Further Information
Volunteer on community programs in Peru

The Spanish Classes

Spanish classes are ESSENTIAL for those Volunteers with no previous Spanish experience and highly recommended for those who want to brush up on their Spanish language. The Spanish course is 40 hours, with four hours a day one-on-one tuition for the first two weeks. The Spanish courses available in the school range from beginner and intermediate, to advanced levels. The classes have an emphasis on grammar and conversation. During these first two weeks, you will concentrate on Spanish homework in the afternoons. See dates and costs for prices

Adventure Activities

Arequipa’s geographical position, near to the Colca Canyon and the Valley of the Volcanoes, gives volunteers the opportunity to go on some amazing weekend excursions. For a small extra fee (see dates and costs for more information) volunteers can join a guided Three-day Trek and Explore of Colca Canyon, additional trips include a day’s mountain biking trek and a horse-trek, as outlined below:

Three-day Trek and Explore of Colca Canyon

Rising early on the first day, you will leave Arequipa at 5am and take the bus to the village of Cabanaconde for lunch, and to prepare for the descent into the Colca Canyon. You will hike for four hours, finally arriving at San Juan de Cuccho where you will rest, have supper and sleep. After breakfast on the second day you will continue trekking, passing through Cusñirhua, Malata, Paclla and Belen; finally arriving at Llahuar after five hours for a well-earned rest, lunch, swim and early night. Rising at 3am on the third day, you will begin the ascent, to arrive at Cabanaconde at 7am where you will breakfast and take the bus to Cruz del Condór to see the famous ‘flight of the Condor’. From here you head back to Chivay to have lunch, before heading to bathe at the thermal hot-springs nearby at Calera. Once fully soaked, you will head back to Arequipa in the evening.

Day’s Biking through the Local Villages in Pichu-Pichu

You will leave Arequipa at 7am and spend the day biking through the traditional and beautiful villages of Paucarpata, Sabandía, Characato, Mollebaya, Pocsi, Piaca, Tuctumpaya, Mosopuquio, Cacayaco and Chiguata, before finally arriving back in Arequipa, some 7-9 hours later, depending on your biking speed and how long you want to take in each village!

Horseback Riding

You can spend a morning or afternoon horse trekking around the breathtaking Peruvian surrounding area. It usually takes you to for two hours in the saddle, though if you want more this can be arranged!

There are an abundance of other activities available in the area that volunteers can enjoy, including trips rafting, volcano-climbing and mountaineering. Advice and recommendation for these can be given once you are in Arequipa. You can also travel to Cusco and trek the Inca Trail to the world famous Inca City, seeing the epic Machu Picchu and the stunning waters of Lake Titicaca. Alternatively, you can easily travel to neighbouring Chile and Bolivia, or if you just fancy a weekend at the beach, it is just over an hour’s drive away!