GUIDE PERU SUMMER 2019 28 DAYS
WHERE ARE YOU GOING? PERU Ready for adventure? Settle into the vibrant culture of Cusco; exploring streets blazing with colours and alive with fiestas before setting off into the wild. Trek to Choquequirao, Peru s other lost city; hike past majestic glaciers, through cavernous valleys - cut by green glacial rivers and surrounded by dizzying white peaks; camping in the wild and enjoying the brilliant stars throughout the pure Andean air. A visit to Peru isn t complete without a pilgrimage to Machu Picchu so make your way there before dawn to watch the sun rise over the glorious Inca citadel. The purpose of this brief is to introduce your expedition opportunity. It will give you a feel for the destination and the type of activities that you will be involved in. We hope this brief snapshot will leave you feeling inspired and wanting more! HIGHLIGHTS Trek in the spectacular Andes Explore Machu Picchu - one of the wonders of the world Help on a community or environmental project Try sandboarding in the desert oasis of Huacachina WHAT IT S LIKE... PHYSICAL RATING: Very demanding expedition. CULTURE SHOCK: A definite difference to what you are used to. ALTITUDE: The team will trek for periods up to 4800m. VISA: Not required for British nationals. DESTINATION FACTS RELIGION/S: Catholic. CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL INTEREST: There are at least 15 tribes in the Peruvian Amazon that remain uncontacted by the outside world. LANGUAGES: Spanish, indigenous languages. GEOGRAPHY: Split longitudinally into four main regions (west to east); arid Pacific coast, Altiplano desert interior, Andes and rainforest. CLIMATE: Dependent on region and altitude. Rainforest hot and humid. Altiplano and Andes dry with warm summers and cold winters.
WHAT IS AN? Expeditions are a life-changing experience, a chance for young people to go on a fun and educational journey with their friends. Most expedition destinations are third-world or developing countries, allowing students to not only experience stunning parts of the world but also witness a vert different way of life, often with the chance to immerse themselves in the culture through project work. HOW IT WORKS... EXPEDITION TIMELINE EXPEDITION LAUNCH 1 2 3 4 5 ITINERARY DEVELOPMENT FUNDRAISING EXPEDITION BRIEFING EXPEDITION TRAINING DEPARTURE DAY FUNDRAISING Our expeditions are made up of four main phases; acclimatisation, trekking, project and rest & relaxation. During the build-up we put students in the driving seat, allowing them to finalise their itinerary Acclimatisation Trekking Project R&R Arrive in country and spend some time getting used to the new culture whilst planning your next phase and changing currency. You may take part in a trek during - either a cultural trek through villages or an attempt to summit a nearby mountain! Dedicate some time to helping on a project - either community or environmental based, often working with local people. Treat yourself to some Rest & Relaxation! This usually involves a few days on a beautiful beach, reflecting on your expedition.
EXAMPLE ITINERARY The below itinerary has been created by our Expedition Planner as a guide. DAY 1 Depart on your flight from the UK. DAY 2 DAY 3-5 DAY 6-10 DAY 11 Arrive in Lima and take time to adjust to your new surroundings. This is a good time to orientate yourself; buy any supplies that you need and contact your trekking guide and project contacts. Take a flight to Cusco - an ancient Andean city famous for its colonial architecture, lively atmosphere and Incan ruins. Spend time getting to know the city and acclimatising to the higher altitude (over 3300m). Over the next five days you will be volunteering on your community project to ensure that the local culture is encouraged and protected, whilst benefiting from the influx of tourism to the area. Return to Cusco and prepare for your multi-day trek. DAY 12-19 DAY 20-21 DAY 22-23 DAY 24 DAY 25-26 Travel to the little village of Cachora where your trek begins. For eight days you will be trekking through some of the most beautiful surroundings in Peru - passing mountain peaks over 4500m! After completing your trek take the train to Aguas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu. Spend the next day walking round these incredible ruins, taking in the amazing views and stay overnight in Aguas Calientes where you can soak in thermal hot springs. Return to Cusco ready for your onward travel for your rest and relaxation phase. On the evening of day 23 travel overland to Huacachina on the Pacific coast. You can rest, relax and celebrate your team s accomplishments over the last few weeks. You may even fancy the idea of sandboarding on the magnificent sand dunes, or even book onto the overnight desert experience. Travel back to Lima and enjoy a final night in the capital to look back over all your achievements. DAY 27-28 Bid Peru a fond farewell and fly back to the UK for your homecoming. Due to the changing nature of the world over the build up period, Outlook may be required to change aspects of, or the order of the itinerary. Outlook will consult with the Link Teacher/Group Leader and all participants if this is the case.
ADVENTURE PROJECT At the Itinerary Development Day, with guidance from one of our destination experts, the team will be able to choose from options to finalise their itinerary. The choices may include the project they work and where they go for some rest and relaxation! Choquequirao, often translated as the Golden Cradle has many similarities to Machu Picchu, though this archaeological site is larger in scale. It was abandoned in 1572 and there is much speculation as to its use and importance in Incan history. The ruins themselves are less commercially exploited and far quieter than Machu Picchu and the trek in to the ruins will take you through various micro-climates, before arriving at the citadel itself. Once at the ruins you will take a day out to catch your breath and explore this archaeological site in greater detail, only 30% of it has been restored. Visit the section of the palaces, the liturgic fountains, the temple of the high priest, the section of the llamas and the Ushnu. Trek even further North, eventually joining up with the Rio Santa Teresa and finishing at Aguas Calientes. Experience the historical jewel of South America - the stunning Inca city of Machu Picchu. Built on the mountain top overlooking spectacular forested mountains and valleys; the city is one of the best preserved ancient sites in the Americas. It is also one of the world s greatest wonders. Ascend the steps up these amazing ruins for spectacular views and an incredible experience. Your hike will set off early to allow you the maximum amount of time to explore the ruins and the chance to glimpse an unforgettable sunrise! For some well earned rest, make a visit to the desert oasis town of Huacachina where huge sand dunes tower in all directions. Explore the dunes in a purpose built dune buggy, take in some spectacular photo opportunities and have a go at sandboarding on the golden slopes. You will be working with a community in the Sacred Valley, in collaboration with our partner organisations. They are working to ensure that the local culture is encouraged and protected whilst benefiting from the influx of tourism to the area. Work could include renovating or building the local schools and community centres, often using traditional methods. Previous teams have helped improve the homes of the locals, whether by installing kitchens or helping construct extra rooms. It is still common for families in these communities to live in one-room houses. Your particular project will be decided with the community to ensure it meets their current needs. You may help to construct a fish farm to increase food self-sufficiency and also to improve the diets of local children; or construct greenhouses so families will be able to grow vegetables that would otherwise be impossible in the high altitude environment. Alongside a specialist engineer, you could also be installing a gravity-fed irrigation system for local families. The aim here would be to increase the number of harvests each year by channelling the mountain streams.
WHAT S INCLUDED? UK BUILD UP* Itinerary Development Day Expedition Development Day Final Preparation Day TRAINING Expedition Training weekend in the UK with your Expedition Leader. LINK TEACHER TRAINING Leader Team Training including first aid. LEADER TEAM COMPOSITION At least 2 Link Teacher and an Outlook Expedition Leader. FLIGHTS International flights. INSURANCE Comprehensive overseas insurance. TRANSPORT All overseas transport. IN DESTINATION All food and accommodation. All group activities including any entrance fees. All rest and relaxation activity. WHAT S NOT INCLUDED? Spending money for gifts / souvenirs whilst on expedition. Inoculations, prophylaxis and personal medicine. (All participants based in England and Wales receive 10% discount at Nomad Travel). Visas and passports please see page 3 to see which visas are required. Personal belongings insurance (this may be covered by your household / contents insurance). Cancellation insurance. Personal equipment (e.g. rucksack, sleeping bag, waterproof clothing); all participants receive 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor. Transport to and from UK-based training courses, to the Final Preparation Day venue and from the airport. Food and accommodation in the UK, unless specified.
HOW TO LAUNCH YOUR We hope you have decided that this is the expedition for your school or group. To launch all you need to do is follow these steps: CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL MANAGER Discuss convenient dates for us to come and run an assembly and information evening. Once these dates have been agreed you will be assigned a School Account Manager. They will become your point of contact at Outlook from now until after your return from the expedition. PRESENTATION AT YOUR SCHOOL We will run an assembly presentation for your students and an information evening for students and parents at your school or venue. APPLY ONLINE Students will apply online to join the expedition and pay a deposit. phone 01248 667 250 email INFO@OUTLOOKEXPEDITIONS.COM online WWW.OUTLOOKEXPEDITIONS.COM