Location
  • Peru
Length
1 - 4 weeks

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Timeframe
Summer Winter
Housing
Host Family
Language
English
Age Min.
15
Age Max
18

Pricing

Starting Price
$2,570 USD
Price Details
Prices vary depending on project and number of weeks
Visit website for more details on costs
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Airfare Visa
Nov 09, 2019
Aug 05, 2021

About Program

Spend 2 or 4 weeks of your High School summer abroad in Peru with Projects Abroad! Explore this exciting country as you volunteer with other teenagers from around the world.

Volunteer opportunities include Care & Community, Conservation, Incan & Wari Archaeology, and a Medicine internship.

For more details, visit Projects Abroad's site for high school programs!

Video and Photos

Program Reviews

9.18 Rating
based on 11 reviews
  • 9-10 rating 81.82%
  • 7-8 rating 18.18%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Growth 8.7
  • Support 9.5
  • Fun 9.2
  • Housing 9.5
  • Safety 9.6
Showing 1 - 8 of 11 reviews
Default avatar
Zara
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Such an amazing experience

The medical project for high school students was one of the best experiences of my life. I made some awesome friends on this trip and met amazing people, and that along with seeing surgeries and being in a medical setting was life-changing. I don't have a bad thing to say about the staff and host family, everyone was so sweet and made my experience so warm. The only thing that sucked a little was the covid situation - what we could do was definitely limited, in both an academic and social setting (but that's no one's fault!).

3 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hi Zara,

Thank you for the wonderful review! To hear that the experience was life-changing and educational for you is extremely fulfilling for us as our aim is to positively impact the lives of the communities we work with as well as the lives of our volunteers. We truly couldn't do it without dedicated volunteers and interns such as yourself, so thank you for joining our cause during these times especially. We would love to have you come back to Peru, or any other of our destinations! Best wishes to you on your path toward learning medicine!

Kind regards,

Courttani Manning
Project Expert and Volunteer Alumni

Default avatar
Minette
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Will remember this trip until I die!

Last summer I spent two weeks of my summer in Peru and can honsetly say that going on that trip was the best decision I have ever made. Not only did I learn so much about animals, plants and the rainforest but I also had so much fun with my new friends and the staff! I still keep in contact with my world wide friends and I am so thankful I got to meet them, thanks to Project Abroad! I sill have dreams about Taricaya and when I wake up I wish I culd go back in time. I always felt save during my time traviling to and from and during my time at Taricaya. I grew so much as a person and I am truely and utterly grateful for this trip! I have recomended Project Abroad to all my friends and family and there is no doubt that I do some more volenteering abroad using Project Abroad.

The whole experience was perfect and I hope Project abroad get some recognition for their amazing work!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
We were out at the night looking for turtle eggs and when we were on the boat we suddently hear some splashing and we got so scared when the staff said it was caimans! Then one in the staff went into the water and we thought he was going to be eaten, but then he came back with a baby caiman, and it was so cute! I got to hold it and stroke it and it was one of the coolest thing ever!
8 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hi Minette,
Thank you for your review on our High School Specials Conservation project in Peru. I’m delighted that you had a positive and rewarding experience. Your involvement with the project is hugely appreciated by Projects Abroad. We look forward to you volunteering with us again.

Irazema Arizabal, Country Director for Peru

Default avatar
Sascha
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Simply Amazing

This program was wonderful and I would highly recommend to high school students looking to volunteer. It helped me to build independence, create friendships with people from across the world (whom I am still in contact with) and develop a much more holistic view of the world. Growing up in Canada, especially in such a safe community, I had a very sheltered view of the world. Projects Abroad changed that for me, however. It should me that millions of people all across the world live a very different life then I do and I have a very different view of the world. This program taught me to appreciate what I have been given and allowed me to better understand others. Overall, I believe everyone should experience something like this at least once.

8 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hello Sascha,
It sounds like you had an amazing time (I can’t say we're surprised!). Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with our global community. We’re so happy that you enjoyed High School Specials Medicine Project in Peru. We look forward to seeing you again on one of our projects or Internships!

Irazema Arizabal, Country Director for Peru

Default avatar
Riana
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Best trip ever and i met the most amazing people!!!!

I did the childcare high school project in Peru in the summer earlier this year..I met an amazing group of people similar to my age from all over the world who I still keep in touch with! I absolutely loved teaching and playing with the kids in the nursery and staying with a host family. It was an amazing and unique experience and I 100% recommend everyone to go on a trip like this.
I went on this trip to Peru (a spanish speaking country) never having learnt any spanish! But by the end I could communicate very basically with the locals..with thanks to a spanish lesson we did! We also got the opportunity to do a Salsa dancing lesson on the third day!! which was a great icebreaker!
Overall it was an incredible trip with lots of memories made!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
We went on a weekend trip where we got to visit Machu Picchu and the sacred valley which was incredible!
8 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hi Riana,
I'm so glad to hear you had a rewarding experience on our High school specials Care project in Peru. Your effort towards the project is greatly appreciated. We can't wait to have you back again with Projects Abroad.

Irazema Arizabal, Country Director for Peru

Default avatar
Charles
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching ESL in Cusco Peru

While Peru is a great place for anyone who wishes to explore the past of a country with lots of fascinating sites, such as but certainly not limited to Machu Picchu, it is also an interesting place to experience the culture and daily life of a people and Cusco is a great place to be based. The heart of the old Inca lands there are many, many interesting tours to take in the area and further afield. Cusco is geared toward tourists and it is very easy to find a tour that fits one’s budget and preference. For example, I did a day trip of the Sagrada Valle (Sacred Valley) that took in half a dozen very interesting sites together with an excellent buffet lunch for less than $20 as well as another day tour of the ruins south of Cusco for around $10 (lunch extra but I had a lovely grilled trout for $6). There are no really cheap tours of Machu Picchu for tourists (who have to pay in dollars) unless you do all the arrangements yourself (and that is possible once you get familiar with how it works or have assistance from a local-I ended up taking a tour for $250). The Amazon is well worth a visit but again most tours are somewhat expensive (for 2 nights I paid $320 but I felt it was money well spent). Lake Titicaca where most people spend a night with a local family on one of the islands can be done for around 180 soles (about $60) if you buy your own bus ticket, book a “cheap” hostel in Puno and then hire a local tour from Puno. I, however, chose the easy way out and paid 280 soles for a tour “originating in Cusco” and all the arrangements made for me. As the road to Puno is quite picturesque, I took a day bus there and a night bus back (one can get buses with seats that recline 160 degrees so I did manage to sleep on the night bus).
Clearly, I greatly enjoyed the tourist side of Cusco and Peru but the absolute highlight of the trip was the 3 weeks I spent through Projects Abroad, teaching ESL with a local teacher and staying with a Peruvian family. My fellow teacher, Edith, was an absolute jewel. I taught for 45 years before I retired 3 years ago and during that time I did not know a teacher better than Edith. She really knows how to make the class work to the advantage of the student using truly innovative methods that really motivate students, even those who are not keen. She took maximum advantage of my being a native English speaker and was completely open to any suggestions I made that she felt were useful. I’ve seldom seen anyone, especially a teacher, who was more open to any critique, e.g. like any person speaking in a second language, her pronunciation was not always that of a native speaker but she never hesitated to invite my help. My first day at school she took her students to a restaurant as a reward for their efforts and treated me as well. The second day at school, she had a two hour break and took me to a nearby park made from a wetlands with the theme, Guardians of the Galaxy: a small lake with a paved walk around

What would you improve about this program?
PERU
The schedule at the school needs to be more clear. It was difficult for me to figure out what I would be doing during my time at the school and where I should be. I had a schedule but often it was not accurate. One needs to be forewarned that being on time does not seem to be a high priority. It can't be stressed enough that one should not drink the water nor eat food that one cannot be reasonably sure is not contaminated. I adhered to these guidelines and was not sick but several other volunteers were and even hospitalized. Of course, I don't know whether they were careful or not. I would have liked to have more help in planning my tours of the tourist sites I wanted to visit.
9 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hi Charles,
I’m happy to hear about your fantastic time away with us on our Teaching project in Peru. Great things are achieved when volunteers join our global community. Your time and effort are greatly appreciated not just by us but by the local community. We hope to see you again in the near future.

Irazema Arizabal, Country Director for Peru

Default avatar
Anne-Claire
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

How the team make me grow up !

Last year in july, I spend two weeks in the archeological program in Peru, and it was really short ! I am willing to stay or to return. I went for learn more spanish, and discover inca culture by visiting archeologicals sites. I didn't suspect that I met new friends form the over side of the world with who I keep in touch one year later. I didn't suspect also that I discovered my taste for Antiquity and archeology by learn more about the profession of archeologist. For that I thank very much Dan and Delsi, supervisors of the amazing team of Lucky Charm !
What I will remember for my life is when we go to a private collection for cleaning inca textiles. It was amazing to see a part of the collection and above all the "quipus" which are supposed to be the writing support of the inca culture.
Over thing I remember, it's how long it was to remove lichens on inca's wall. But when at the end we understand how important is, not only the result, but also the meaning of this act.
It was an experience that make me discover myself, improve my practice of langages, and meet new friends by making fun together.

What was your funniest moment?
I really like singing Disney songs at hostfamily in english. But it's one great moment among so many others.
8 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Hey Anne-Claire,

Thank you very much for leaving a lovely review, we so appreciate it!

That sounds like you had quite the adventure, learning new things about history, exploring new sites and practicing your languages.

It really is such a fascinating history and to think it really wasn’t that long really when that history was alive! What a great opportunity and experience you must have had.

Awh wow, that would have been nice! I am sure Umeres would love to have you again, as would Dan and Delsi - you would be so welcome!

We also do Archaeology in Romania too if you wanted to try that, if not let me know if you want to return to Peru, I will let the guys know to do a welcome back party!

All my best,

Caleb
Projects Abroad - Community Manager

Default avatar
Christina
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Experience Ever with Care and Community in Peru

I did the High School Special Care and Community project in Cusco, Peru, with a good friend from home for four weeks this past summer, and I loved every minute of it! Prior to our departure, our parents were a little weary of allowing two teenage girls to travel to a different continent alone, but the Projects Abroad staff were extremely reassuring and provided a ton of information about not only what we were to expect in the country, but how to effectively prepare before and afterwards. Communication with the program was always timely and informative. When we landed in Cusco after a full 24 hours of traveling, we were met exactly in the way that had been described to us previously: with a Projects Abroad sign, by our first and last names, and with a friendly smile. In Cusco we always felt safe, and although the program was structured with activities like building furniture and painting games for schools in the area, we had plenty free time in the afternoons to explore various markets around the city and go to the mall.

The "care" aspect of our project was time we spent in a daycare. We were placed in a local, government-run program for anemic children. There, they were provided with two meals (breakfast and lunch) and a lot of fun toys to play with. Most of the teachers were also parents of a child in the center, so I think our help was very appreciated as they had their hands pretty full. We assisted mostly with feeding the kids and keeping them entertained during the day so their mothers and fathers could go to work nearby. They were all so cute! Around halfway through our time at the placement, my friend and I wanted to switch to helping the older children at the placement. Projects Abroad accommodated this change without hesitation. These kids were around four and five years old, and so we were able to actually help teach them in addition to playing. Their teacher had us make a lot of posters to hang up around their classroom as well as teach them the colors of the rainbow in English. We did lots of chalk drawings outside on the pavement too.

Our host family was amazing as well. We stayed in a house composed of five or so floors, each described as its own “apartment”, which ended up being pretty accurate. Each floor had around three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living space. Our bedroom even had an ensuite bathroom, which was very nice. Even though we were prepared to sacrifice the showers we usually took at home, we were pleasantly surprised by the pressure quality and the hot water available to us always. Everything in the house was also very clean and organized. Because it was winter when we arrived, it was fairly cold in the house, as none of the buildings in Peru really have indoor heating; however, with a warm blanket, socks, and a jacket, we were fine. They provided us with three meals a day, which typically consisted of pan (a sweet bread) with butter and jam for breakfast, and rice with a meat (chicken, beef, etc.) for lunch and dinner. Overall, I had an amazing experience in Peru, and I recommend the High School Care and Community special to anyone looking to make a positive difference and get a taste for a new culture/country!

10 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Dear Christina,

It sounds like you had a wonderful time in Peru! I am sure the teachers and parents were very thankful for all your help. The kids are always happy to see new smiling faces and learn from volunteers who come from all around the world. We do understand that you are travelling very far away to a different culture, which is why our staff works very hard prior to your departure so that you are informed and have accurate expectations and that you feel safe and supported at all times once you arrive. Thanks for sharing

Default avatar
bianca
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Medicine in Peru

This trip was a lot of firsts for me. I volunteered through projects abroad on a high school special for medicine. It was my first time travelling alone, it was my first time staying away from my parents and it was my first time doing any sort of program like this. The process of signing up and convincing my parents to let me go, was one of the most difficult parts. But, projects abroad made it easier by allowing me to talk and meet with people in Projects Abroad headquarters in my home country. They gave me reviews to read, and even got me in contact with other people who had signed up. The project itself was one of the most different and exciting experiences I've ever had. At the beginning, it was a total change in lifestyle, and routine, but sometimes, that sort of thing is completely necessary for self growth and to better understand the world around you. The trip was a great balance of being immersed into the culture, gaining experience in the medicine field, as well as being a tourist and seeing all of the tourist attractions. My host family was amazing, as well as the other students on the trip, and I hope I keep in touch with all of them.

What would you improve about this program?
I think that overall while it was a great balance of fun and work, I felt that a few more trips to the hospitals and more time with hands on volunteering in the hospitals would have been beneficial.
9 people found this review helpful.
Response from Projects Abroad

Dear Bianca. We are glad we were able to help you take that step and venture out of what you knew before and experience all these firsts! I am sure they are the first of many to come!
We try to balance the volunteer work with the cultural immersion and the excursions even on short trips so it's great to hear you enjoyed your experience! Hands-on work is unfortunately not something we can offer, as this program is for young students who are just starting to learn about Medicine, which is why the volunteer role is more observational at the hospitals.
Thanks for sharing!

Questions & Answers