See Machu Picchu and Volunteer
A trip to Machu Picchu is seen by many as a spiritual journey. Now you can combine such a journey with an opportunity to volunteer in a Peruvian community. The project has “voluntourists” building much-needed stoves alongside community members and experiencing a home stay.
Visitors and local people work together building adobe stoves which improve the air quality inside homes. The stoves have pipes to carry smoke outside and away from living areas. They replace inefficient, unvented stoves that fill living quarters with smoke, resulting in upper respiratory problems and eye infections.
The 13-day Lima-to-Cuzco tour also includes visits to various archeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Monthly departures year-round are $1,820 per person (double) for most land arrangements. For information on Planeterra’s programs, see www.planeterra.org or call 416-260-0999.
Planeterra Foundation is a global non-profit dedicated to sustainable community development through travel. It was founded in 2003 by Gap Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Planeterra evolved out of a long history of travelers committed to finding ways to give back to the people and places they visit.