manu, peru - gap year

study

spanish and culture

Peru's second city, Arequipa is a colonial gem with architecture, mountains and history to keep your camera snapping away for ages. This is our base for our three week intensive Spanish course, helping to give your team the head start you need to really get the most out of your time in South America. It's not all work work work though, and we will take time to take in the sights and sounds of the local area. Sand surfing down the highest sand dunes in the world, trekking down the second deepest canyon in the world and basking in some of the most beautiful thermal springs around are some of the highlights waiting for us. This really is a region of superlatives!

where: Arequipa, Peru

what: intensive Spanish language course

how long: three weeks

manu, peru - gap year

conserve

wildlife, forests and people - we've got to work out how to live together!

A mere eight hours from Cuzco through windy jungle roads and we get to the crossing of two rivers. Another 30 minutes by dugout canoe and we arrive in the Mascoitania reserve, right on the border of the Manu National Park. Something quite so remote shouldn't be at too much risk you would think, but sadly it is being attacked from all sides. Indigenous communities in the national park, settlers coming along the road, tourist "ecolodges" appearing all the time and of course the wildlife and forests suffering more than anyone else. Bringing sustainable forestry practises to the communities, reforesting damaged areas of jungle, improving the facilities for the communities so they don't have to move on elsewhere will make up your time, never a dull moment for sure!

where: the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

what: conservation and community development

how long: four weeks

manu, peru - gap year

explore

Starting in the Inca capital of Cuzco, we start our adrenaline fuelled adventure taking on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but not before white water rafting down the mighty Urubamba river. Then, once our legs are stretched, we make our way though the mind blowing landscapes of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina until we make our way to Buenos Aires. Kayaking on Lake Titicaca, climbing Andean peaks in Bolivia, 4x4 ing across the Uyuni salt flats, horse trekking in the footsteps of the notorious bandits Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, bungee jumping over the vineyards of Argentina, the awesome Iguazu Falls, the list goes on. You'll probably be ready for a break by the time we reach the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, or maybe you'll be ready for more...

where: Peru, Bolivia and Argentina

what: adventure, trekking, culture, adrenaline, salsa

how long: six weeks

manu, peru - gap year

in a nutshell

trip summary