Volunteer in Peru - Cusco | Most Affordable Projects

Volunteer in Peru - Cusco | Most Affordable Projects

Location
  • Peru
    • Cusco
Length
1 to 24 weeks

Program Details

Language
Spanish
Age Min.
17
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)

Pricing

Starting Price
475
Price Details
The costs include:
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Accommodation
- Meals
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Visa
Sep 30, 2024
Jul 28, 2025
94 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Volunteering Solutions, in association with the local organizations and NGOs, offers some interesting and affordable volunteering projects in the city of Cusco. Despite the popularity of Peru as a tourist destination, much of the population still lives in poverty, especially in rural areas. You can be a volunteer and meaningfully contribute towards the lives of these people. You can choose to volunteer for Teaching Project, Kindergarten Program, Disabled Care Project and others, depending on your areas of interest!

Students who wish to become dentists in future can also choose the Dental Elective Program and gain first-hand work experience by shadowing the professionals. Also, being such a culturally rich country, volunteering in Peru will help you to broaden your horizon and learn more about the country's history, heritage and lifestyle!

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

Volunteers appreciate the warm host families, supportive staff, and meaningful work with children and in healthcare settings.

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. Learn more about how Volunteering Solutions is promoting ethical volunteering.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Choose from a range of 8 different programs available in Cusco, for a minimum duration of 1 week to a maximum of 24 weeks.
  • Get a chance to do some meaningful work and gain incredible experience.
  • Go and explore the Inca Trails - hike up to Machu Picchu, and walk down the trails of Sacred Valley.
  • Go for the Rainbow Mountains trek and be amazed by nature's beauty.
  • Learn more about Peruvian culture & heritage.

Popular Programs

Medical volunteer in peru

Volunteers working in the medical volunteering program make a genuine contribution to staff working within Peru’s health clinics and medical centers. Volunteers mainly work in medical clinics which provide care and treatment to the people residing in the poor and underprivileged areas of Cusco.

Program Reviews

4.80 Rating
based on 108 reviews
  • 5 rating 82.41%
  • 4 rating 14.81%
  • 3 rating 2.78%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.45
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.8
  • Value 4.6
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 9 - 16 of 108 reviews
Giovanna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Programa Médico em Cusco

Foram 4 semanas muito proveitosas, conhecer uma nova cultura e praticar o espanhol foram os pontos fortes da viagem.
As pessoas aqui são muito amáveis e gentis. A host family foi incrível, sempre muito atenciosos e dispostos a ajudar, também sempre nos receberam com comidas deliciosas, sentirei falta.
Outro ponto positivo foi fazer amizade com outros voluntários de todo o mundo, os quais manterei o contato.
O programa médico em si foi um pouco bagunçado no início, pois não havia uma escala de trabalho a qual deveríamos seguir, então ficávamos perdidos. Depois de um tempo, quando descobrimos os médicos que gostariam de serem acompanhados, a experiência foi melhor...
Temos muito tempo livre para explorar a cidade e os arredores nos finais de semana.
Recomendo a experiência! Com certeza levarei para a vida (:

Pros
  • Experienciar uma nova cultura
  • Host family perfeita
  • Há tempo para turistar
Cons
  • Transporte público caótico
  • Água não é potável
  • Os carros não respeitam os pedestres
302 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Giovanna,
Thanks for leaving a review for the volunteer experience in Peru. We look forward to having you again in our programs soon as well. Glad to know that you made friends with other volunteers from around the world and enjoyed the experience at the project as well as stay with the host family.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Evan
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cusco!

Overall, I had a great time in Cusco. There certainly were highs and lows during the trip (which I expected) but I made some great memories and met some fantastic people from all over the world. The staff for Volunteering Solutions are very communicative and trustworthy. My host family was amazing and made some fantastic food. The excursions we did were so fun and had some breathtaking views! The health center I worked at had some really friendly nurses and doctors who really wanted to help me learn and gain medical experience. However, there was some slight disorganization and some doctors preferred to not work with the volunteers

Pros
  • Awesome host family
  • Great excursions
  • A ton of free time to explore the city
Cons
  • Wallet stolen on bus (be careful!)
303 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Evan,
Thanks for leaving us a review. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience in Peru and had a great experience overall. We hope to have you back in our programs again soon.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Madi
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Really cool experience

I really liked this experience. Towards the end of my stay I started to become more comfortable with our work and I felt like I was trusted by the nurses more. For the first two weeks though, I didn’t feel very helpful and mostly watched the nurses work. There could have been a little more organization when it came to where/with who we should be working with, because occasionally I would invite myself into a certain room and they wouldn’t have work for me to do. I think this is very valuable and a great experience despite all this.

258 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Madi,
Thanks for leaving us a review. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience in Peru and had a great experience overall. We hope to have you back in our programs again soon.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Diana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Medical Experience in Peru

Excellent program in an amazing city. Everything was so much fun, definitely must know Spanish to come or you will not get to do much. Everything was well organized and the managers were always available if you had questions. I will be very sad leaving. The tours were wonderful, Cusco is such a pretty place. The city also feels relatively safe compared to other places and the locals are all very kind. We made so many friends that we met. You are also given a lot of freedom to explore and encouraged to go out and about.

Pros
  • Being in cusco
  • helping others
  • The tours
Cons
  • The altitude (if you get sick)
  • It’s a bit cold
264 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Diana,
Thanks for leaving us a review. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience in Peru and had a great experience overall. We hope to have you back in our programs again soon.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Oscar
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing time in Cusco

I had a great experience volunteering in Cusco. I have met incredible people and the local staff in Peru (Jeny, Frida & Keli) have been amazing. The host family has been also perfect.

The project itself was also great. I chose a teaching project in a high school. My days at the school were busy and very well appreciated. Most of the students are eager to learn English and I'm proud to have been a part of the impact these experiences will have on the students. Everyone was very helpful and eager to share experiences, which made every moment worthwhile.

I spent the long holiday by visiting Machu Pichu, Titicaca Lake, and Arequipa. During the holiday I also trekked montaña de siete colores with other volunteers.

I highly recommend Volunteering Solutions to anyone who is looking to volunteer in Peru.

Pros
  • Host family
  • Culture & excursions
  • Coordinators
Cons
  • There is no heating in the house
157 people found this review helpful.
Amalia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best time in Peru!

I have never been so happy with kids who were so thankful and appreciated me being there. The project was wonderful and is making a difference in the lives of the children. The coordinator and the host family was both nice and it really helped to be in touch with Jenny on WhatsApp group along with other participants. The host family made sure there was enough good food and we all had a comfortable stay. I have a lovely time going to Machu Picchu with other volunteers. Thanks Volunteering Solutions for such a great experience!

Pros
  • Makes a difference in the lives of children
  • Nice to meet so many other volunteers
Cons
  • A bit more time at the project, but then it is something which is unto us I guess.
156 people found this review helpful.
Beatriz
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering Solutions Summer Programe

The experience was incredible! The host family is Cusco was eager to share their culture and they became a second family to me! And what to say about my host mum in Iquitos Jenny? She was the kindest person I have ever met!
Working with the kids was a great experience in order to learn about peruvian culture and working for the community!
In addition the contact with thd orgsnozation was fluent in every moment, they were in constant supervision of the whole experience to make sure I was having a great time!

Pros
  • Learning new culture
  • Get ti explore Peru
  • Go out of your confort zone
Cons
  • Mosquitos
122 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Beatriz,
Thanks for leaving a review of your experience on the Peru Summer Program with Volunteering Solutions. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience on the trip and also had a great time with the host family. Thanks for recommending the program to others.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Kam
3/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteer Solutions - Volunteering Programme Peru

I enjoyed the experience and found there were challenges I hadn't expected.

I think the course could be better organised in some ways, such as communicating excursion itineraries in advance and giving more thought to how volunteers are put together and who they are placed with (in terms of the host family). My homestay experience was very uncomfortable from the perspective that I was paired with someone significantly younger and better able to speak Spanish. I was also treated differently by the host family and it is not quite clear to me why. They were a nice family but notably treated me as less favourably than the other volunteer.

More time could be allocated to volunteering, and the local support could be more easily accessible and responsive.

Peru is a beautiful place. The excursions on the whole were very good but I often only found out about arrangements very shortly before - in some cases, the late night before when the leave time for the excursion was 4am the next morning.

I was also not provided the link to review the experience whilst the other two volunteers in my group were and the coordinator followed up with them more than once to ensure it was completed. I requested this link several times, the coordinator ignored me after I left Peru and I was sent this eventually by the head of local coordinators.

Pros
  • Excursions
  • Safety
Cons
  • Communication
  • Homestay
114 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Kam,
Thanks for leaving your review about your experience on the Peru program. Staying with host families is the highlight of stay in Peru for majority of our participants and we are ourselves very surprised to know that you did not have a good experience with the host family. In regards to providing you accommodation with another participant of similar age, it is not always possible as we have participants of different ages in the programs and during the time you were doing the program we did not have anyone of your age. We would definitely take your feedback constructively and make improvements wherever possible. Thanks for joining the program in Peru.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Questions & Answers

The site says "Pre-med, nursing, and medical students" and biomedical science is like a pre-med degree, so we assume the answer is yes. Contacting the program for their answer is also never a bad idea :)

Yes they can do that.