2024 Ralston Valley Peru Service Adventure

Dear Families, Friends, and Travelers – Welcome to the 2024 Ralston Valley Peru Service Adventure!  The Pre-Enrollment page is meant to share exciting highlights and important info that participants will want to know before signing up. If you enroll, you'll begin using the Post-Enrollment page which offers a greater level of detail.  Please be sure to review the information thoroughly and get excited for all that Peru has to offer! 
Travel Dates: March 14, 2024 - March 23, 2024
Group Organizer(s):
WTT Contact:
Program Tuition: $3,190 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
Confirmed Airfare: $993
Deadline(s): Please enroll by November 18th

Tuition Calculator

There are two options for payment, including an interest-free installment plan.  Follow whichever works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.

Program Tuition: $3,190

Pay in Full

$3,190.00

due today

Payment Plan

Pay a $500 deposit at the time of enrollment and establish an interest-free monthly payment plan. If you enroll today, your estimated* monthly payments would be:

$2,690.00

per month

* This is an approximate price. Your exact total will be confirmed when your enrollment is processed.

All prices in United States Dollars.

Peru Service Adventure

Immense, rugged, colorful, vibrant and mystic. No one word or idea can embody a land so diverse in geography, culture and history. Peru is the destination for adventure. Whether tracking a wild boar in the Amazon Basin, dancing to salsa music in Lima, watching wheat sway in the shadow of the mighty Andes, or spying a rainbow forming above the ruins at Machu Picchu, Peru will take your breath away.

The contrasts of Peru permeate every part of the country. Despite its beauty, there are large discrepancies among socioeconomic classes and wide differences in standards of living throughout the country. Travel with us to Peru and explore this unique country, combining meaningful service with an unforgettable adventure.

Service Adventures

Service Adventures

Service Adventures can combine rural homestays, adventure travel, and meaningful service projects which are guided by our community partners. Living in these small communities provides the opportunity to engage the language and culture from a uniquely advantageous position.

Program Highlights


Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!

Experience the grandeur of Machu Picchu

Tour the Saqsayhuaman complex above Cusco

Improve your Spanish by living with a host family

Visit the capital city's coastal neighborhoods of Miraflores and Barranco

Collaborate on a service project in your homestay community

Enjoy a photographic scavenger hunt of Cusco in the high Andes

The Itinerary


We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers, but given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but if inclement weather pushes us off course or an unexpected opportunity arises which travelers are excited about, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group. 

DayLocationDescriptionLodging
March 14USA - Lima, PeruToday the group will travel from the USA to Lima, Peru. After arrival, the group will settle into their hotel and rest ahead of our connecting flight the following morning.Hotel Lima
March 15Lima - CuscoToday we will leave Lima and travel to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Quechua empire. Once in Cusco, we will hold an orientation meeting at our hotel in the beautiful San Blas neighborhood to discuss the upcoming trip in detail. Later, we will take a guided walking tour of the historic center and marvel at how Quechua, Spanish and modern influences have molded current day Cusco.Hotel Cusco
March 16CuscoOur day will begin touring the cobblestone streets around the central plaza of Cusco. Next, we will practice our moves in a Latin dance class before touring the famous Quechua ruins of Saqsayhuaman. In the evening, we will enjoy local and international food and the comforts of our quaint hotel.Hotel Cusco
March 17Cusco - Homestay CommunityToday we will depart Cusco and arrive at our homestay community. We will meet our families in the central plaza and after a short introduction, we will settle in with our hosts. In the afternoon, we will have a walking orientation of the community and get ready for our first day of service the following day.Homestay
March 18Homestay CommunityOur service days will be spent in our homestay community, which represent the heart and soul of our program. We will volunteer on meaningful service project(s) during the day while also enjoying sufficient free time to interact with our host families and fellow travelers, practice our language skills and explore the surrounding area.Homestay
March 19Homestay CommunityToday we will work on our service project(s) and spend time with our host families. Evening activities will vary.Homestay
March 20Sacred ValleyThe adventures continue as we set out for Chinchero, a small town just above the Sacred Valley, where we will enjoy a weaving demonstration from the women famous for these local textiles. We will then make our way to Salineras, where thousands of salt pools cascade down the mountains, and Moray, an ancient Quechua agricultural laboratory. From there we will descend the Sacred Valley in bikes (or vans) and return to our host community. Tonight we will have a fiesta de despedida with our families to celebrate our time in the community together. The bravest among us can try cuy, the andean guinea pig eaten on special occasions!Homestay
March 21Machu PicchuToday we will wake early and make our way to the train station to take the beautiful two-hour ride to Aguas Calientes, the base town of Machu Picchu. We will then either hike or bus to the famous ruins. With our local guide, we will learn about the history and significance of this citadel set high in the Andes, and take time to reflect on our journey thus far. We will head back to Cusco. Hotel Cusco
March 22Cusco - Lima - USAThis morning we will catch a flight from Cusco to Lima. If time permits, we will explore some of Lima's neighborhoods before enjoying our final dinner in the country overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We will then before catching our overnight flight from Lima to the USA.Airplane
March 23USAWe will arrive home!Your own bed, eventually!

Accommodations


In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with locally-operated, three-star equivalent hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe. 

Below are the accommodations we anticipate using on your trip, subject to availability. 
Mami Panchita

Mami Panchita is a family owned and operated colonial style guest house in San Miguel. Conveniently located between the airport and the attractions of the coastal neighborhoods, this hostel offers a cozy retreat from the bustle of the Peruvian capital that students will surely enjoy. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.

Pension Alemana

Situated in the hills of the San Blas neighborhood, Pension Alemana is a beautiful bed and breakfast overlooking the historic center of Cusco. Representative of the city’s history and culture, this hotel blends Quechua and Spanish colonial styles to provide a stunning setting to relax at 11,000 feet. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.

Homestay

This will be the best part of your trip! Staying with a host family immerses you in the language and culture of the destination, and can lead to deep and lasting relationships with your hosts. Initially intimidating but ultimately unforgettable, there’s no better way to begin to truly understand the place you’re visiting.

Safety and Support


 EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING

Communication was excellent! We had absolutely all the info we needed from the moment we signed up. LOVED the blog with photos. The prep and follow up activities on culture shock, re-entry, etc. were fantastic!!! Thank you!!!

Erika
Parent of John, traveler on Peru Service Adventure

Your Adventure Includes

Estimated Airfare

In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Once confirmed, you will be invoiced for the flight roughly 75 days prior to travel. 

Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on itinerary.

 

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Resource center

Resource Center

Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.

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