Peru: Volunteering in Latin America

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Volunteering Projects and Internships in South America - Peru

Peru Map

With an extensive Pacific coastline, a vast area of Amazon rainforest and the magnificent Andes, Peru provides an opportunity for you to experience much of what South America offers within just one country. Wildlife, beaches, historical sites and the most beautiful mountains in the Andes range are found in abundance. There are also interesting cities, full of colonial history, especially Cuzco, which is an archaeological paradise.

Peru, which is five times the size of the UK, was shaped by the Incas and the Spanish. Hispanic and Amerindians live, for the most part, in harmony, and Spanish and Quechua are both spoken in the markets of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, as well as in Lima.

The mysterious and magnificent lost city of Machu Picchu attracts tourists, archaeologists and historians alike. Incan ruins are everywhere; you will find they even form part of the structure for modern day buildings!

The following projects are available in Peru: Teaching, Conservation & Environment, Care, Sports, Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Midwifery, Spanish Language and Inca Projects. These are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world; whether you are on a gap year, a summer placement, or a career break.

Volunteer work opportunities in Peru

Projects Abroad Peru has its office in Urubamba, a town in the heart of the Sacred Valley. There are voluntary placements in many of the small towns within the region, the people of which are keen to welcome volunteers to their communities. Our unique Inca project is based in Huyro, about three hours from Urubamba.

If you want to work in the rainforest, our Conservation & Environment project is an hour's flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, followed by a two-hour boat trip up the Madre de Dios river - it's a jungle adventure just to get there!

Our host families in the Sacred Valley may live in houses with walls built by the Incas or, if you're volunteering in the Amazon rainforest, you'll live and work in our own Taricaya Lodge where you'll be living alongside playful spider monkeys.

Travel and Tourism in Peru

Volunteer at Macho Picchu Peru is the perfect place to immerse yourself in South American life while you're volunteering abroad. In the towns you can sample local brews like Pisco Sour or Cusquena and you may even find yourself celebrating your birthday with Cuy - guinea pig - as the main dish!

From Urubamba it's easy to visit Cuzco and Machu Picchu. You can also go rafting on the Urumbaba River or see traditional Andean theatre and dance. If you're seeking thrills of an adrenaline-driven nature, venture into the Andes, which offer some of the best mountain-climbing and trekking opportunities on the planet. Take a weekend trip to explore the enigmatic Nazca Lines, or enjoy a boat ride on Lake Titicaca: the world's highest lake.

Leading a religious ceremony Puerto Maldonado is a dynamic young town, home to 25,000 people. On your days off from the Rainforest Project, as well as taking the boat back to enjoy life in a frontier town, you may have the opportunity to take a river trip to the Sandoval lake, where you can enjoy fishing, wildlife watching or just meeting with the locals.

Although Peru is a great gateway to the rest of South America, there are so many rich things to see within the country itself that you may not ever want to venture over its borders! It's a magical melting pot of different cultures, stunning scenery and bio-diversity.