Strive Peru

Program Overview

Learn from your leaders and trip-mates – about service and how we can serve others well, about how to improve as an athlete (whatever your level), about how to find your way up a 14,000 ft mountain, or even how to nail the perfect llama-selfie.

  • Be more than a tourist as you settle into life in the Andes, get to know the spectacular town of Pisac, and befriend people around town (especially those that serve breakfast)

  • Explore the Sacred Valley by foot (if you’re a runner) on dozens of miles of beautiful dirt roads along the Urubamba River, push your limits at the gym, or take on some Peruvians in soccer or basketball.

  • Take a plunge into the natural thermal hot springs of Lares, nestled into the cloud forest tucked away behind the mountains, for some recharging and relaxation.

  • Try to count the stars at your campsite at 13,000 ft. en route to Machu Picchu. A cup of hot cocoa will help;  it’ll take a while.

  • Marvel at the sunrise over Machu Picchu – there’s a reason it’s been dubbed one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Let the memory sink in and share it with the new friends you’ve made.

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Dates & Fees

  • Dates: 2027 Dates Pending

  • Program Fee: $4595 + $2500 Airfare

  • Deposit: $500

  • What’s Included: Lodging / meals / local transport / programming

Flights and Travel

  • Flight and travel details will be shared directly with approved applicants closer to departure. This will include recommended arrival airports, arrival windows, transportation plans, and important travel notes.

  • Welcome Home

    In Peru’s Sacred Valley, Strive student-athletes will enjoy settling into their Andes lodging in the colorful town of Pisaq.  Located at over 9000 ft. (3000m) above sea level and about 40 minutes down the mountain from the ancient city of Cusco, Pisaq is best known for its Sunday market and giant Inca fortress towering on the hill overlooking town.  With imposing (sometimes snow-capped) mountains in every direction, patch-work fields rimmed by vast 500-year-old terracing, and a night sky you have to see to believe, it’s easy to lose track of time as you take in the beautiful views.

    Service

    All service work begins with learning how to serve others. Before we pick up a shovel or step into a classroom, we’ll make sure we understand the complex idea of what it means to offer help as an outsider, what we’re qualified to do, and how to make sure our work is creating a positive, long-term, sustainable impact.

    The service projects that we do work on are always community driven and therefore often change from year to year. Projects that our students have undertaken in the past include working as teachers’ assistants in local school, helping tutor local students in free after-school programs, and even promoting health and fitness through local sports days and our annual Pisaq 5K road race.

    Lastly, there may be days where you need to “get dirty” – clearing the local running track of brush, helping paint a building, or even helping dig at an ongoing Inca ruin excavation.

    Athletics

    The dirt roads hugging the curves of the Urubamba River will be your main training grounds if running is your passion.  If you’re not a runner, the training facilities on-site are available to meet your needs. You’ll be able to work out daily in the gym or even take a bike out along the river roads. There truly is something for every athlete: basketball courts, soccer fields, and just about anything your inner athletic soul could desire.

     

    Adventure

    The daily views and experiences are only the beginning of your adventure. On the weekends, you’ll enjoy day-trips through the Sacred Valley which may include: attending a professional Peruvian soccer match, hiking up a 14,000 ft peak, exploring the Pisaq ruins, or simply spending your free time bartering in the market and immersing yourself in Andean culture. The Sacred Valley always has more to offer than the time you have in country.

    Finish your trip with a 4-day hike to Machu Picchu that travels over some original Inca trails and see why this incredible city was recently named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

    Accommodation

    Upon initial arrival in Peru you’ll meet your group leaders in Lima and fly as a group to Cusco where our private transportation will meet us and bring us directly to Pisaq. You’ll stay at the beautiful Chaska Wasi Hotel, a tranquil location on the river banks with the rooms set around a beautiful, sunny courtyard perfect for a game of cards, a solitary reading session, or a group meeting.

    Language Opportunities

    You don’t need to know Spanish in order to participate in Strive-Peru programs. That said, some knowledge of Spanish will help and you’re certain to get more out of your trip if you try to engage with the local people. If you have studied Spanish in the past, being surrounded by the language during this program will only enhance your ability to converse. It’s a wonderful opportunity to surround yourself with Spanish to improve your language abilities.

    If you are new to Spanish or wish to improve your Spanish before your trip, we highly recommend taking part in the Strive Spanish Immersion Program. Many of our students have voiced enthusiasm over learning Spanish during the trip, with a majority expressing a wish for a longer program. With this in mind, we have added an optional week-long program for students who wish to immerse themselves in Spanish language during their trip. 

    If you’d like to improve your language ability, but don’t have time to take part in the Spanish Immersion Program week, Spanish lessons can also be arranged during the main Strive program as well for an additional hourly fee.

  • This schedule is flexible and will change from trip to trip, based on the wants and needs of each particular group of students. We are always tweaking and altering our itineraries – particularly the weekend day-trips – to best suit the individuals of each trip and to account for the inevitable unpredictability that comes with travel in a foreign country. This is a sample schedule of what programs in the past have looked like. Your trip will likely look similar, but remember, this is YOUR trip and we design the trip around YOU.

     

    Day 1: Arrive this evening in the pre-determined departure airport for your group (Most groups meet in MIA). All students will be met by group leaders outside the ticket check in counter at the pre-determined departure airport and then fly as group to Cusco. We’ll do basic introductions and then hopefully get some sleep on the flight to Peru. 

    Day 2: The group will arrive to Cusco, where our private bus will pick us up from the airport and drive us through the mountains to your new home at the Chaska Wasi Hotel in the village of Pisac. Spend the afternoon getting used to the altitude, making new friends, and planning your three-week adventure!

    Day 3: Continue exploring Pisac, getting to know your trip mates and staff, and start to learn about the service you’ll be doing – maybe even visit one of the projects you’ll be working on! In the afternoon, (if your body is feeling up to it) join the group on a first easy run along the river through the mountains.

    Days 4-7: Use the cool mornings to get in a workout before enjoying a breakfast of smoothies, fruit salads, pancakes, and/or egg sandwiches at the local market. During the day, spend your hours learning about, planning, and then doing service work. You might be helping with English pronunciation in a reading classroom, clearing ground at an active Inca ruin excavation, or even cleaning poop out of the monkey habitats at the local animal rescue sanctuary. Get home in time for some rest or a second workout. Have dinner with your new friends before an evening where you might have a Strive Talk from your college interns, game night, or just free time to relax. 

    Day 8: Get in a long run or other workout in the morning and spend the rest of the day exploring the city of Cusco – visiting Inca sites, food markets, and even catching a Peruvian soccer match!

    Day 9: Run, workout or take a rest day in the morning before leaving for a day hike into the Andes. You can explore the the expansive ruins overlooking the town or even set your sights on the infamous 14,000 ft. “Mt. Doom” which towers, craggily, over the whole valley. Have lunch way up on the ridge overlooking the Sacred Valley and then hike back down for an afternoon exploring the famous market!

    Days 10-14: Delve into Pisac! Continue your rhythm of working out in the mornings while the weather is cooler before tackling your service work for the day. Get in an afternoon workout when you get back before dinner with the group and activities or free time in the evening.

    Day 15: Strive Field Day and 5K! One of the service projects you’ve probably been working on has been planning and promoting these two great events. The 5K is a (now) annual road race put on by Strive for the local people of the Sacred Valley and Cusco and Field Day is an annual sports and games day for kids put on in conjunction with the local school. Whether you’re helping set up and run the obstacle course, handing out water at the 5K, or running in the famous Strive 4x400m relay, it’ll be a day to remember!

    Day 16: Make the pilgrimage from Pisaq to Calca! A great Strive tradition to tackle one of the most beautiful long-run (or bike) routes you can imagine. In Calca, Zaandra, a long-time friend, hosts us in her family’s hacienda for a picnic of local food, including “cuy” (guinea pig – a Peruvian delicacy)!

    Day 17: Get in an easy run before a beautiful drive over a high mountain pass and down into the cloud forest where we’ll spend the day relaxing at the Lares Hot Springs. What better way to chill before departing for the hike to Machu Picchu? Say “Adios” to Pisaq and spend the night in Cusco before an early departure for the trek!

    Day 18-20:  Buenos Dias! Our private bus brings us to the start of our hike in the Andean town of Soraypampa. Spend the next four days bonding with your trip-mates as you trek through the stunning high mountain passes, following a route of the Incas some 500 years earlier.

    Day 21: Arrive at the incomparable Machu Picchu in the morning and spend the whole day exploring this New Wonder of the World. Catch the train out and arrive late back in Cusco to a warm quiet bed.

    Day 22: After breakfast (and maybe even a run if there’s time!), we’ll have a final wrap up meeting where we review what we learned before saying a final “hasta luego” to our new friends and to Peru. From there you’ll fly with your leaders back to the pre-determined airport in the US and then on to your final flights home! 

    • Tuition includes: All lodging, meals, beverage with meals, coaching, ground transportation, excursion entry fees, training facility entry fees, community service placement and support, group tips for in country assistance.

    • Tuition does not include: International airfare which must be purchased through Strive (see Flights tab), Visa charges, overweight luggage fees, snacks and beverages outside of meals, personal spending, massages and sports therapy services, internet or cell phone access fees, tips for additional assistance (e.g. sports massage, etc).

    • Deposit Due: $500 upon acceptance

      Full Program Payment Due: TBD

    • Payment Plans – Payment plans are available upon request. Simply contact us for details. We’re happy to help you and your family work out the plan that will make your trip a possibility!

      Financial Aid – We have scholarships and financial aid available for qualified high school applicants. Please visit our Financial Aid page for more details

  • View our frequently asked questions here

  • View our Language Immersion Program here

A welcoming sign on a pink wall with a thatched roof, reading "Bienvenidos al Mirador de Jnti Huata" with mountain scenery in the background.
Ancient Incan ruins at Machu Picchu with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
People in traditional colorful costumes with masks and feathered headdresses dancing on a street in a rural area with mountains in the background.
A diverse group of children and two adult teachers in a classroom engaged in a learning activity around a wooden table, with educational posters on the wall.
A group of people hiking on a rocky trail in a forested area with sunlight filtering through trees.
A group of hikers resting on a grassy hillside in a mountainous landscape with tall, rugged, snow-capped peaks in the background.
Assorted fresh fruits including grapes, apples, bananas, and watermelons on display at a market stand.
Group of children and a young man smiling outdoors with terraced mountains in the background.
Group of students working on artwork at school desk, with some drawing and others looking at the camera, in a classroom with wooden furniture.
A young man in a red shirt and cap smiling while holding a yellow card with a child's drawing of a house, trees, and the word "Mi casa."
Display of various baked goods including pastries, Danish, cookies, and bread in a bakery display case.
Group of tourists posing in front of Machu Picchu with mountains in the background.
A young man smiling while holding a child upside down in an outdoor setting with a group of children and adults, mountainous terrain in the background.
Three people trail running on a dirt path in a mountainous landscape with green fields, trees, and a clear blue sky.
Three young women posing together on a hillside overlooking Machu Picchu ruins in Peru, with other tourists exploring the ancient site.
A young man and woman dancing together in a classroom with a group of students sitting and standing around watching.