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Fantastic 4.54rating (29)

Cusco Kindergartens, Machu Picchu & the Andes

location
2 - 2 weeks  ·  Age 17 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Assist the teachers at a rural nursery school outside Cusco, where classes of around 20 children aged three to five often run on very limited resources.
  • Hike to the summit of Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain at 5,020m, past herds of alpaca and llama and the red rock of the Valle Rojo.
  • Tour Machu Picchu with a guide for two hours, then stay on to walk up to the Sun Gate or simply sit and take the citadel in.

Highlights

  • Assist the teachers at a rural nursery school outside Cusco, where classes of around 20 children aged three to five often run on very limited resources.
  • Hike to the summit of Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain at 5,020m, past herds of alpaca and llama and the red rock of the Valle Rojo.
  • Tour Machu Picchu with a guide for two hours, then stay on to walk up to the Sun Gate or simply sit and take the citadel in.
  • Take the train through the Urubamba gorge from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, with a night in Machu Picchu pueblo before the early start.
  • Volunteer around four hours a day, Monday to Friday - roughly 28 to 32 hours across the fortnight, with full-day excursions replacing work on trip days.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 17+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Two weeks in Cusco assisting at a rural nursery school, with guided weekends at Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

    Two weeks, and genuinely both halves of it

    Most short volunteer trips end up being mostly one thing or mostly the other. This one is deliberately split down the middle: you spend your weekdays assisting at a community project in Cusco, and four separate days of the fortnight are given over to guided ...

    About the program

    Two weeks, and genuinely both halves of it

    Most short volunteer trips end up being mostly one thing or mostly the other. This one is deliberately split down the middle: you spend your weekdays assisting at a community project in Cusco, and four separate days of the fortnight are given over to guided excursions that would take real planning to organise yourself. Around 28 to 32 hours of volunteering, and the headline sights of the Sacred Valley, both arranged for you.

    The placement

    Most volunteers are placed in a rural nursery school on the edge of Cusco, working alongside Peruvian teachers with groups of roughly twenty children aged three to five. These kindergartens run on very little, so an extra pair of hands genuinely changes what the staff can do in a day – you will be leading games and creative play, helping with learning activities, and giving individual attention that a single teacher with twenty children simply cannot. Between late December and February some volunteers instead assist at rural day care centres, where the children range from six months to four years old.

    Work runs about four hours a day, Monday to Friday. You get there by public bus with the other volunteers, which turns out to be its own education in how Cusco actually works.

    The excursions

    Four full days are set aside. Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain is a 4:30am departure and a three-to-four-hour hike from 4,326m to a 5,020m summit – hard work, and worth it. Humantay Lagoon is the other high-altitude hike. The Sacred Valley day takes in Moray, Maras, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo before the train to Aguas Calientes, and the following morning you are at Machu Picchu for a two-hour guided tour and free time afterwards.

    One thing to be clear about

    Despite what you may expect from a two-week Cusco programme, this trip does not include trekking the Inca Trail – that is a separate four-day hike requiring permits booked months ahead. You reach Machu Picchu by train and bus, which means you arrive rested and with a full day to enjoy the site.

    Minimum age 17. A clean criminal background check is required, and under-18s need a parental consent form. Beginner to intermediate Spanish is not required but will make the placement more rewarding.

    Typical day

    Day 1 – Arrival in Cusco. Met at the airport or bus station and taken to your volunteer residence or host family. From 3:00pm, orientation followed by a walking tour of the city to get your bearings.

    Day 2 – Placement introduction. The local coordinator collects you around 8:00am, takes you to ...

    Typical day

    Day 1 – Arrival in Cusco. Met at the airport or bus station and taken to your volunteer residence or host family. From 3:00pm, orientation followed by a walking tour of the city to get your bearings.

    Day 2 – Placement introduction. The local coordinator collects you around 8:00am, takes you to the project, introduces you to the staff and shows you the route you will take each day by public bus.

    Days 3–5 (Tue–Thu) – Volunteering. Roughly four hours a day at the nursery school: games, learning activities, creative play and general support for the teachers.

    Day 6 (Fri) – Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. No volunteer work. Pickup at 4:30am from the Plaza de Armas, breakfast at Pitumarca, then a three-to-four-hour hike from K'ayrawiri (4,326m) to the summit at 5,020m. Alpaca and llama herds, the Red Valley, and back in Cusco around 6:30pm.

    Day 7 (Sat) – Rest day. Cusco's markets, museums, churches and cafes – or do very little, which after Vinicunca is a reasonable choice.

    Day 8 (Sun) – Sacred Valley and the train. A 6:00am start for a full day at Moray, Maras, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo, with a traditional lunch in the valley. Then the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, and a night in Machu Picchu pueblo.

    Day 9 (Mon) – Machu Picchu. No volunteer work. A short bus ride up to the citadel, a two-hour guided tour, then free time to hike to the Sun Gate or explore. Back in Cusco around midnight.

    Days 10–12 (Tue–Thu) – Volunteering. Back at the project for your final stretch, by which point the children know you and the work gets considerably more rewarding.

    Days 13–14 – Humantay Lagoon and departure. The second high-altitude hike, then farewells and your transfer out.

    Note that excursion days replace volunteer days rather than being added on top – the total comes to roughly 28 to 32 hours of volunteering across the fortnight.

    Free-time activities

    You volunteer around four hours a day, Monday to Friday, so afternoons are yours and so are the weekends that are not already taken up by the scheduled excursions.

    Cusco itself

    You are living in one of the most walkable historic cities in South America. San Blas, the artisan quarter up the hill, is ...

    Free-time activities

    You volunteer around four hours a day, Monday to Friday, so afternoons are yours and so are the weekends that are not already taken up by the scheduled excursions.

    Cusco itself

    You are living in one of the most walkable historic cities in South America. San Blas, the artisan quarter up the hill, is the obvious afternoon: steep cobbled lanes, workshops and viewpoints over the terracotta roofs. The Qorikancha shows the Inca stonework the Spanish built a convent directly on top of, and the ruins at Sacsayhuaman are a half-hour walk above the city. The San Pedro market is where to eat cheaply and well. The Plaza de Armas at night, with the cathedral lit, is where everyone ends up.

    Afternoons and evenings

    Volunteers tend to cluster around the cafes on and around the Plaza. There is a decent live-music scene, salsa classes are easy to find and cheap, and Spanish lessons can be arranged locally by the week – several volunteers do this alongside the placement and find the project far more rewarding for it. Chocolate and ceramics workshops are popular for a rainy afternoon.

    Beyond the included trips

    The programme already covers Rainbow Mountain, Humantay, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. If you want more, the Palccoyo alternative rainbow mountain is a gentler hike, the South Valley (Tipon, Pikillacta, Andahuaylillas) is quieter than the Sacred Valley and just as interesting, and rafting on the Urubamba and quad-biking at Maras are easy day trips. Longer add-ons include Lake Titicaca and the Amazon basin at Puerto Maldonado – both better suited to extending your trip at either end than to a weekend.

    A note on pacing

    At 3,400m, and with two high-altitude hikes and a 4:30am start already built into the fortnight, most volunteers find they want the free days to be genuinely free. Your in-country coordinator can book add-on tours, and they are also available in advance through your online account.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 17 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 17 years old on the program start date.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level) or Spanish (intermediate level)

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    CV, Insurance, Passport and parental consent(for under 18)

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    No qualifications or previous experience are required. Beginner to intermediate Spanish is not a condition of joining but makes the placement far more rewarding, as the teachers and children speak little English. Be proactive rather than waiting to be directed. Adults provide a clean criminal background check; under-18s need parental consent. Fitness matters more here than on most programmes - the Rainbow Mountain hike reaches 5,020m.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 09:00 - 14:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Included

    • Airport pickup at Cusco (CUZ) – or a bus-station meeting point if you arrive overland
    • Accommodation for the full fortnight with a host family or at the volunteer residence
    • Three home-cooked meals a day, Monday to Friday
    • Orientation, a walking tour of Cusco, and your placement at the project
    • A local coordinator on the ground and 24-hour support
    • Pre-departure guidebook
    • Certificate of completion, on request

    Excursions included – this is where most of the fee goes

    • Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain – transport, guide and breakfast
    • Humantay Lagoon hike – transport, guide and breakfast
    • Sacred Valley tour – Moray, Maras, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo, with lunch
    • Machu Picchu – entrance ticket to the sanctuary and a two-hour guided tour
    • Return train Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, and the return bus up to the sanctuary
    • One night in a shared double room in a hotel in Machu Picchu pueblo

    Not included

    • International and domestic airfare
    • Travel and medical insurance – mandatory, available through us at low cost
    • Vaccinations and visa fees (most nationalities enter Peru visa-free as tourists)
    • Meals at weekends, and meals in Aguas Calientes
    • The Sacred Valley tourist ticket, around 130 PEN – paid locally, so bring soles for it
    • Personal spending, laundry and local transport beyond the programme

    A one-off application fee of USD 249 applies on top of the programme fee. It is valid for a year, so a second programme within that window costs no extra application fee, and returning volunteers get USD 50 off. Programme fees can be split into interest-free instalments, with the balance due 45 days before departure.

    One scheduling note: the Peruvian government caps daily visitor numbers at Machu Picchu, so the exact day of your Machu Picchu visit may shift within the fortnight. The visit itself is guaranteed; the day is not fixed.

    Airport Pickup at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport

    Airport pickup from Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco (CUZ) is included. The local coordinator or a representative will be waiting at the airport door holding the VolSol logo and your name, and will take you to your host family or the volunteer residence.

    If you are travelling overland, or are already in Peru, pickup is arranged at a bus station or another agreed meeting point instead – just confirm your plans with the team in advance.

    Most volunteers connect through Lima. Arrive on your programme start date; orientation and the Cusco walking tour run from 3:00pm on that first afternoon.

    Give yourself a gentle first day. Cusco is at roughly 3,400m and altitude affects almost everyone to some degree on arrival. The schedule allows for this, but drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol, and accept the coca tea.

    Accommodation

    You stay with a local host family in Cusco, which for most volunteers turns out to be the part of the trip they talk about afterwards. You share a room with other volunteers on your start date, so you have company from day one and someone to navigate the city with.

    Most host homes have two bathrooms with hot showers, and many have Wi-Fi and cable TV. The accommodation is simple, clean and comfortable rather than luxurious – this is a family home, not a hostel. A volunteer residence is used instead in some cases depending on availability and the season.

    You will be part of a cohort arriving on the same start date, sharing the same orientation, accommodation and excursions. July and August are the busiest months if meeting a lot of other volunteers matters to you.

    The one night in Machu Picchu pueblo during the Sacred Valley leg is in a hotel, in a shared double room, and is included in your fee.

    Food & Beverages

    Three home-cooked meals a day are provided with your host family, Monday to Friday, and they are included in your fee. Lunch is the main meal in a Peruvian household and generally the best of the three – soups, fresh salads, rice, potatoes, a main dish, juice and often a dessert. The menu changes daily.

    Weekend meals are your own, apart from the breakfasts and the Sacred Valley lunch that come with the scheduled excursions. Cusco makes this easy and cheap: the San Pedro market does a full lunch for very little, and the city is well supplied with cafes and restaurants at every price.

    Vegetarians and volunteers with allergies or other dietary requirements are straightforward to accommodate – note it on your application form and mention it again to the local team and your host family when you arrive. Drink bottled or filtered water; it is inexpensive and widely available.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) in Cuzco. We assist you to find cheap flights to Peru. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Peru provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Peru you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Peru. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Start dates: weekly, year-round. The itinerary runs on a fixed weekly cycle, so arrival is on the programme start date.

    Airport: Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Cusco (CUZ). Most people connect through Lima. You will be met at the airport – or the bus station, if you are arriving overland – and taken to your accommodation.

    Altitude is the thing to plan for. Cusco sits at about 3,400m and most people feel it on the first day: breathlessness on stairs, a headache, poor sleep. Take the first day genuinely easy, drink far more water than feels necessary, go light on alcohol, and use the coca tea that will be offered to you. If you can build in a day or two in Cusco before your programme starts, do – the Rainbow Mountain hike on day 6 tops out at 5,020m and is much harder on an unacclimatised body.

    Visa: most nationalities enter Peru visa-free as tourists for up to 183 days. Check your own requirements before booking.

    Spending money: budget for lunches, weekend meals and local transport. Note the Sacred Valley tourist ticket (around 130 PEN) is not included and is paid locally.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program Fees

    $681 per week 2 - 2 weeks Age 17 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    2 - 2 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.5
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Americas > South America > Peru > Cusco

    Meet your project coordinator

    Sahil
    29
    reviews
    4.54
    Fantastic
    2007
    Founded

    Verified

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    1. - 1. Jan 1

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