Nineteenth century explorer, Antonio Raimondi, once referred to Peru as a "beggar sitting on a bench of gold." Indeed, Peru's riches include more than just gold. The richness and diversity of the Amazon rainforest, the fabulous cuisine and textiles of Cusco, and the wonder and magnificence of Machu Picchu are only some examples of the culture, beauty, history and nature that make up Peru. Still, with so much to offer, Peru continues to struggle with poverty, social unrest and threats to biological and cultural diversity. Almost half of Peruvians live below the national poverty line despite a billion dollar mining industry, fertile land for agriculture, almost 2,500 km of coastlines, a growing textile industry, tourism and more. Foreign investment and government corruption have redirected the country's wealth and resources away from its people. The government has, in turn, sought out foreign aid and free trade policies that complicate the situation.
Come visit Peru with Global Exchange and experience its splendors first-hand while forming an understanding of issues such as globalization and trade, resource allocation and privatization, and community development. Meet Peruvians from various social and economic backgrounds and visit historic sights along the Inca trail, including Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
- Visit "The Surfing Tribe Program," a dynamic program for street children that revolves around surfing
- Visit the Veronica School a safe house for young women rescued from sexual exploitation
- Meet with local activists for social justice
- Meet with women's collectives, teachers, and those working for children's rights
- Explore the Imperial City of Cuzco
- Visit Machu Picchu
- All accommodations in 3 star and above hotels. Price is for shared double room - we can usually pair you up with a roommate.
- All in-country transportation
- Two meals per day
- Tour leaders and guides
- All program activities and translation
- All entrance fees
- Preparatory reading materials
- Global Exchange membership
- Donation to NFS
- Honorarium to Organizations
To register, please send in your application form and a deposit of $400. Payments by Mastercard, Visa and Discover are welcome. Deposits are non-refundable unless the trip is canceled by Global Exchange as explained below.
Please note: We must meet a minimum number of trip participants on every trip, so please register early!
To ensure that all participants can plan accordingly, the minimum number of participants must be reached within 30 days before departure, or the trip will be canceled. If the trip cancels registered participants can choose to receive a full refund or transfer to a future group. Once a trip is confirmed (reaches the minimum # of participants) registrations may be accepted up to 30 days before the departure date.
This trip will be as diverse as possible in terms of race, age and life experiences. In some cases, a limited number of partial scholarships are available for low-income applicants.