wonderful experience in Peru

I have done multiple solo volunteer travels in the last year, and this has been my favorite by far. Peru is a beautiful country, full of rich culture, history, and amazing people.

I have a background in medicine and work at cancer hospital, and I really enjoyed my experience at my volunteer placement. I signed up for a week trip to visit Cusco for a childcare project. I was placed at a pediatric oncological unit, where kids are unfortunately not able to visit with their families daily for various reasons. They are in isolation given their conditions, so there is a need to have volunteers be their support system during that time. It was truly an amazing experience. These kids are so special.

Cusco is a very safe city, but basic common sense and precautions are needed for anyone traveling alone to any country. It was so fun exploring the different neighborhoods, Machu Picchu (will need 1 full day to visit), and other surrounding areas. There's so much to do.

I signed up with GVN (global volunteer network), but was primarily in contact with the local support staff of a sister company Maximo Nivel. The staff was wonderful and always available for support.

If planning a trip to Machu Picchu, I would highly recommend researching different companies to visit it with. The company I was referred to, World Wide Excursions, was ok but quite a bit more expensive compared to other companies. And my experience was not as great, considering the tour guide I paid for never showed up to give me a tour.

The price is also considerably less with GVN, compared to other organizations out there. They're organized, and I truly felt safe with Maximo Nivel as well. My homestay family was also wonderful and thoughtful. The homestay had internet and was in a safe area of Cusco.

Overall, I highly recommend volunteering with GVN and Maximo Nivel.