Further Information
Volunteer Travel to Teach in South America

Spanish classes

The Spanish lessons are one to one tutition and the school offers courses ranging from beginner and intermediate, to advanced levels. The classes have an emphasis on grammar and conversation. Those participating for 3 months will receive 40 hours of Spanish lessons, 80 hours if staying for 6 months, 120 hours for 9 months and 160 hours for those staying for a year.

Time spent in each country

Below is a rough guideline of how long you will spend in each country. Please note this may be subject to change.

• 3 months - volunteers will spend 7 weeks in Peru and 6 weeks in Ecuador.
• 6 months - volunteers will spend 14 weeks in Peru and 12 weeks in Ecuador.
• 9 months - volunteers will spend 27 weeks in Peru and 12 weeks in Ecuador. Those wishing to spend a larger proportion of their time in Ecuador can do so but you will be required to obtain a specific tourist visa.
• 12 months - volunteers will spend 40 weeks in Peru and 12 weeks in Ecuador. Again if wishing to stay longer in Ecuador you will need to obtain a specific tourist visa.

Adventure Activities

Included in the program are several trips in each country. These include an incredible three day trek to Colca Canyon: on day one you will head out early by bus to the start point in Cabanaconde to set out on a three to four hour downward trek, finally reaching the river Colca and our hostal for the night. Day two we head over through the Canyon towards another hostal. Here we can fish for trout, relax in the hot springs and enjoy the afternoon and evening. Day three starts at 2am/3am to start the ascent out of the Canyon. Reaching the ridge at 6am we then take the first bus to the “Cruz del Condor” which is the lookout point for spotting the Condors.

Also included is a day’s gravity assisted bike ride down Pichu Pichu and a day’s trip to the Salinas salt flats. This isn’t possible in January or February so an alternative trip will be put on during this time. During the program, you will undertake a week’s adventure trip, from Arequipa to Cusco to embark on the world famous Inca Trail, culminating at Machu Picchu, then heading over to fly the Nazca Lines and then on to the Parracas National Park, home to an extraordinary array of flora and fauna. The trip ends in Lima in time for your departure flight to Quito.

Ecuador offers up a weekend with the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation in the quaint town of Mindo, including an exhilarating white water tubing trip down one of Mindo’s gorgeous, churning rivers, a visit to a local hummingbird garden and a breathtaking canopying trip where you will zip down over 3 km of cable lines stretched across the cloud forest. There is also a day on horse back and trekking and a great picnic lunch at the base of a waterfall where the brave can challenge the power of the water and swim directly under the waterfall, into a natural pool at the base.

Additionally, in your own time, there are plenty of opportunities for cultural tours, museums, volcano hikes, yoga, cookery and dance classes, which have proved very popular with previous volunteers and also relaxing spas for those wanting to pamper themselves at the weekend after a hard week’s work!