Location
  • Peru
    • Cusco
Length
1 to 24 weeks

Program Details

Language
Spanish
Age Min.
17
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)

Pricing

Starting Price
475
Price Details
The costs include:
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Accommodation
- Meals
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare Visa
Nov 16, 2023
May 06, 2023
88 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Volunteering Solutions, in association with the local organizations and NGOs, offers some interesting and affordable volunteering projects in the city of Cusco. Despite the popularity of Peru as a tourist destination, much of the population still lives in poverty, especially in rural areas. You can be a volunteer and meaningfully contribute towards the lives of these people. You can choose to volunteer for Teaching Project, Kindergarten Program, Disabled Care Project and others, depending on your areas of interest!

Students who wish to become dentists in future can also choose the Dental Elective Program and gain first-hand work experience by shadowing the professionals. Also, being such a culturally rich country, volunteering in Peru will help you to broaden your horizon and learn more about the country's history, heritage and lifestyle!

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here. Learn more about how Volunteering Solutions is promoting ethical volunteering.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Choose from a range of 8 different programs available in Cusco, for a minimum duration of 1 week to a maximum of 24 weeks.
  • Get a chance to do some meaningful work and gain incredible experience.
  • Go and explore the Inca Trails - hike up to Machu Picchu, and walk down the trails of Sacred Valley.
  • Go for the Rainbow Mountains trek and be amazed by nature's beauty.
  • Learn more about Peruvian culture & heritage.

Popular Programs

Medical volunteer in peru

Volunteers working in the medical volunteering program make a genuine contribution to staff working within Peru’s health clinics and medical centers. Volunteers mainly work in medical clinics which provide care and treatment to the people residing in the poor and underprivileged areas of Cusco.

Program Reviews

4.79 Rating
based on 104 reviews
  • 5 rating 81.73%
  • 4 rating 15.38%
  • 3 rating 2.88%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.45
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.8
  • Value 4.55
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 9 - 16 of 104 reviews
Default avatar
Oscar
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing time in Cusco

I had a great experience volunteering in Cusco. I have met incredible people and the local staff in Peru (Jeny, Frida & Keli) have been amazing. The host family has been also perfect.

The project itself was also great. I chose a teaching project in a high school. My days at the school were busy and very well appreciated. Most of the students are eager to learn English and I'm proud to have been a part of the impact these experiences will have on the students. Everyone was very helpful and eager to share experiences, which made every moment worthwhile.

I spent the long holiday by visiting Machu Pichu, Titicaca Lake, and Arequipa. During the holiday I also trekked montaña de siete colores with other volunteers.

I highly recommend Volunteering Solutions to anyone who is looking to volunteer in Peru.

Pros
  • Host family
  • Culture & excursions
  • Coordinators
Cons
  • There is no heating in the house
67 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Amalia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best time in Peru!

I have never been so happy with kids who were so thankful and appreciated me being there. The project was wonderful and is making a difference in the lives of the children. The coordinator and the host family was both nice and it really helped to be in touch with Jenny on WhatsApp group along with other participants. The host family made sure there was enough good food and we all had a comfortable stay. I have a lovely time going to Machu Picchu with other volunteers. Thanks Volunteering Solutions for such a great experience!

Pros
  • Makes a difference in the lives of children
  • Nice to meet so many other volunteers
Cons
  • A bit more time at the project, but then it is something which is unto us I guess.
69 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Beatriz
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteering Solutions Summer Programe

The experience was incredible! The host family is Cusco was eager to share their culture and they became a second family to me! And what to say about my host mum in Iquitos Jenny? She was the kindest person I have ever met!
Working with the kids was a great experience in order to learn about peruvian culture and working for the community!
In addition the contact with thd orgsnozation was fluent in every moment, they were in constant supervision of the whole experience to make sure I was having a great time!

Pros
  • Learning new culture
  • Get ti explore Peru
  • Go out of your confort zone
Cons
  • Mosquitos
48 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Beatriz,
Thanks for leaving a review of your experience on the Peru Summer Program with Volunteering Solutions. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience on the trip and also had a great time with the host family. Thanks for recommending the program to others.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Default avatar
Kam
3/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Volunteer Solutions - Volunteering Programme Peru

I enjoyed the experience and found there were challenges I hadn't expected.

I think the course could be better organised in some ways, such as communicating excursion itineraries in advance and giving more thought to how volunteers are put together and who they are placed with (in terms of the host family). My homestay experience was very uncomfortable from the perspective that I was paired with someone significantly younger and better able to speak Spanish. I was also treated differently by the host family and it is not quite clear to me why. They were a nice family but notably treated me as less favourably than the other volunteer.

More time could be allocated to volunteering, and the local support could be more easily accessible and responsive.

Peru is a beautiful place. The excursions on the whole were very good but I often only found out about arrangements very shortly before - in some cases, the late night before when the leave time for the excursion was 4am the next morning.

I was also not provided the link to review the experience whilst the other two volunteers in my group were and the coordinator followed up with them more than once to ensure it was completed. I requested this link several times, the coordinator ignored me after I left Peru and I was sent this eventually by the head of local coordinators.

Pros
  • Excursions
  • Safety
Cons
  • Communication
  • Homestay
36 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Kam,
Thanks for leaving your review about your experience on the Peru program. Staying with host families is the highlight of stay in Peru for majority of our participants and we are ourselves very surprised to know that you did not have a good experience with the host family. In regards to providing you accommodation with another participant of similar age, it is not always possible as we have participants of different ages in the programs and during the time you were doing the program we did not have anyone of your age. We would definitely take your feedback constructively and make improvements wherever possible. Thanks for joining the program in Peru.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Default avatar
Paulina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Review peru volunteering

I was in the medical program in Cusco. It was good but it wasn’t what I was expecting. Most of the times you need to do just paper work and some nurses and doctors don’t want your help at all. But obviously there also were doctors and nurses who taught us a lot of procedures.
The house and the host family was amazing, they were so nice all the time and the food was amazing. The place is so clean and they can give you some advices about the bus, the downtown, food, etc.
Also you always feel protected and secure because the volunteer staff is always taking care of you and making sure you’re having a good time over there

Pros
  • You get to meet a lot of new people all around the world
  • You will have more experience in medicine
  • You will have a second family
Cons
  • It’s a little bit boring just to do paper work
35 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jonathan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Perú program

The experience is sensational, the families help you in everything you need, the school where you are volunteering always takes your opinion into account and always asks you for advice on how to improve.
You can ask the organization for advice on what cultural activities you can do during your stay and they are always willing to help you.

Pros
  • culture
  • family
  • voluntering
Cons
  • they control you a lot
  • they dont let you do all you want
  • the cost is so expensive
33 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Isabel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cusco medical program

Estuvo muy divertido todo lo que hicimos, la experiencia fue increíble. A pesar de que pensamos que nos dejarían hacer más cosas prácticas en la clínica, valió la pena todo. La familia fue increíble con nosotros, el lugar donde nos quedamos estuvo excelente, y Cusco en general es un lugar padrisimo con muchas cosas que hacer y gente increíble. Repetiría esta experiencia 100000 veces más!!!! Pudimos ir a muchos tours los fines de semana y entre semana conocer varias cosas, no te aburres ni un solo día aquí.

English Translation:
Everything we did was very fun, the experience was incredible. Even though we thought they would let us do more practical things in the clinic, it was all worth it. The family was amazing with us, the place where we stayed was excellent, and Cusco in general is a great place with many things to do and amazing people. I would repeat this experience 100,000 more times!!!! We were able to go on many tours on weekends and on weekdays learn various things, you don't get bored for a single day here.

Pros
  • Experiencias nuevas
  • Conocer gente divertida
  • Aprender mucho
Cons
  • Falta de inclusión a los voluntarios en la clínica
  • Mucho papeleo en la clínica
  • Poca práctica en la clínica
36 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Isabel,
Thanks for leaving us a review. We are happy to know that you enjoyed your experience in Peru and had a great experience overall. We hope to have you back in our programs again soon.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Default avatar
Laura
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing life experience!

I had the most incredible experience as my first time solo traveling! Volunteering solutions planned everything out and there was always someone available to ask questions so I never felt lost. I was able to fit in so many activities in just 2 weeks! The kids at the school were so cute and sweet and I’m so glad I was able to help in any way I could. My host family and the coordinators were all so helpful and kind and made sure I was happy and comfortable. They even made me a cake for my birthday:) Pilpintuwasi was the highlight of the trip I got a hands on experience with all the animals and had so much fun! I can’t wait to book my next adventure!

Pros
  • Manchu picchu and other tours
  • Helping the kids and animals
Cons
  • Not a lot of service in some areas
35 people found this review helpful.
Response from Volunteering Solutions

Hi Laura,
Thanks for the wonderful review of your experience in Peru Summer Program. Glad that you had the most wonderful experience with us in Cusco and Iquitos.We look forward to having you in the programs again soon.
Thanks
Team Volunteering Solutions

Questions & Answers

The site says "Pre-med, nursing, and medical students" and biomedical science is like a pre-med degree, so we assume the answer is yes. Contacting the program for their answer is also never a bad idea :)

Yes they can do that.