Summer High School Programs in Peru with Rustic Pathways

My time in Peru was amazing. I spent a total of four weeks there on the Andes to Amazon and Sacred Valley programs. Between the two programs, I got to see the diversity of different parts of the country as we travelled throughout the Andes, Lima, the Sacred Valley, and the Amazon. One of, if not the largest factors in having such a wonderful experience, was the people on my programs. I met some of the most interesting, unique, fun people that I made such strong connections within in the first day or two of each program. Not to mention, the group leaders were fantastic; they were extremely interesting people, who did so much more than just lead our group and make sure that we were safe. Through my experiences in Peru, I learned so much about this world as well as myself. We did so many incredible things between the two programs, and while not everything was not what I quite expected, I had an incredible time last summer.

My Summer in Peru with Rustic Pathways was incredible. I was able to experience so many aspects of the culture, environment and people. Living with Host families gave me the chance to really see and understand the way people live there and to see how kind and generous they are. Seeing the textile factory and the Market showed me how the people in Peru work and gave me insight into their economy. Hiking and camping to Machu Picchu was breathtaking. The key factor in all of these experiences was the fun time that I had during each activity. The Program Managers and the other kids made every day fun and interesting. I made life long friendships. I saw amazing mountains, rivers, sunsets and the most stars I have ever seen in a night sky. Rustic Pathways exceeded my expectations in every way imaginable. I cannot recommend this trip enough.

My time with Rustic Pathways in Peru was an experience I will never forget. It was my first time going on a trip with Rustic, and also my first time traveling alone. My sister went on the exact same trip the year before, and as soon as she came home I wanted to sign up immediately. The night before I left I was so nervous, I called my sister in tears crying about how I was terrified that I wasn’t going to make friends and didn’t want to go. Little did I know that I would have the experience of a lifetime that would change me in so many ways. I was greeted with big smiles at the airport and instantly made friends that I still talk to on a daily basis. We had a very small group, which I loved because we were very close from the start of the trip. There were 4 girls and 8 boys on my trip which is very rare, so the four of us girls got super close super fast. In Peru, I got to meet new people, experience a new culture, step way out of my comfort zone, and had the best time of my entire life! It was mentally and physically challenging at times, but I think that is why I grew so much as a result. If I could give one tip to someone traveling with Rustic, I would say go into it with a completely open mind, because you never know what you will experience—be open to new friendships, new cultures, and new adventures!

I absolutely loved this trip from the moment that it began! My group and group leaders were amazing and helped me learn so much about myself as a global citizen. The trip itself was the perfect mix of intense community service, adventurous excursions, delicious food, and cultural and historical experiences. I also loved how small the group was and how almost no one knew each other before the trip, making it easy to make deep and meaningful connections with the people around me. I am sure that my new friends and I will stay in touch! The most impactful part of the trip for me was our group's discussions of what meaningful community service is, which helped me redefine what my notion of helping others. I realized that rather than thinking that we ourselves were transforming the town, we instead were supporting the community and working as best we could alongside them.

Rustic Pathways changed my life and the way I see travel. In 2018 I traveled to Peru on RP’s La Niña Andina: Andes Women’s Initiative. Being one of only two guys on the trip I had no idea what to expect. As soon as the plane landed I new it was going to be incredible. The landscape was absolutely breathtaking and the local culture so rich and thriving. We went to a rural village for homestays, an experience which brings you so close with local culture and takes you to places you wouldn’t normally. In Morrocco, the culture was so different it was shocking. We taught lessons in a language none of us knew and that sense of accomplishment was the best feeling ever. The local children were so kind and made the village we stayed in feel like a new home. Because of Rustic Pathways, I now have homes all around the globe and ties with more people and places than I could ever imagine.

Traveling to Peru was an amazing cultural experience. For our service, we helped bring potable water to a community in the Sacred Valley. We did manual labor to dig trenches and lay down the pipes, with the help of the homeowners and members of the community. Seeing the whole community work together to bring water to their neighbor’s house was so interesting to me, because even though I am friendly with my neighbors at home this was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The community brought us in and treated us like family, and seeing how grateful they were that we wanted to help them was a truly humbling experience. The food was probably the best food I’ve ever had, mainly chicken or beef with vegetables and soup. I also had the pleasure of trying alpaca, which was amazing, even though I was hesitant to eat it at first. Overall, the relationships I made with not only my group but also with Peruvian citizens is not something I could have ever experienced at home.

I loved my trip with Rustic Pathways. They allowed me to enjoy so many life-changing moments. I was able to become friends with people that I would never have met without them. I still keep in touch with these people very often. The leaders were nice and made the trip so much fun. It's crazy to me to reflect on some of the amazing memories I made on my trip. From playing cards with friends in the Amazon rainforest to sitting on the roof of a school in the Andes, my experience was amazing. I am so happy that I went on this trip, and I cannot wait to go on another one with Rustic Pathways. I got to meet so many new people and learn about different cultures. I enjoyed playing with the little kids at the school while they taught us all the new words in Spanish.

This summer, I went on the Lake Titicaca Service Adventure trip with Rustic Pathways and I really enjoyed it. I decided on Peru because I always wanted to travel to South America. Throughout the trip, I was immersed in the unique and amazing culture of Peru. It was like nothing I had ever seen before in my life. Over my two weeks on the trip, we saw Machu Picchu, stayed in many different cities such as Arequipa, Puno, and Cusco. Along with this, we did service work in a small village on the beautiful Lake Titicaca. The trip was very fun, but my main reason for traveling was the service aspect. I love helping people out who really need it and Rustic Pathways really helps to connect you with the people who need it most. The village we stayed in was poor, but the people really enjoyed their lives there and were so happy to have us stay there because they knew they could trust Rustic Pathways students. Rustic Pathways, over the last few years, built a strong connection with this community and it was just amazing. Along with this, the leaders were awesome people. Both my leaders were people who I could easily go to for help. They seemed like less of authoritative figures to me, but more of friends. They really made sure that every student was enjoying the trip to the fullest. Also, I made many great friends with the other students on the trip. I found common interests with other students and actually hung out at home a few months after the trip. I enjoyed this trip to Peru so much and I wish I could go back. To anyone contemplating going on the trip, I would say to go for it. I was not very sure if this was the trip for me when I first signed up, but I stuck with it and it was one of the greatest times of my life. This trip opened my eyes to the world, gave me more independence, and overall helped me grow as a person