work are spent immersed in intriguing cultural activities.
3
post travel advocacy
During the next school year, students educate others by advocating for our NGO partner through public presentations to the community at large and/or younger, school-based audiences.
A Glimpse Into Peru
Travel Journal
During the travel phase of each SStS course, students spend time reflecting about the learning that occurs through their immersion and service experiences. These posts capture the impact of our programs on individual students. Explore the posts below to learn about the SStS Peru program from the important viewpoint of our students.
Important Details
Cost Information
Students who attend a school that is a member of SStS’s Global Schools Coalition receive a tuition discount. To see the list of schools in the coalition, click HERE.
Tuition (students from members of the Global Schools Coalition): $5065
Tuition (students not from members of the Global Schools Coalition): $5265
Airfare & Fees: $1330
SStS is in search of curious, compassionate, globally-minded students. Thus, we will do all that we can financially to support students whose circumstances preclude paying the full cost. If you would like to be considered for financial assistance, please indicate so on the application. Financial assistance resources are limited. Scholarships tend to be less than 50% of tuition.
Please note, tuition does not include airfare and immunizations.
Tuition costs are all inclusive with the exception of personal expenditures (e.g. souvenirs).
Tickets and medical & security evacuation services are purchased as a group. The cost of these services is included in the tuition.
Talbot Travel Agency provides travel services for SStS, working personally with us to find the least expensive fares.
As a result, it is not possible to use airline miles or credit card benefits for the international flights. However, these can be used to purchase tickets to the gateway city.
Travel Expectations
Please note that we expect all participants to travel together, adhering to the identical itinerary. We will depart the United States as a group from a gateway city. Exemptions may be made for international students. Additionally, travel in the developing world inevitably includes “the unexpected” (e.g. weather disruptions, transportation strikes, etc.). SStS will adjust the itinerary accordingly, making the best of uncontrollable situations. Due to the unknown variables in international travel, participants are asked not to make travel plans or to enroll in programs that start immediately after their return. SStS is not responsible for expenses incurred due to missed flights if the group is delayed in their return.