PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS• DiscovertheWonderandBreathtakingVistasof
MachuPicchu
• AssistinaSustainableDevelopmentProjectinaRemote
QuechuaVillage
• LeadActivitiesandMentorStudentsataPrimarySchool
• WhitewaterRafttheExhilaratingUrubambaRiver
• WalkintheFootstepsofIncasintheFamedSacredValley
• ExperienceAge-OldTraditionsofPeruvianCulture
• WandertheCobblestoneStreetsofCusco
• 30HoursofCommunityService
Spotlight Project: Sustainable Development Project
This year we have been presented with a unique opportunity to assist a rural Peruvian community in creating a mi-
crobusiness to increase revenue for their village. Through this project, we will learn about local sustainable develop-
ment through guinea pig farming and building a greenhouse. Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and
culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and we get a first-hand
look at how this method creates a sustainable environment in the local community. Guinea pig, locally known as
‘Cuy,’ is a staple in the Peruvian diet. We donate breeding guinea pigs and construct their cages, enabling families to
raise them for consumption and revenue. We also fund and assist the community in building a greenhouse to allow
for a longer growing season, which will be a source of income and food throughout the year. This project allows us
unique access to village homes and a culture very different from ours. With this new project, we are continuing our
commitment to being a part of the growth of these Peruvian communities!
ARCCPrograms|Peru:SacredValleyService
Days 1 - 2: Travel to Cusco
ParticipantsmeetattheMiamiInternationalAirport(MIA)inMiami,Florida.Afterabrieforientation,weboard
ourovernightgroupflighttoCusco,Peru,ahigh-altitudecitynestledatover11,000feetintheAndesmountain
range.Accommodations: Overnight Flight
SACRED VALLEY SERVCE
Day 3: Cusco Exploration
AfterabrieflayoverinLima,welandinCuscoandsettleintoouraccom-
modation.Soonafter,wetakethedaytoexplorethishistoriccapitalofthe
IncaEmpire.Wewanderaroundthetraditionalartisanmarkets,experience
ourfirsttasteofPeruvianfood:delicioussoups,potatoes,yucca,andspicy
peppersanddiscoverthemanyhiddenplazasandsidestreetswithcolorful
balconiesoverhead.Wegettoknoweachotherthroughgames,activities,
andicebreakersandintroducetheroleof“LeaderoftheDay,”anessential
componentofeveryARCCprogram.Accommodations: Hostel
Day 4: Travel to Patabamba
Today,webeginour journey into theheartof theSacredValleyandget
acquaintedwiththelocalcultureinPisac,hometothelargestfortress-city
complexoftheIncas.WetakeinthefascinatingruinsincludingtheTemple
of the Sun and other religious, agricultural andmilitary structures. Later
weventureintothecenturies-oldPisacmarketfullofcolorfultextilesand
vibrantpeople.Thiseveningwesettle into thesmallcommunityofPata-
bambawhereourSustainableFarmingProjectbeginstomorrow.Accom-
modations: Schoolhouse
ARCCPrograms|Peru:SacredValleyService
Day 8: Urubamba River Whitewater Rafting
OurraftingadventuredowntheUrubambaRiver isanexcitingdayof
playintheSacredValleyoftheIncas.Westartthedaygettingoutfitted
withallofthenecessarysafetygearandcompleteoursafetybriefings
from the riverguides. We then jump inour rafts andexperience the
thrillofconqueringClass IIIandIVrapids! Wehavelunchatascenic
spot along the river and explore the surrounding land. Accommoda-
tions: Hostel
Days 5 – 7: Spotlight Project: Sustainable Farming Project
Thismorningweawakeinthesmallruralcommunitylocatedontheplains
ofthePampadeAntaregion.Surroundedbyawe-inspiring,glacier-
cappedmountains,thisvillageishometoaboutfiftyQuechuafamilies.
TheQuechualiveofftheland,dedicatingthemselvestofarming,sheep
andcattle-herding,andcultivatingnativecrops.Werelishtheopportunity
toexperiencetheeverydaylifeoftruedescendantsoftheIncasandwe
arewelcomedintothecommunitywithopenarms.Werollupoursleeves
tohelpcommunitymemberscreatetheirmicrobusiness.Allourefforts
willgreatlyimprovetheirabilitytomakeanincomeandprovidefortheir
families.Duringdowntime,wemayswiminthelakeorteachinformal
Englishlessons.
Aftersuccessfullycompletingourproject,wesaygoodbyetothisincredi-
blywarmandwelcomingcommunity.Wearesadtogobutthankfulforthe
positiveandlastingimpactweleavebehindonthecommunity.Wetravel
backtoCuscowherewehaveachancetotakehotshowers,relax,and
prepareforourwhitewaterraftingadventuretomorrow.Accommodations:
SacredValley–Schoolhouse/Cusco–Hostel
Day 9: Zig-Zag Train to Aguas Calientes
TodaywedescendintotheSacredValleytoOllantaytambo,oncetheroyal
estateoftheninthInca,Pachacuti,oneofthemostimportantIncarulersbe-
causeofhisroleinexpandingtheIncaEmpirethroughoutSouthAmerica.
Ollantaytambostillretainstheoriginalstreetplanandfoundationsdesigned
bytheIncas.WeexplorethecobblestonestreetsandobservetheFortress
andremainsofthesuntemple,takingtimetosoakinthelocalculture.In
theafternoon,weboardourtrainheadedforAguasCalientes,asmallvillage
andentrypointtoMachuPicchu.Wetakeinthebeautyofthefamouszig-
zagtrainroute,gazingthroughtheexpansivewindowsthatextendover-
head.UponourarrivalinAguasCalientes,weenjoydinnerandrestbefore
ourfulldayinMachuPicchutomorrow.Accommodations: Hostel
ARCCPrograms|Peru:SacredValleyService
Day 10: Machu Picchu
Our day begins aswewatch the sunrise overMachu Picchu, one of the
mostbreathtakingscenesintheworld!Afterlotsofphotographs,webegin
ourguidedtourofMachuPicchutogetaninsider’slookatthisremarkable
UNESCOWorldHeritagesite.Welearnabouttheancientcivilizationofthe
Incasandrevelinthestructuresmadefrompreciselyplacedstones.Asone
oftheNewSevenWondersoftheWorld,MachuPicchu’smajestytakesus
backintimeaswestepintotheTempleoftheSunandcrawlthroughend-
lessstonepassageways.Thisonce-in-a-lifetimeexperienceprovidesuswith
anewfoundbaseofIncaculture,knowledgeandtraditions.Afterafullday,
weboardourtrainbackintotheSacredValleyandenjoybeautifulviewsof
theAndes.Accommodations: Hostel
Day 11: Sacred Valley
Weexploremoreof theSacredValleyand itswonderful treasuresaswe
makeourway toour final serviceproject. Our first stop is at the Inca’s
mysteriouscroplaboratory,Moray.Possiblybuilttostudydifferentclimate
conditionseffectoncrops,theMorayarethreemassiveamphitheatersof
incredibleengineeringprecisionandstern,magnificentbeauty.
After lunch,aneasystroll throughrollingfarmlandandviewsofthehigh
Andesbringsustooneofthebest-keptsecretsintheregion,Salineras,a
still-functioningIncasaltmine.Thissurrealandbeautifulpatchworkofpools
andpathscarvedoutofthesideofan Andean mountain is an incredible
sightyouwon’tsoonforget.LaterintheafternoonweheadtoChinchero,a
quietlittletownknownforitsoutdoorweavingstudios,terracedIncaruin,
andintricately-frescoedcolonialchurch.Wegetagoodnight’srestbefore
divingintoservicetomorrow.Accommodations: Hostel
Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:
Whitney Hall | Regional Director: [email protected]
www.adventurescrosscountry.com
Days 12 – 13: Urubamba Service Project
Forthenexttwodays,wejoininonacommunityefforttotutorelementa-
ryschoolchildreninUrubamba.Justlikethecommunitywiththesustain-
ablefarmingproject,thisareaisonethatwehaveanon-goingrelationship
with.Wespendourdaysworkingatapre-schoolwherewearewelcomed
bylotsofexcitedchildren.Theschoolprovidesahavenofsupportive
teachersandresourcesforthestudents.Webecomementorstothe
childrenasweengageindifferentactivitieslikeEnglishlessons,teaching
physicaleducation,oraconstructionprojecttohelpimprovethecenter,
andtheyinturnleavealong-lastingpositiveimpactonusaswell.
ARCCPrograms|Peru:SacredValleyServicewww.adventurescrosscountry.com|415.332.5075
Day 14: Departure Day
Eventuallyallgoodthingsmustcometoanend.Wewavegoodbyeto
CuscoandbeginourjourneybacktoMiami.OncewearriveinMiami,we
geteveryonetotheirconnectingflightshome.Thememoriesoftheexpe-
rienceandthegroupwillcarryusthroughtonextsummer!