Volunteer in Peru with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

Had a lot of fun working with the animals, its a little sad to see the poor conditions they are living in but great to be able to make a little difference in their everyday life, I was blown away by the variety of species they have and delighted to be able to interact with them. I wish I could have made a bigger difference by helping raising money but will do my best to raise awareness on the importance of wildlife conservation, would definalty recommend the program to any animal lovers!

Organization of the medical campaign was great. I felt useful and that I made a difference.

The early mornings made for an extra long day and also made it difficult to adjust to the altitude/environment/time change/flight/etc. Being able to meet a little later in the morning and maybe working later in the day could allow more time to adjust. Being ready by 7-8am is much more reasonable than 3-5am.

My trip to Cusco, Peru became an adventure I will never forget. As we were building the community center, we became friends with many of the local children and we also were able to play soccer with a variety of locals. My group was able to accomplish a great deal while only being in Cusco for a week. Marco was a great construction manager and we had great support from the individuals at Maximo Nivel. It really surprised me how great of an organization Maximo Nivel really is and how great their employees are. However, I really thought Mark was a massive help on a day to day basis with our work and also outside of our work. Mark provided us with information and directions on the best places to go in Cusco, and numerous times fully answered our continuous list of questions. Without Mark, our Cusco trip would not have been the once in a lifetime trip it was.

I had an absolutely incredible experience volunteering in Cusco, Peru with Maximo Nivel. Setting up a clinic in a remote village, volunteering in orphanages and a home for abandoned seniors, working in a medical lab doing HIV, TB, pregnancy, and blood testing, and hands-on volunteering in a zoo full of exotic primates, colorful birds, and a feisty Llama were some of the most incredible volunteering opportunities I have had. When we weren't volunteering, we were having just as much fun touring the historic capital city of the Inca empire, Cusco, or going on a 3-day trek to Machu Picchu, or enjoying the exciting night life in Plaza Del Armas. I highly recommend this affordable agency full of fantastic people like Mark, Josue, Catherine, Sylvia, and Heather who really care about the volunteers and the projects they work on. It doesn't get any better than Maximo Nivel!

Volunteering through Maximo Nivel in Cusco, Peru was an amazing experience. I taught English at an institution called Qosko Maki, which operates primarily as a shelter for homeless youth but also offers English classes to locals in the evenings. Students of all ages come in with varying degrees of English competence and choose the volunteer with whom they want to learn from. Attendance is not mandatory and on any given day I can have as few as one student or as many as 15. Classes are, therefore, quite informal and students usually dictate what is taught each night. I got lucky at my placement because my students were mostly adults and were already at an intermediate English level. Super convenient for me because I didn't know any Spanish. I was able to communicate with them outside of the classroom and most Friday nights we would go out to Temple or other nightclubs after classes. On Birthday's or when volunteers would leave, we'd always cut class short and have a mini party. I loved my students and miss them very much.

The beauty of Maximo Nivel is that they are SO flexible. I went on 3 major treks/trips during my 2 month tenure in Cusco without any issue. I went on the Inca Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu, to Arequipa to hike Colca Canyon and finally to Tambopata to experience the Amazon Rainforest. Just let them know in advance and there shouldn't be an issue with you taking time off your placement.

What else can I tell you...I lived in a homestay which was great because it forced me to learn Spanish. I loved my house parents and their adorable grandkids (although I think they only liked me because I kept giving them candy). I took private Spanish lessons at Maximo Nivel every morning for 2 hours and also had the unique opportunity to learn from a tandem partner; a mutually beneficial arrangement with a local, where I speak to him in Spanish and he speaks to me in English. That was a neat experience. My tandem and I would go out for breakfast, go to historical sites and even went to the bar a couple of times. Really interesting way to learn more about the local culture and to practice what I learned in class.

I recommend this program without reservation to anyone interested in travelling abroad and learning a different culture while having some fun. I love the friends I made in Cusco (volunteers and students). I want to go back!

Great project! This was a fantastic cause and this experience opened my eyes to the vast needs of the special needs population in Peru. I am working on expanding my experience by collecting donations in the states to send to the orphanage.

I loved both programs during my six weeks and the program staff was always great! I started in an after school program and loved working with the kids. Some spanish is necessary, basic is okay, we did a lot of math and reading. Consistency of volunteering hours from day to day was also a must for an effective relationship with both the teachers and kids.

The jungle was fantastic! The work was good, we did some reforestation, walked trails to document wildlife, and some construction projects. The food was great-all vegetarian. The bungalow we stayed in was open, but all beds had mosquito netting for the many many insects that occupy the jungle. There was no electricity, so people had time to read, play cards, etc. A small town was just a ten minute walk away (snacks, no internet), a larger town with internet was a 20 minute taxi ride away.

The overall program was great. I really liked my placement and the experiences that I got from it. Working the little girls and the teacher in a classroom seating made it easier in regards of the planning of activities for the day. Everybody at Maximo and the school placement was very kind and helpful, and happy to have us there to help them out. My host family was wonderful too. Always open to questions and very warm and kind. The food was delicious. I will totally recommend this program.