Peru: Machu Picchu

Experience the vibrant culture and breathtaking architecture of this capital city overlooking the Pacific Ocean. See the vast neo-colonial Governmental Palace, the towering Cathedral of Lima with its 14 side doors and main “door of forgiveness”, go past the upscale San Isidro district and visit the San Francisco Convent.

Visit this restored pre-Columbian pyramid in Lima.

Colorful Cusco was an important Inca center, and sites surrounding the town testify to the power of the empire. Begin your tour at Tambo Machay, the ritual baths probably used by nobility. Underground water bubbles up over the intricately carved stone platforms, creating a shower as it tumbles over the edge. The impressive stone at Qenko had a slightly less cleansing purpose -- each year, priests would pour llama blood over the top and watch its progress through the complicated zigzag pattern to determine the luck for the coming planting season. Puca Pucara was likely a hunting lodge or vacation home for the emperor; from its high position, you can gaze out at the glaciers in the south.

Built to resemble an ear of maize, Ollantaytambo is one of the few remaining examples of Inca urban grid architecture. Get an overhead view from the fortress, still impressive all these centuries later. Continue on through the lush Urubamba Valley before reaching Pisac, which hosts a renowned crafts market three days a week.

Travel to this old town surrounded by the stunning snowcapped Andes Mountains to see the best surviving example of Incan town planning. The fortress itself is encased in impressive terrace walls that served the Incas well against the Spanish Conquistadors.

The train passes through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Aguas Calientes.

The Pueblos Jovenes, or “Young Towns,” is a nickname given to the vast amount of impoverished areas surrounding Lima and other cities of Peru. These towns are composed of poorly-constructed shacks which generally lack running water, electricity, and other basic services that we have grown accustomed to in our daily lives. Water delivery and other such necessities cost six to ten times more than in more affluent parts of Lima, making it a luxury that most of the locals can not afford. Work to improve the quality of life in these areas is primarily carried out by volunteer organizations. On tour, your project will involve providing schools with basic classroom equipment, bathrooms, playgrounds, and water facilities that they are otherwise lacking. All necessary materials to fix, build, and repair the schools are included. This experience will leave you with a new appreciation for how one person can make a difference to so many people in need.

The Pueblos Jovenes, or “Young Towns,” is a nickname given to the vast amount of impoverished areas surrounding Lima and other cities of Peru. These towns are composed of poorly-constructed shacks which generally lack running water, electricity, and other basic services that we have grown accustomed to in our daily lives. Water delivery and other such necessities cost six to ten times more than in more affluent parts of Lima, making it a luxury that most of the locals can not afford. Work to improve the quality of life in these areas is primarily carried out by volunteer organizations. On tour, your project will involve providing schools with basic classroom equipment, bathrooms, playgrounds, and water facilities that they are otherwise lacking. All necessary materials to fix, build, and repair the schools are included. This experience will leave you with a new appreciation for how one person can make a difference to so many people in need.

In most cases, your flight home is overnight. You will return home on Day 12.