STUDENT CULTURAL IMMERSION & EXCHANGE
Student Cultural Immersion & Exchange
The Sacred Valley, Cusco & Machu Picchu
Participate in a valuable cultural immersion with locals who are consciously preserving their ancestral Andean culture. This unique opportunity to experience and authentically engage in an Indigenous point-of-view opens doors to a rich cultural exchange and affords a life changing experience based in Peru’s Sacred Valley.
Designed for students to experience the excitement of becoming part of the new culture at hand. Participate in the varied components that make this an educational experience of a lifetime: hands on participation in educational, cultural, and agrarian service projects, cultural exchange with local students, special events and guided reflections, combined with visits to renowned archeological sites of the Quechua Nation on this educational journey, including Machu Picchu.
Savor the ambiance of the Sacred Valley, find yourself surrounded by breathtaking scenery, and begin your exploration of the Inca legacy with Quechua descendants. Visit ancient sites, colorful markets, and partake in an ancient living culture rooted in agriculture. Immerse yourself in the spirit of this Inca land. Discover the elegant simplicity of Andean people and celebrate our customs, cuisine, music and dance. Admire our arts. Assist in plowing the soil with ancestral tools. Delve into our philosophy; understand our history and way of life. Improve your Spanish. Converse. Discern the incomparable continuity and vitality of an ancient living culture. Enrich your perspective. This unforgettable cultural immersion experience is sure to enhance your spirit.
What to Expect
Destinations: The Sacred Valley, Cusco & Machu Picchu.
Description: High altitude, mountainous terrain with scenic drives, walks and day hikes. Details depend on special interest focus for some programs.
Altitude: Cusco (11,152 feet), Pisac area (9,751 feet), Amaru community (11,619 feet); and Machu Picchu (7,972 feet).
Length: 10 days / 9 nights, customizable.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Physical Activity: Our student programs are physically active. The community service and activities can be strenuous. Expect to spend most of each day outside, working, hiking, and walking, in all weather conditions. You do not need to be perfectly fit to participate, but it is important that you like being physically active, and are excited to try all activities.
Category: Rustic Boutique (3-star level).
Available: Small Private School Group.
Pace: Moderate, with time for personal reflection.
Interests: Cultural & Culinary, Andean Heritage including textiles and music, Spirituality & Worldview, Sacred Geometry, Astronomy & Agronomy, Social Projects.
Dates: We specialize in weaving hand-tailored journeys for each school’s needs, customizing each program with no set dates. Please contact us to begin coordinating.
Extensions: Add on extensions if you want to explore more. View all extensions here.
Travel Information: Click here for more information and FAQs.
Accommodations
Based out of Pisac Inn on the historic plaza of Pisac in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, our small charming hotel is comfortable, full of artistic details and old-world flair that celebrates local Andean heritage. Settling into your room for the duration of your stay with no packing and unpacking allows you to create a personal relationship to the local land and people. Staying at Pisac Inn offers a unique travel experience.
Meals
Savor a series of delicious and nutritious meals so you may explore the diversity and richness of Peru’s ancient agrarian heritage. Peruvian cuisine is a highlight of the trip, featuring an exclusive daily set menu creatively designed and prepared by the Inn’s renowned restaurant, Cuchara de Palo, the Wooden Spoon. We use the finest local products with the clear intention of celebrating the diversity of legendary ingredients that are fresh, organic and native of Peru. Meals not included in program will be at recommended restaurants. Vegetarian and special diet available with prior coordination. We invite you to experience Peru’s culinary explosion.
Socially Responsible Tourism
This opportunity to travel with an internationally certified Socially Responsible Travel company adds value to your travel experience. Please see our Sustainability Section to learn more about our vision, our commitment to socially and environmentally responsible tourism, our cultural projects, and our certifications.
Kusi Kawsay Andean School
This is a unique opportunity to engage in a social educational project, Kusi Kawsay Andean School, that is making a huge impact on educational models through a dignified education that respects Indigenous cultural identity, empowering youth, girl’s equity, protecting the environment, and by advocating for human rights and social justice. The agrarian project Kusi Ñan Organic Farm practices rural agriculture through the wisdom of ancestral Andean practices, which holds the solutions to ensuring global food security, tackling climate change and ensuring sustainability for a livable future. Kusi Kawsay was honored with the 2021 UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Award.
Amaru Traditional Community
This is a unique opportunity to visit and engage with a traditional community that is preserving their ancestral Andean way of life. The wisdom of the Amaru community members is the inspiration of all the Kusi Kawsay Association projects.
Unucha Spa Treatments
Unucha Spa treatments inspired by the ancestral legacy of Andean pre-Columbian healing tradition offer a unique opportunity for deep relaxation and personal reflection. Try the herbal bath and massage combo. Reservations are required and we suggest making appointments ahead of time because space is limited. Treatments are not included in trip price.
Trip Highlights
- Experience the Sacred Valley of the Incas stepping back in time, visiting its finest archeological sites, picturesque villages and colorful markets.
- Participate in hands on communal service projects.
- Live the excitement of becoming a part of the new culture at hand.
- Savor exquisite Peruvian cuisine.
- Stay at Pisac Inn; settle into your room at Pisac Inn in the quaint town of Pisac for the duration of your stay. No packing and unpacking allowing true interaction to evolve.
- Engage in an authentic cultural immersion organized and hosted by Fielding, an American and Roman, a native Peruvian; the perfect combination to meet student needs and guidance.
- Participate in the varied components that make this an educational experience of a lifetime: hands on service, cultural immersion with local students, special events and guided reflections combined with visits to archeological sites.
- Visit a traditional community and participate in their communal workday ~ a cultural exchange that deepens the appreciation of Quechua history and social life.
- Marvel at Machu Picchu, one of the new 7 wonders.
- Visit Cusco, capital of the vast Inca State, navel of the ancestral world.
- Join in our commitment in the diffusion, protection and celebration of the endangered Andean traditions and cultural heritage. Traveling with us directly supports sustainable tourism and cultural projects.
- Receive an official certificate of recognition and gratitude for volunteer participation.
- Enrich your life. Expand your horizons.
The Andes… where sacred corn grows and iridescent hummingbirds emanate their joy. The Andes… snow peaks soaring in the distance over charming communities, Inca sites, and quaint village markets. The Andes… a profound heritage wrapped in layers of colorfully elegant wisdom and contemporary sophistication.
Prices
- Small private student group prices are determined upon request, and are based on number of travelers, time of year, and final customized itinerary
- Once the trip is booked by submitting on online Booking Form, and the down payment is made, you will receive a digital Travel Pack with detailed information, including a recommended reading list and a packing list.
- The cost of tour is in U.S. dollars per person.
- Small private student group sizes are recommended to be a minimum 8 & maximum 12 passengers; with flexibility.
- Prices per person are based on double occupancy – a single room has an additional cost, upon availability.
- Customize your trip with hotel upgrades, add on special events, activities, and extensions.
- Taxes may apply.
- Programs and prices are subject to change and availability, and may not be applicable on some dates and holiday seasons.
Included
- Airport transfers and all ground transportation upon arrival to Cusco in a private tourist level vehicle.
- Private, specialized, professional, English speaking native guides on excursions and during special events.
- Entrance fees to all historical sites on daily excursions.
- Cultural events with local Andean specialists.
- Fresh, organic meals celebrating Peruvian cuisine as on program.
- Charming accommodations, standard double occupancy.
- Partcipation in volunteer projects at the Kusi Kawsay Andean School & Kusi Ñan Organic Farm, exceptional educational projects that honor Andean tradition with elements of Waldorf pedagogy, and Apu Runawana in the traditional community of Amaru.
- Tourist class train from Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo.
- Tourist class bus Aguas Calientes -Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes.
- Entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Special events and activities not included in program
- Spa treatments
- Tips or donations
- Meals eaten out as indicated on program
- Snacks or beverages not included at mealtime
The Experience
Cultural Immersion and Exchange: Our Student Program is designed to provide the opportunity to learn about another culture and personally engage with our community by creating meaningful relationships through authentic cultural immersion and exchange experiences with locals who are committed to practicing their ancestral Indigenous culture. Our projects are dedicated to protecting and promoting Andean cultural heritage through sustaining traditional culture & belief systems. We cultivate a rich network that encompasses social projects focused on cultural preservation, education and agriculture through the Kusi Kawsay Andean School and the school’s Kusi Ñan Organic Farm in the town of Pisac, and the Apu Runawana Association of the traditional community of Amaru in the highlands above Pisac. Our Student Programs include cultural immersion with participation in these valuable projects, and will be customized according to each school’s objectives.
Our Student Program opens doors to participate in authentic cultural exchange in small rural community projects. Engaging in the daily life of locals allows for mutually enriching exchange to evolve naturally. You may participate in projects such as clearing an area, mud plastering, or painting a building; environmental agrarian work such as plowing, weeding, planting, harvesting, seed selection; educational projects such as assisting teachers, teaching English, or sharing games with local children. The community participation will depend on which activity is most needed at time of visit, and will be determined for each program. The students will receive a certificate recognizing their cultural immersion and community service.
Language Practice: Proficiency in Spanish is not necessary, but students who study Spanish in school will have opportunities to practice while communicating with local people and students who do not speak Spanish will have the opportunity to learn some basic language skills. We can include Spanish or Quechua classes in the program, with amazing local teachers. All levels welcome!
Additional classes, workshops and events: We can include cooking events, music workshops, language classes, drawing workshops, sacred geometry classes, team building dynamics, Andean games, and reflection circles with prior coordination.
Outdoor activities: Local treks, horseback riding, river rafting and biking can also be part of your Student Program with prior coordination.
Independent Project Focus: In addition to community service combined with additional classes, workshops, and events, we can design the program to focus on specific independent projects based on your school’s objectives. The program can focus on learning the history of Andean ancient culture through field trips to archeological sites with time for interactive class time and drawing at sites; or learning the complete process of dyeing, spinning and weaving and working with local women of the Apu Runawana Association of Amaru.
Your approach: Come with an open mind eager to participate in new experiences. Show interest in exploring another culture, and engaging in our traditional way of life and values. Come with respect. Be flexible, and show sensitivity towards others. Be ready for collaboration, and to live simply. Embrace collectiveness and reciprocity. Understand the importance of cultivating community.
The Difference
We are a local Peruvian business that operates in the Sacred Valley, affording a profoundly authentic insiders’ version through an Indigenous voice.
We are internationally certified by TourCert as a socially responsible business, dedicated to preserving our local Andean heritage.
We are founding members of the projects you will be part of during your customized Student Program. We live in the Sacred Valley, and share our life commitment with you.
Our Student Programs directly benefit and positively impact our social projects, involving local people throughout the entire program.
We open doors for you to personally engage with our community members who are consciously practicing their ancestral heritage and are actively decolonizing our traditional ways of life and values.
Our Student programs provide an opportunity to interact with our youth, who carry our Andean heritage while living in modern times.
We believe that through educational cultural immersion and exchange, we can play a role in empowering and preparing the future decision makers in our world, ensuring an enriching perspective for positive change based on dignity and social justice for humanity, with a focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion content.
Andean culture is rooted in environmental practices and values that can ensure an ecological balance for our future.
Being a Waldorf inspired school and community, our programs are especially compatible with Waldorf communities.
Kusi Kawsay Andean School and Ñawpa Ñan Cultural Events won the 2021 UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award.
Below are sample itineraries which can be handcrafted to fit each schools’ interests and travel style.
ASK US
Text or WhatsApp at +51 956 291 687 or email fielding@kawsaypaq.com
If you have questions, are interested in receiving more detailed information, or would like to talk further about designing a program please get in touch!