Location
  • Peru
Length
1 to 12 weeks

Program Details

Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Year Round
Housing
Hostel Hotel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo

Pricing

Starting Price
209
Price Details
IFRE is a 501(c)3 organization, so your program fee will be tax deductible. IFRE Volunteers is proud to offer the world’s best fee.

Our programs are now more affordable than ever. We are proud to focus on the humanitarian aspect of our business, not on profit. We work very hard and smart to keep our costs down, especially for the volunteers because we know the value of your donated time and efforts.
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals Some Activities Travel Insurance
What's Not Included
Airfare Transportation Visa
Jul 02, 2019
Dec 12, 2022
0 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Are you seeking a culturally intriguing experience in a foreign land? Do you want to lend a helping hand while you are on your adventure? Volunteering in Peru is a great way to do both! Peru is home to Machu Picchu and a fascinating Andean country alive with cultural stimulation and magnificent ruins of ancient cultures. However, many of Peru’s citizens are poor and live in unfortunate conditions.

Thirty-six percent of the population lives under the poverty line. Peru is a popular destination for volunteers who seek a balance of exciting activities and meaningful projects to share their love and passion with poor children and impoverished communities. Volunteers can work in an orphanage, with street children, in education, or in healthcare.

Prepare to enjoy Peruvian food, colonial architecture, the Amazon jungle, and a variety of adventurous activities such as river rafting, horseback riding, zip lining, bungee jumping, , quad biking and the famous trekking down the Inca Trail.

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • The world’s most affordable volunteer programs – starting at $209.
  • Low Fees are paid directly to host families and projects with absolutely no middlemen!
  • Experience the personal satisfaction of improving the lives of those in need who desperately need assistance.
  • Your one-time low fee cover accommodations, food, project costs, and support by expert and trustworthy local staffs.
  • Your safety is our utmost priority. We fully understand it can feel intimidating to be far from home in an unfamiliar country. But you’ll never feel alone with our 24/7 expert support staff and services.

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Program Reviews

4.67 Rating
based on 9 reviews
  • 5 rating 66.67%
  • 4 rating 33.33%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.25
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.7
  • Value 4.45
  • Safety 4.8
Showing 1 - 8 of 9 reviews
Default avatar
Michael
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cusco Hands-on Volunteer

My first volunteer experience in Cusco. Poor advice on local accommodation. Local transportation not provided. Feeding on your own. Language barrier a major factor. Limited site orientation. Airport pickup on arrival. Arranged a private accommodation. Feeding and accommodation cost should be separated from the fee. Provision of interpreter should be
explored. Overall, it’s a unique and interesting experience. Regular training should be offered to country coordinator and staff. Improving the presence of IFRE in a country should be made a priority.

Pros
  • Opportunity to share knowledge.
  • Affordable
  • Nice volunteer site
Cons
  • Language
  • Poor access. Elevator not working.
  • Minimum supplies.
45 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Enrico
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Nice experience in the mesmerizing Perù

I spent 4 weeks volunteering at the hogar "Juana de Aza". I had the opportunity to get to know the incredible and sad stories of the young mothers living and working there. During the day I usually spent my time playing with the kids and taking care of the babies. I was responsible, together with another girl working there, of 11 kids, ranging in age from 5-6 months to 5 years old. I have to admit it wasn't always easy dealing with these kids, but in the end these young, energetic and curious human beings gave me a lot more compared to what I gave them, and for this reason I will always remember them and this incredible experience.
The support from the organization was helpful at the beginning, with their in-country coordinator being always there in case of necessity. The families that collaborate with IFRE were super nice and made me feel like at was at home.
Sadly there were not other volunteers while I was there, and even if there were, probably the opportunities to interact with them are not really facilitated by the way the program is organized. Of course I had the opportunity to meet other people during my freetime, but I feel the need to say that this volunteering program does not facilitate social interactions, so be prepared for that.
Also it is better to know some Spanish to better interact with the kids and the moms. This is not mandatory of course.
The cost of the program are overall okay, not cheap imo, but the quality of the accommodation is high.

Pros
  • Volunteering experience
  • Accommodation in local families
  • Position - Cusco and its surroundings
Cons
  • Poor social interactions
  • Price (could be lower)
54 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Mathilda
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering Peru

I am thoroughly enjoying my experience in Peru. My language has improved enormously thanks to my classes, Roger, and my host family who have all helped me so much. I have the best support if I need it and I am completely welcomed into my family. The project is rewarding and I feel like I’m making a positive impact on the lives of the Mamas and the children I am working with. In order to properly experience the project, I recommend coming for more than 2 months in order to establish real relationships with those you are helping and working with.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay longer! Peru is beautiful and there’s so much to see in and around Cusco, 3 months is not enough!
73 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Dear Mathilda,

Thank you so much for leaving us a feedback. We greatly appreciate that you have taken out the time and effort to make a contribution in our program. We hope that you will continue to have a rewarding experience and wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Default avatar
Diana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience in Cusco, Peru

I had an amazing experience during my volunteering project in Cusco, Peru. My host family was great. Maria cooked great meals and was always friendly and ready for a chat. Roger, my coordinator, was the best he gave me a great background on the orphanage with teen mamas and their children. He really tries to help them in any way he can. On a Sunday Roger showed me around the ruins in Cusco, with some history lessons and we went to a local restaurant to try the best local Ceviche. The work at the orphanage was an incredible experience - helping the moms at their daily work and taking care of the kids was very rewarding! In my free time I was able to visit the Inka ruins in the Cusco region, culminating with the Machu Picchu visit, which is hard to describe in words - it was breathtaking! In Cusco you have everything you want - great Peruvian food, good pubs, a lot of friendly foreign travelers and the best night life in Peru! You your looking for an amazing experience, I can only recommend Cusco! Thank you!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
If you’re undecided, choose Cusco! ;) Pack lighter than you think, Don’t forget sunscreen, hiking shoes and a poncho! Of course you can find anything you need in Cusco too! And prepare for an amazing experience! Cheers!
62 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Dear Diana,

Thank you so much for taking out the time to write us a feedback. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your time in Peru. Thank you gain for volunteering with us and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Default avatar
Mary
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Three Generations Volunteer Expereince

IFRE and our in country coordinator Roger helped make our 3 generation volunteer opportunity a memorable life changing experience. My mother, daughter and myself traveled to Peru to work in the orphanage with teen moms and their children.

Host Family:
Roger met us at the airport and brought us to our host family right in Cusco. The host family he chose was a perfect fit. It was also a mom, grandma and daughter. Abuela and Memere ( my mom) hugged before we left each day as abuela told us to take care of her. The location and room were perfect for our family. We were able to walk to the town square as well as to the orphanage.

Volunteer Site:
We volunteered with teen moms and their children. It was our role to care for some of the children as the moms were at work or school. When the mom’s were there we would work alongside them and the director caring for the children. We were originally supposed to work in the morning but found there were more children and a greater need for us in the afternoon so we were able to switch our time.
Our only recommendation is that if you know you will be working with school aged children you have some spanish background before you arrive. We did, at times, struggle with this communication barrier.

In Country Coordinator:
We are grateful to Roger for his enthusiasm. It is evident that he loves his job and believes in the program he is a part of. He gave us basic background about the moms and children we were working with so we could further understand the circumstances and help in a meaningful way. He answered our questions quickly and with care.

He also gave us so much knowledge about Peru and Cusco. When we inquired about a specific landmark site he offered and took us to see it and gave us some added history as well. He was willing to help with any task.

I would recommend this program and organization to anyone.

What would you improve about this program?
Once a volunteer is matched with a site it would be beneficial to give them more specific descriptions of their role when there. It would be even more beneficial if the volunteer could communicate with their site before they arrive.
Another recommendation is that if you know you will be working with school aged children you have some spanish background before you arrive. We did, at times, struggle with this communication barrier.
59 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Dear Mary,

Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We greatly appreciate you for taking out the time to volunteer with us and are happy that you enjoyed the project.

We will make sure that our future volunteers are informed well about their specific roles and apologize for any inconvenience you faced.

We wish you all the best for your future endeavours.

Default avatar
Michael
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Experience in Cusco

Experiencing Cusco was amazing, the host family was extremely nice and made great meals. Our country coordinator Roger was extremely helpful and was very experienced. It was so much fun playing cards and talking to the host family and Roger as they taught us many things about Cusco. At the start of the clinic I did almost nothing but each day you get rotated to another position so my experience at the clinic got progressively better throughout the week and you really start to see how the clinic is run. The only problem is if you don't speak Spanish, then you will barely be put to any use at the clinic. Once our volunteering was over we did activities such as Machu Picchu, rainbow mountain, and an ATV trip, all of which I would highly recommend.

What would you improve about this program?
They should put the volunteers to better use because I felt like I was doing nothing while I was there.
70 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

We are happy to know that you had a good time with your host family and learned about the Healthcare in Peru. We will definitely try to incorporate more hands-on work for our future volunteers.

Nicole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering in a Clinic in Peru

Volunteering in the clinic in Cusco, Peru was an incredible experience. I was able to learn about the Peruvian healthcare system while also working on my Spanish skills. I was able to volunteer in different areas in the clinic such as in the triage, wound care, with children and in gynecology. I was able to help the nurses, doctors and patients during the entire experience. My host family was so much fun and the food was amazing. Maria is such an incredible cook! Roger took such great care of me and my friends the entire time. Spanish was also very enjoyable for me and my friends and we were also able to travel around Cusco between the clinic and Spanish class. Overall, this trip was amazing and I had such a wonderful time. I was able to see so many areas of Cusco while learning about the culture and healthcare system.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
My friends and I were able to go out and try many different foods. The most surprising thing I did was try some of the meats such as Alpaca! We were also able to travel to Machu Picchu, which was incredible to see!
61 people found this review helpful.
Response from IFRE Volunteers Abroad

Dear Nicole, thank you for volunteering with us. We felt very happy to host and your friends. It is nice to know that you worked on your Spanish as well and enjoyed the local food during your stay. We wish you all the best!

Default avatar
Adrianna
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Helping in a Cusco Clinic

I had a great time working in a clinic in Cusco Peru. It was fascinating to see how the health-care system runs there, and help out. Having worked for almost 2 years in clinics and hospitals elsewhere, I can honeatly say that the ministry of health in Peru does life-saving work with limited resources. From vaccinating highschoolers against measles, mumps, and rubella, to stitching up lacerations, I appreciated the opportunity to practice my skills. The people in the clinic were warm and appreciative. My host, Maria was welcoming and lovely. She took excellent care of me in her beautiful home. My country coordinator, Roger, we above and beyond to help me enjoy the city and feel safe. He honestly cares about the work he does and wants the volunteers to, as well. I loved staying in the house with the other volunteers, sharing meals together, exploring the markets, and playing cards at night. Great experience!

What would you improve about this program?
The minimum character for the review is ridiculous. The program fees seemed a bit extraneous considering how little support I received before going. I would have liked to know where I staying before arriving in the city.
68 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers