Applications for summer 2021 are now closed.
18DAYS
We partner with the Llama Pack Project to conserve precious Andean ecosystems and deliver environmental education in local schools.
After spending the first two nights in Urubamba, SStS participants will have the chance to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu and learn about the impact of tourism in the area. The group will then return to Urubamba for two days while attending environmental workshops and preparing materials for their work in the communities.
Once acclimatized, the group will complete a three-day llama trek alongside members of the Guild of Llama Breeders, associates of the Llama Pack Project, to the town of Cuncani, spending the night at the remote villages of Cancha Cancha and Quishuarani along the way. After completing their trek, the group will have a day to rest and recover before working shoulder-to-shoulder with the community school of Cuncani for six days. In the mornings, the group will be teaching environmental education to local school children and then doing school repair work in the afternoons. In this striking setting, students will have the opportunity to consider what they have learned about ethical leadership before returning to Cusco to begin their journey home.
The course elements are based on a rating from 1 to 5, 1 being the least rigorous, 5 being the most rigorous.
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.
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.
Students who attend a Shoulder-to-Shoulder partner school receive a tuition discount. To see a list of partner schools, click HERE.
Tuition (students from partner schools): $5285
Tuition (students from non-partner schools): $5485
Airfare & fees: $915
Total Course Cost: $6200 (Partner)/$6400(Non-Partner)
SStS is in search of curious, compassionate, globally-minded students. Thus, we will do all that we can financially to support students who require assistance. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please indicate this 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 group 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.
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.