Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Peru

I travelled to Peru to participate in Projects Abroad's Wildlife Conservation project in the Amazon Rainforest. As an 18 year old girl travelling on her own for the first time, I could not have felt more safe, welcomed, and impactful on my project. Mikaela, the volunteer coordinator is an amazing, reliable, and responsible girl who made the adjustment as smooth and comfortable as I could have hoped. Not only did I make connections with other volunteers, I also had the opportunity to make friendships with South Americans living and working at the reserve. My six weeks spent in Peru were an amazing experience. The week days can be hard work, especially in the heat, but the evenings and weekends are relaxing and tons of fun! The Amazon, along with its biodiversity, is disappearing at an alarming rate. Taricaya Reserve definitely deserves the work and resources provided to it by volunteers.

I took part in this program in 2017.
When I was young, I dreamed of being an archaeologist and my dream came true in Perù.
We did many things in the field: measurements, excavations, cataloging, cleaning and the fatigue of work was shared with the group.
Staying in a host family gives me the opportunity to discover and meet Peruvian culture up close.
Cusco is an amazing city rich in history and monuments. During the weekends I visited Machu Picchu (of course) and I saw from there the sunrise, then Arequipa, the White City, and Lake Titicaca.
It was the first time I travelled alone on the other side of the Ocean, from Italy, and I didn't know what to expect. At the airport, PA staff welcomed me and organized a tour of the city in afternoon, in order to allow me to move on my own.

I volunteered through Projects abroad's nutrition program in Cusco. The contact with Project abroad's team in Cusco was fantastic and supportive, and the experience itself completely eye opening and thoroughly enjoyable! I spend most days in a Wawawasi, getting and idea of the typical foods and recipes used, as well as some of the challenges face by the group leaders there. We spent some time in the local markets too to become familiar with the produce available and prices. Towards the end of the placement I delivered a couple of presentations on the importance and strategies to increase the micronutrient content of the meals as part of the work to reduce childhood anaemia, and having analysed the menu at the Wawawasi provided some suggestions on portion sizes etc

I have a PhD in archaeology, and so when a one-month career break became possible I jumped at the chance to volunteer on an international project. Projects Abroad were so easy to deal with, and within a week my trip to Cusco was all booked.

A friendly volunteer coordinator met me at the airport, my host family were absolutely top notch, and the induction to getting into and around Cusco my the lead on the archaeology team was perfect. Soon I had a local sim card and phone number, and was all ready to go.

Made lots of friends, and had a life-changing experience. The archaeology in Peru is *amazing* and it was a total privilege to work with professional archaeology teams on World Heritage sites in and around the capital city of the Incan Empire.

Highly, highly recommend this programme!

Projects Abroad: Incan and Wari Archaeology is an amazing program that allows its volunteers the unique experience of experiencing both ancient and modern Peru. Participants learn all about what it takes to be an archaeologist and get to participate in real archaeological projects, including maintenance, cataloging, and excavation. The program is organized perfectly to have volunteers working throughout the week and giving them the opportunity to travel both inside and outside of Peru during the weekends. Evening are open for volunteers to explore Cusco during their free time, to explore museums, eat Peruvian food, and more. Weekly cultural events allow participants to experience Peru from a natives perspective. The staff is helpful, personable, and enjoyable to interact with.

I did the Nursing Internship in Cusco to decide whether I wanted to peruse a career in nursing or public health. Though it didn’t make my decision any easier it was still one of the most incredible experiences of my life! I felt like I gained more exposure here than I would at a health care facility in the States while feeling totally immersed in the culture. I had a wonderful host family (though I heard some complaints from others about their families. Some, however, were for cultural differences and other complaints were similar to ones you might hear from a son or daughter about their parent lol). I also felt that I had plenty of time to travel and good people to travel with. The people who work with Projects Abroad have plenty of gathering opportunities. They also host workshops based on your field, so I was able to do a suture workshop at the office! No regrets and no hesitations of doing it again!

My first experience with Projects Abroad was in 2016, when I did a high school project in Cambodia. I absolutely loved it - what a wonderful way to travel and see a country, by giving back to the local community. Travel with purpose has always been important to me, and it brings the opportunity to see more of a country than most tourists.
In June of 2018, I went to the Peru project for a month and absolutely loved every minute of it. I was dirty, sweaty, covered in monkey poo, mosquito bites and bamboo splinters, the showers were cold and tarantulas crawled up the outside of my bathroom fly screen - and yet there was no where else I'd have rather been. It definitely pushed my comfort zone and yet there was just something so magical about the forest. I learnt so much and saw so many beautiful things - I want to go back!

I joined the High School Special project in Peru for 2 weeks on the archaeology project and I loved it. It was only two weeks and I definitely should have stayed longer! It's such an amazing location and as a history geek, it was an amazing experience. Projects Abroad organised a trip to Machu Picchu as well, which I can recommend to anyone (it's a must see in Peru). My coordinator was so friendly and he really looked after us, and Dan on the Archaeology project is a brilliant teacher.
I then flew for one week to the Conservation project... again, I should have stayed longer and I would go back in a heartbeat if I could. That project was one of the best things I have ever done; living in the Amazon rainforest, surrounded by nature and helping protect one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet is an unforgettable experience. The staff here are great (special mention to Elvira who is so kind) and so passionate about what they do. You get a perfect mix of looking after rescued wildlife and conservation activities, so anyone who is passionate about animals should definitely join this project.
I can't recommend Projects Abroad enough!

Before I left to Peru I was quite nervous as I had never been so far away alone and really didn’t know what to expect from the project. I can now say it was one of the best things I have ever done and I’m happy that I took the plunge and really thankful for the way it worked out and the impact it had on me. I was teaching in a small school in a very poor area of Cusco. It was really hard work as the kids are quite behind in their learning and classroom discipline was scarce. However I really put my mind to trying to help them and help the teachers with their tough job. The reward was immense. The kindness and love from the children really struck me and they were so appreciative of my help. The staff in the Projects Abroad office in Cusco are so kind and helpful and genuinely nice people so that made being so far away from home a lot easier. Also it was great to get to know other volunteers and socialize with them as you are all sharing a unique experience. For me the experience was a perfect mix of voluntary work, traveling and socializing and I would really recommend it to someone looking for a unique gap year experience also in such a lovely, interesting country.

I was in Peru for four weeks and they were some of the best, most unforgettable weeks of my life.

I was welcomed by the staff as soon as I got there who made me feel welcome, drove me to my host family, and helped translate my minimal Spanish into something they could understand. With the help of my family, volunteers, and staff I was able to improve my Spanish and immerse myself into the history and culture.

The sites were incredible, and I got to clean and handle Incan quipus textiles, and other artefacts. I also got to weed and clean walls uncovered at various sites around Cusco. In our spare time the volunteers and I would travel to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain and just about everywhere else we had the opportunity to.

I had an incredible trip that I would redo in a heartbeat. If you get the opportunity to spend some time overseas seriously consider volunteering with Projects Abroad.

Peru!! What an incredible place. From beautiful buildings to incredible views. The people, the food and the markets are great!! The schools and the children are so warm hearted!! Great experience!!

I have never meet a company that is so informative and helpful. They always answer all their emails, and even take phone calls. Very easy to communicate and organise things with. This was the same when I was in Peru. Always there and ready to help.

My experience during my placement has amazing. It was fun, heartwarming, and enjoyable time. I was lucky to work with a great group of students, and all different ages. I had time to work with them 1 on 1, as well as in a group.

I found the altitude a little difficult, but got use to it very quickly. My family actually gave me a special tea to help. My family did many beautiful things to help make my stay enjoyable. They took me on a tour around the city, cooked amazing food, spent time with me learning spanish, as well as taking me to the market.

During my time in Peru I got to meet with many of the other volunteers. We spent nights at restaurants having dinner, seeing in karaoke bars as well as doing some small tours. It was nice to feel safe and like I had a whole new family here.

It was a once in the lifetime experience, and I hope too and can not wait to go again!!! Thank your Projects Abroad.

Over the spring break, I went to the Taricaya Ecological reserve in Peru, and I loved it! This was technically meant for university students, however Projects Abroad was super accommodating and still let me go even though I am in high school. I received lots of information and my contact was incredibly helpful, and answered all of my questions quickly and thoroughly. They offered to book flights for me and sent me an option, but I ended up finding a cheaper option and booking them myself. Once I arrived in Peru, there were always staff around who were very helpful and kind. I loved working Taricaya, doing research and conservation work, and I felt like I was genuinely being helpful, rather than just volunteering to make myself feel good. The only thing that I wish could be improved is the overall cost, as it was a little expensive. All in all, I had a fantastic time, and Projects Abroad was very helpful during my travels.

I was part of a group of volunteers from the company I work for, and we had the great opportunity to be in Cusco, Peru doing some volunteer activities.
Before the trip, Projects Abroad assistant was very helpfull, we got to know the weather, traditions, type of food, money system, among others, ahead of time; that gave us the chance to be prepared and bring the right clothes for the trip.
In our volunteer activities, we helped in basic level schools, doing some projects with the kids and helping teachers with their classes, it was a very satisfying experience. Kids were very happy and they always participated. As a part of our volunteer duties, we helped painting part of the wall schools and desks.
From day one, Projects Abroad staff was there to assist us, since we got off the plane, they were waiting for us with transportation ready, they took us to our host family homes with a quick tour of the city. They'd be ready everyday with our daily plan and activities, on the afternoons, we'd have a meeting and feedback of our journey. It's essential to know the places we'd go, and situation we'd experience, with their help we were definitevly be more safe and calm, knowing that they're proffesionals and are there for us.
I'd reccomend to know the wheather depending the time of year you're going, so you could be prepared with right clothing. June and July are the coldest months.
It's definitevly a one-life time experience, Peru's landscapes of rainforest, mountains and of course Machu Picchu, are the extra ingredient to have a great volunteer experience. Go for it!

My 4-week volunteer placement in Peru was the most enjoyable experience I have had abroad. Not only did I stay with an amazing family who welcomed me into their home with open arms, and make relationships with the greatest support staff in Urubamba/Cusco - but I spent my weekdays in a Kindergarten classroom with wonderful children. I spent time working alongside the teacher and she encouraged me to get involved by teaching games and basic lessons, in both English and Spanish. It was great to be involved and help out where I could. It is a placement I would do again and again, and an experience I will never forget!

Volunteering at Taricaya with Projects Abroad was one of the best months of my life. From the hands on activities to the supportive staff, I could not have asked for a better experience! It was amazing to be able to meet so many people from all over the world and to work with them to further the conservation of the rainforest.

All of the staff was so knowledgeable and ready to teach the volunteers everything they could. I learned so much not only about the Peruvian rainforest and animals that live there, but also about cultures and languages from all over the world. When we weren’t doing activities, the staff was more than happy to talk about their experience and what they have learned over the years and even sometimes gave lectures about their specialties.

The accommodations and food were great as well. Granted, they may have taken some getting used to, but the bungalows come to feel like home before long. I would recommend picking up some food in town if you are used to having snacks- but there is always a bowl of fruit and bread and jam to eat if you get hungry.

The weekends were a great time to go into town to get wifi and a change of pace. The staff is very helpful in getting you checked into a hotel and giving recommendations of things to do and places to eat. A few friends and I even took a weekend trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu and the staff was very helpful in the planning process and in giving recommendations for where to go and stay and the best ways to go about getting to Machu Picchu.

All in all, I would not trade my month at Taricaya with Projects Abroad for anything! It was absolutely an amazing month and I learned so much! If you’re interesting in the rainforest and are okay with not living in 5-star conditions and doing some manual labor this trip is definitely for you. I would recommend volunteering at Taricaya in a heartbeat! Oh, but don’t forget DEET because you can’t buy any good stuff there.