Dates: August 16 – 26, 2012
Length: 11 days
Cost: $3,033 plus intl. airfare
3% discount if you pay by check!

Peru Amazon 2012 program info PDF
to the Peru program!

This amazing journey brings you both high into the Peruvian Andes and deep into the Amazon rainforest. You will have the opportunity to meet and stay with both the Quechua people in the Andean mountain village of Chinchero as well as the Southern Amazon Rainforest’s Ese’eja tribal community in the Tambopata Reserve.

In an attempt to create locally organized and operated sustainable tourism, our Quechua speaking host family in Chinchero has set up their own community based eco-tourism programs and we have been invited to work with them. In the rainforest, the Ese’eja have developed an ecolodge and tourism services that aid in the conservation of their culture and environment while providing economic stability for their people.

During your time in the weavers’ village of Chinchero you’ll be learning about sustainable tourism projects in the area. You will be meeting with local weavers, carvers, beekeepers, farmers and other families who wish to share stories about their culture. Evenings will be spent learning Quechua language, music, dancing and story time around the fire. We will eat and live in the local way. The conditions are simple yet comfortable and the food is nourishing and grown locally.

Your days in the jungle will be spent hiking through the rainforest with locals learning about the amazing diversity of the Amazon jungle. You will be staying in comfortable jungle lodges that are in harmony with their surroundings. Visits to the local community allow you to learn more about their culture and efforts to find a sustainable path of development to the future.

In addition to your home stay experiences, you will explore the magnificent ancient capitol of Cuzco, with its narrow streets and rich history, followed by several days in the Sacred Valley exploring ruins and visiting colorful markets. We will day-hike a portion of the Inca Trail to visit the spectacular Machu Picchu. This trip includes visits to Lima, Puerto Maldonado, Cuzco, Agua Calientes, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.