Volunteer in Peru with Maximo Nivel - Best Rated Projects

I've been in Peru for the past 9 weeks. My first 6 weeks were spent in Cusco volunteering in childcare and taking Spanish class with my amazing teacher Yenny. Then I spent two weeks working on a jungle conservation project at the Tierra Linda Reservation, which was an amazing experience that I highly recommend. For my final week, separate from volunteering, I went on the Inca Jungle trek and loved it! This program is wonderful because it allows to to feel at home in Cusco with great local home stay families(shoutout Yuri), and it is still flexible with typical tourist travel on weekends. I´ve met so many wonderful people, and gained experience and memories that will stay with me forever. Thank you Maximo!

I could not have been placed in a better project. Chris, the physical therapist and I really hit it off. We actually plan to keep in contact with one another. I have grown more from this experience than I could have ever imagined. The only thing I would say is a Maximo member promised my project she would bring in books for the kids and as far as I know never did. If someone could make sure they receive that offering would be wonderful, the kids were very excited about that. Otherwise I have nothing but wonderful things to say about my experience here.

I really enjoyed my time in Cusco volunteering with Maximo Nivel in a construction project where I helped build a new children's hospital clinic for 8 weeks. I came to Cusco with an open mind because I knew it was going to be a different lifestyle than what I'm used to in Canada. I loved every moment and the people I met. The staff at Maximo nivel was always helpful. Advice I have for new volunteers is to be patient because there's a lot of hand tools and the progress of work can be slow, but it makes it more rewarding because you really can see the physical results of your hard work. Also be proactive and positive on the worksite. The hospitality at my homestay was amazing and my host mom was a great cook. Thanks again to maximo for setting up an unforgettable experience in Cusco for me.

My daughter and I just finished a 1 week project where we helped in daycare/pre4-school in oropesa run by a group of Philippine nuns. It was a great experience where we helped with their day to day tasks. The trip there by bus was quite and adventure daily and the kids were fun, full of energy, adorable and way ahead of their expected learning landmarks. Although we were the first people on this particular location I think it will do well.

Huge shout-out to Maximo Nivel for providing me the opportunity to have such a memorable experience in Cusco. The team was always willing to help...whether it was first-day orientation, on-site visits, or just being there if I had a question...I knew I could count on them for any support I needed. My time in Cusco is drawing to a close, but the memories will last a lifetime. Thank you Maximo Nivel!

I have been volunteering with Maximo Nivel in Cusco, Peru, for the past three months and have absolutely loved my time here! I just graduated college and wanted to take a gap year before going back to school. I have several friends who took a similar break but spent it backpacking through South America instead of staying in one location for a length of time. Although there are definitely benefits to both, I seriously recommend spending time in one place volunteering through an organization like Maximo! In these past few weeks I have gotten to know the culture and people of Cusco in a way that is not possible if you spend your time quickly traveling through places or staying in hostels.
First, my volunteer projects have been an incredible way to meet locals and make a difference. My project is teaching English and it has been really cool to watch people who initially knew no English improve to speaking full sentences. Maximo Nivel comes by and checks on the projects every week or so to make sure it is going smoothly and is willing to work with you if there is ever a problem with the project.
About a month ago I approached the Maximo staff with an idea to start a new project in the area that is more directly related to my academic interests. Instead of dismissing this because it would be a difficult project to start, they went out of their way to make this new project possible and I am currently working with them to help start it! I have met many other people who are here on a gap year between schools as well and Maximo wants to make sure that your experience with them best prepares you for whatever job or school you are hoping to gain entrance to upon your return home. I had to take the Law School Admission Test while I was here and they were willing to work with my schedule so I had plenty of time to study and volunteer!
Additionally, I have loved living with a host family here in Cusco. My house mother is incredible and cooks great meals. I was a little worried about living with a family after living on my own in college but my house mom is always willing to help me with things while also giving us freedom to come and go. Maximo also offers Spanish classes to volunteers and can pair you up with a local so that you can meet up with them on your own time to practice speaking Spanish and English. My Spanish has improved a lot because of this!
If you are trying to figure out how to spend time abroad or where to spend it, I highly recommend coming to Maximo Nivel in Cusco. Whether you plan to be here for one week or six months, Cusco offers incredible sights to visit in your free time. I became really good friends with my house mates and was able to travel to various places with them on the weekends and during the day when I was not volunteering. The people of Peru are very welcoming and I guarantee you will have an incredible time getting to know both the people and city of Cusco!

I volunteered with Maximo Peru in Cusco for 3 weeks teaching English in October 2017 and what an amazing experience it was!

From the moment I arrived to the day I left I was given all the help and support I needed from the superb Maximo team on the ground in Cusco. My living accommodation was great and my host family were so hospitable I felt like a member of the family!

I was teaching English in an after school program to children between the ages of 6-12. They had an infectious happiness and willingness to learn that it made my time with them enjoyable and fun everyday whilst I was making a real impact to the quality of their written and spoken English.

I would highly recommend Maximo Peru for any volunteer program you´re thinking of doing!

Karim (London)

We had a wonderful time in Peru with Maximo! We traveled with our two boys ages 12 and 14 and volunteered one week at the orphanage and one week at the zoo. All four of us loved playing with the kids and had a hard time leaving them after the week. We also enjoyed our time at the zoo and felt that we made an impact at both locations. We would love to return and work with Maximo in the future either in Peru or another location! Between the four of us we had four different Spanish teachers over the two weeks and all were super great! They have obviously garnered a stellar educational team. There were strikes in the city but we felt Maximo did everything they could do to ensure our safety. We did not miss any classes or volunteering time due to the strikes as we could walk to where we needed to go. Our Spanish parents were the absolute BEST! They could not have done more for us! American Inca Trail was very busy but very accommodating for all of our travel needs which we booked after we arrived. We highly recommend this experience!