Salt, Stone, and the High Pass: A Field Learning Expedition in Peru | Somos Impact Travel
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Peru · 9-day field learning expedition · Grades 9 to 12
Salt, Stone, and the High Pass
Incan and colonial Cusco, five days on the Salkantay Trail, Machu Picchu reached on foot, and a Quechua farming family in the Sacred Valley, for high school groups.
LocationsCusco, Salkantay Trail, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley
DatesSpring or summer, flexible scheduling
Program rate$3,950 per student, airfare included
The program
From Incan Stone to a 15,200-Foot Pass
This 9-day expedition moves through Cusco's Incan and colonial streets, five days on the Salkantay Trail, and Machu Picchu, closing with a farming-family visit in the Sacred Valley. At every stop the same question applies: what does it mean for multiple histories, cultures, and ecosystems to occupy the same physical space at once?
Students use Spanish in real commercial and community settings, hear indigenous knowledge at the center of every field experience, and connect Andean ecological science to the communities that have stewarded these landscapes for centuries. Daily reflection and structured journaling give them a way to sit with complexity and connect subjects.
High fitness required. The five-day Salkantay Trek crosses a pass at about 15,200 feet, with consecutive days of sustained hiking and several nights of tent camping. Rustic lodge accommodation is available as an alternative.
The driving question
How do multiple histories, cultures, and ecosystems occupy the same physical space at once? What methods of inquiry let us read those layers accurately?
Students investigate one question from four vantage points, across history, culture, ecology, language, and community.
Lenses of inquiry
01
Walking the Boundary
Cusco
Incan stone foundations sit beneath colonial walls, so the line between two civilizations runs through the buildings students visit.
02
Four Zones on Foot
Salkantay Trail
Grassland, glacier, cloud forest, and river valley show how the Inca engineered and managed land at altitude.
03
Systems Built into Stone
Machu Picchu
Terracing, hydraulics, and astronomical alignment. Incan systems thinking laid directly into the citadel and the mountain.
04
Generational Land
Sacred Valley
A Quechua farming family's multigenerational relationship with their land connects Incan agricultural science to food sovereignty today.
Program structure
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1 to 2 · Cusco
Arrival at Altitude
Acclimatization, Incan and colonial architecture, a guided city tour, San Pedro Market, and trek preparation.
Days 3 to 6 · Salkantay Trail
The Salkantay Trek
High Andean grassland, the 15,200-foot pass, cloud forest descent, coffee country, and the river valley to Aguas Calientes.
Day 7 · Machu Picchu
The Citadel as a System
Early entry with a licensed guide: terraces, water channels, and astronomy. Then train and road back to Cusco.
Day 8 · Sacred Valley
A Quechua Farming Family
A day on a family farm, a lunch grown on the property, and the closing synthesis back in Cusco.
Day 9 · Cusco
Departure
Checkout, airport transfer, and departure from Cusco.
Every Somos program runs on protocols developed and refined across 10+ years of in-country operations. On this route that means specific plans for altitude, a remote multi-day trek, and a mountain pass at about 15,200 feet.
24/7 In-Country Support
Round-the-clock emergency communication and in-country support, including on the trail.
CPR and First-Aid Certified Guides
Bilingual guides certified in CPR and first aid, with comprehensive medical kits on every activity, and a licensed mountain guide for all five trek days.
Licensed and Insured Transport
Road, rail, and site-bus transfers with vetted, licensed, insured providers experienced with student groups.
High-Altitude Protocols
Emergency action plans for every location, with medical protocols specific to altitude: Cusco sits at 11,150 feet and the Salkantay Pass at about 15,200.
10+
years of in-country operations
1,000+
travelers guided across the region
15+
indigenous community partnerships
About Somos Impact Travel
We Build the Bridge. Local Experts Do the Teaching.
Somos Impact Travel builds partnership-based learning expeditions across Central and South America, working directly with communities, mountain guiding operations, and cultural partners rather than reselling access through other operators.
Peru is a destination Somos is actively building out, with direct partnerships in Cusco, along the Salkantay route, and in the Sacred Valley. The trek's indigenous ecological lens and the Sacred Valley family visit come from direct relationships, not booked excursions. Our partners are the teachers and the protagonists of every program.
Somos was started by educators and travel leaders with decades in the region. The places we work need advocates who listen, and partners who return.
Testimonials
From Somos Travelers in Peru
"Though it was sometimes daunting to push my boundaries, Kyle's encouragement really helped me keep going and discover what I was capable of."
Vy Bownes · AMSG Peru · Peru · 2026
"He guided us through some absolutely incredible places, from the Amazon rainforest to the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu, and Cuzco. He knew the history, culture, and little details that you probably wouldn't get on your own."
Joel Koon · AMSG Peru · Peru · 2026
"One of our travelers required medical assistance which was handled immediately and expertly... If you are considering traveling with them, rest easy knowing you will be traveling in capable hands."
Zach Taylor · AMSG Peru · Peru · 2026
Detailed itinerary
Nine Days, Four Landscapes
Cusco's Incan and colonial highlands, the Salkantay Trek, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and departure.
DAY 1
Arrival at Altitude
Cusco sits at 11,150 feet above sea level, and acclimatization is not optional. Day 1 is a gentle arrival that lets students begin adjusting physically while taking in the city on foot. The historic center was built colonial-on-Incan, and the seam between the two is visible from the street.
Afternoon
Arrival at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Cusco
Private transfer to hotel in the historic center
Altitude acclimatization: rest and hydration; coca tea is available and culturally appropriate
Light orientation walk through the Plaza de Armas, the center of both the Incan and the colonial city
Cusco's stone: Incan lower courses of city walls, intact after 600 years, beneath the Spanish architecture built on top of them
Evening
Welcome dinner at a restaurant serving traditional Andean cuisine
Pre-trek preparation session: physical expectations, gear check, altitude awareness, and what to observe along the Salkantay route
EVENING REFLECTIONHow does the altitude change how you feel, and what does it tell you about the people who built a civilization at this elevation?
Overnight: Hotel, Cusco historic center Logistics: Arrival flight protocols, altitude management, light activity only, hydration, group check-in procedures
DAY 2
Incan and Colonial City Tour
A full day inside Cusco before the trek begins. Students move through the city with a guide who centers indigenous perspectives. Every block of the historic center shows two civilizations occupying the same space, and students learn to read that in the masonry beneath their feet.
Morning
Guided walking tour: Qorikancha (the Incan Temple of the Sun, now partly occupied by the Church of Santo Domingo), Sacsayhuaman fortress, and the Cathedral of Cusco
Students identify where one civilization ends and the other begins in the walls of the buildings they are standing next to
Discussion: how were stones this size cut, moved, and fitted without mortar, and what does their survival tell us about Incan construction science?
Afternoon
San Pedro Market: students practice Spanish in real transactions with vendors selling produce, textiles, and food
Artisan quarter walk: weaving, ceramics, and silverwork as living cultural practice
Final gear check and trek briefing with the guide: what students carry, terrain, altitude along the route
Evening
Early dinner and early rest ahead of the pre-dawn Day 3 departure
EVENING REFLECTIONWhat do you want to carry from Cusco into five days on the mountain?
Overnight: Hotel, Cusco historic center Logistics: Urban walking, market safety and group management, supervised independent student time, gear check
DAY 3
Soraypampa and the High Pass Approach
The Salkantay route crosses four ecological zones in five days. Day 1 runs from the trailhead at Mollepata through high Andean grassland toward base camp below the Salkantay glacier. The mountain, at over 20,500 feet, fills the skyline and sets the scale of the days ahead.
Early morning
Pre-dawn private transfer from Cusco to the Mollepata trailhead (about 3 hours)
Breakfast at the trailhead
On the trail
Trek through high Andean grassland (puna) toward Soraypampa
Guided interpretation of puna ecology: how plants, animals, and farming communities adapt to life above 12,000 feet
Incan road systems: the route follows trade and ceremonial paths connecting the highlands to the Amazon basin
Views of Salkantay peak (6,271 meters) and its glacier system
Discussion: how did the Inca move goods, armies, and information across terrain like this?
Evening
Arrival at Soraypampa camp (about 12,500 feet), dinner at camp
Journaling time and early rest
EVENING REFLECTIONWhat did the landscape tell you today that no map could?
Overnight: Tent camp, Soraypampa, rustic lodge available Logistics: Pre-dawn transfer, trailhead departure protocols, altitude management, group pacing, camp setup orientation
DAY 4
The High Pass
The Salkantay Pass, at about 15,200 feet, is the highest point of the route and one of the most demanding days of the program. Students cross from the highland Andean ecosystem into the upper cloud forest, one of the sharpest ecological transitions in South America, in a single day's walk.
On the trail
Ascent from Soraypampa to the Salkantay Pass (about 15,200 feet)
Guided discussion at the pass: the Apus (mountain spirits) in Andean cosmology, the sacred significance of Salkantay in Quechua culture, and how indigenous relationships with landscape differ from Western frameworks
Descent into the upper cloud forest as glacial terrain gives way to humid subtropical forest
Cloud forest ecology: how moisture, altitude, and temperature combine to produce one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth
Evening
Arrival at cloud forest camp, dinner at camp
Journaling time
EVENING REFLECTIONWhat did crossing the pass feel like, and what did the landscape on the other side tell you about how ecosystems layer the way cultures do?
Overnight: Tent camp, cloud forest zone, rustic lodge available Logistics: High-altitude protocols, cold weather gear, group pacing on steep terrain, summit safety assessment
DAY 5
Cloud Forest and Coffee Country
The trail descends deeper into the cloud forest and into the upper reaches of Peru's coffee-growing region. The walking is easier than Day 4, which gives students time to watch high-altitude ecology give way to subtropical agriculture, and to meet the farming families whose livelihoods depend on this landscape.
On the trail
Continued descent through cloud forest toward the subtropical valley
Visit to a coffee or cacao farm along the route: smallholder agriculture, fair trade economics, and how forest cover affects crop quality
Discussion: how do farming communities in the Salkantay valley balance agricultural expansion against forest conservation?
Shade-grown agriculture as a conservation strategy
Evening
Arrival at valley camp, dinner at camp
Journaling time
EVENING REFLECTIONWhat did the farmers you met today understand about their landscape that a scientist studying it from the outside might miss?
Overnight: Tent camp, subtropical valley, rustic lodge available Logistics: Farm visit coordination, group management in a working agricultural setting, heat and hydration management
DAY 6
River Valley to Aguas Calientes
Day 6 follows the river valley through dense subtropical forest toward Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. The terrain is gentler and the vegetation thicker as students descend toward the Urubamba River system, with the citadel a day away.
On the trail
Trek along the river valley toward the Hydroelectric Station
Train or walk from the Hydroelectric Station to Aguas Calientes (about 1.5 hours along the river)
Check into the guesthouse, shower, and rest
Afternoon and evening
Free time in Aguas Calientes: town exploration, optional hot springs, and recovery
Group dinner
Machu Picchu preparation: the framing, the questions to carry in, and the systems to look for in the architecture and layout
Early rest ahead of the pre-dawn Day 7 departure
EVENING REFLECTIONYou have walked from high Andean grassland through a glacier pass and into a river valley. What did the landscape teach you that the history books left out?
Overnight: Guesthouse, Aguas Calientes Logistics: Trail-to-station transfer, train or walking protocols, accommodation check-in, rest and recovery
DAY 7
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is one of the most studied and most visited archaeological sites in the world, so students arrive with images already in their heads. The day is designed to complicate them. The citadel was an agricultural research station, a hydraulic engineering experiment, and a cosmological map, and after five days on the Salkantay students know the landscape it sits in.
Early morning
Pre-dawn bus from Aguas Calientes to the site entrance, arriving before the main crowds
At Machu Picchu
Full guided exploration with a licensed professional guide
Agricultural terraces: microclimates, drainage, and crops at altitude
Hydraulic systems: the aqueduct and channels that delivered water to every sector without mechanical infrastructure
Astronomical alignment: solar and lunar cycles built into the architecture
Discussion: how does arriving on foot change how you experience this site?
Afternoon
Bus to Aguas Calientes and lunch
Train to Ollantaytambo, then private transfer to Cusco (about 1.5 hours)
Evening
Dinner in Cusco and journaling time
EVENING REFLECTIONWhat would it take to build Machu Picchu, and what does it tell us that it existed before Spain was a unified country?
Overnight: Hotel, Cusco historic center Logistics: Train transport, bus transfer, site terrain and altitude, large crowd management, return transport to Cusco
DAY 8
Community Visit and Cultural Exchange
After five days on the trail and a full day at Machu Picchu, Day 8 is intentionally unhurried. Students spend it with a farming family in the Sacred Valley, inside a Quechua agricultural tradition that is still practiced. There is no strenuous hiking and the schedule stays open for conversation.
Morning
Private transfer from Cusco into the Sacred Valley (about 1 hour)
Visit to a traditional Quechua farming family in a rural community
Led by a community member: 3,000+ potato varieties, native corn, quinoa, planting and harvesting methods passed down through generations, and food sovereignty today
Students join family members in light farming work suited to the season
Traditional lunch prepared by the family with ingredients grown on the property
Afternoon
Informal time with the family: conversation in Spanish at a pace the students set
Walk through the community: landscape, architecture, and daily life
Discussion: how does what you see here connect to Cusco and the trail?
Return to Cusco by private transfer
Evening
Final group dinner
Closing synthesis: the driving question revisited across every segment
Student presentations: one moment from Cusco, one from the trail, and one from the Sacred Valley that together answer the driving question
Overnight: Hotel, Cusco historic center Logistics: Road transport through the Sacred Valley, community visit cultural protocols, light physical activity only, return transport
DAY 9
Departure
Students leave Peru having moved through highland Incan and colonial history, five days of high-altitude trekking, and a day inside a Quechua farming family's life. They carry home one question investigated across history, culture, ecology, and community, with the landscape as the classroom.
Morning
Breakfast, checkout, and luggage coordination
Private transfer to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, Cusco
Departure
Logistics: Hotel departure, airport transfer, group document check, departure coordination
Impact partners
The Guides, Farmers, and Families behind this Program
These relationships come from direct partnership with a mountain guiding operation on the Salkantay route and a Quechua farming family in the Sacred Valley. Guiding, camp logistics, entrance fees, and the family lunch are built into the program cost.
Main partner · Days 3 to 7
Salkantay Mountain Guides and Camp Crew
Licensed mountain guiding operation, Mollepata to Aguas Calientes
A licensed mountain guide leads the group for all five trek days, with a camp crew handling tents, meals, and logistics along the route. The guiding carries an indigenous ecological lens: the puna, the glacier, and the cloud forest are read through Quechua cosmology as well as ecology.
At the pass, the conversation turns to the Apus, the mountain spirits of Andean belief, and to Salkantay's sacred standing in Quechua culture.
Puna ecology and Incan road systems interpreted on the trail
Summit safety assessment and group pacing at altitude
Four nights in tent camps, with rustic lodges as an alternative
All trek camping equipment and full board at camp
Student outcome: Students read a landscape through two frameworks at once, ecological and Quechua, and cross four ecological zones on foot.
Lens of inquiry question: How do ecosystems layer the way cultures do?
Community partner · Day 8
A Quechua Farming Family
Rural community, Sacred Valley
A family that has farmed the same land for generations hosts the group for a day. A community member leads the visit: traditional crop varieties, including some of the valley's 3,000+ potatoes, native corn, and quinoa, and the planting and harvest methods passed down with them.
Students work alongside family members in light seasonal farm work, then share a lunch cooked from what the property grows.
Hands-on farm work suited to the season
A traditional family lunch from ingredients grown on site
Open conversation in Spanish, at a pace the students set
Student outcome: Students connect Incan agricultural science to how one family feeds itself and holds its land today.
Lens of inquiry question: What does a family know about this land that you could not learn from a visit to its ruins?
Smallholder farm · Day 5
Salkantay Valley Coffee or Cacao Farm
A working farm in the subtropical valley below the cloud forest, where shade-grown crops and forest cover depend on each other.
Student outcome: Students see how forest cover, crop quality, and fair trade prices connect on one farm.
Lens of inquiry question: What do these farmers understand that an outside scientist might miss?
Living city · Days 1 to 2
Cusco and San Pedro Market
Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, and the Cathedral with a guide who centers indigenous perspectives, then a working market where students handle real transactions in Spanish.
Student outcome: Students read the physical evidence of colonization in the stonework and practice Spanish with vendors.
Lens of inquiry question: Where does one civilization end and the other begin?
UNESCO World Heritage site · Day 7
Machu Picchu
An Incan citadel reached after five days on foot, explored with a licensed professional guide before the main crowds.
Student outcome: Students read the terraces, water channels, and alignments as engineering and ecology, tied to the terrain they walked.
Lens of inquiry question: How does arriving on foot change what you see?
Learning outcomes
Academic and Experiential Outcomes
Indigenous Perspectives and Cultural Complexity
Incan architecture and engineering studied as ecological and systems science
Colonization as physical structure: colonial churches on Incan foundations in Cusco, studied up close
How Quechua language, traditional agriculture, and land stewardship persist and adapt in the Sacred Valley
Salkantay in Quechua cosmology: the Apus as a framework for indigenous relationships with landscape
Spanish Language in Authentic Contexts
Spanish for daily navigation, market transactions, ordering, and community interaction
Student-led navigation at San Pedro Market: independent purchasing and vendor conversation
Guided dialogue with vendors, cultural guides, and the Sacred Valley farming family
Vocabulary across registers: historical interpretation, casual conversation, and agricultural terms
Environmental Stewardship and Systems Thinking
How highland ecosystems connect to cloud forest, subtropical agriculture, and the wider South American watershed
Incan terrace and water systems at Machu Picchu, tied to the terrain students just walked
A coffee or cacao farm visit: forest cover, shade-grown agriculture, and fair trade economics
The ethics and economics of conservation: who stewards this landscape, and who benefits
Questions about land stewardship students carry home to their own communities
Outdoor Leadership and Physical Challenge
Five days through four ecological zones: grassland, glacial terrain at 15,200 feet, cloud forest, and river valley
The high pass as a shared group challenge that builds cohesion and resilience
Ecology and cultural interpretation built into every trek day
Machu Picchu reached on foot through the surrounding landscape
Personal Growth and Global Citizenship
Student agency with physical challenge, cultural unfamiliarity, and open-ended inquiry
Reflection and journaling every day, from Cusco's stonework to a Quechua family's kitchen
One question investigated through history, ecology, language, food, architecture, and landscape
Preparation before every community visit, so students never arrive cold
Before you go
Trip Preparation
Passports
Every traveler needs a passport valid at least 6 months beyond the departure date.
Flights
International airfare is included. The group arrives into and departs from Cusco (CUZ).
Travel Insurance
Comprehensive coverage is required for all students and adults, and is not included in the program cost.
Vaccinations
Consult a travel health clinic. Standard Peru recommendations apply.
Altitude Preparation
Cusco sits at 11,150 feet and the Salkantay Pass at about 15,200. Students and families are briefed on altitude sickness awareness before departure.
Fitness
High. Five consecutive trek days at altitude with a full pack day over the pass. Start regular hill walking and stair training well before departure.
Communication
Somos uses WhatsApp for in-country group communication. Every adult leader should have it installed before departure.
Money and Banking
Notify your bank of international travel before departure so cards work in-country.
Packing list
Glacier to Cloud Forest
Cusco is dry and sunny by day and cold at night. The pass can be below freezing; the valley on the far side is warm and humid. Pack in layers. Somos sends a specific gear list on confirmation.
Daily Wear and Travel Days
Warm layers for Cusco: fleece or insulated jacket, hat, and gloves
Rain jacket
Comfortable walking shoes
Trek Days on the Salkantay
Broken-in hiking boots (required)
Base layer, insulating mid layer, and waterproof shell
Warm hat and gloves for the pass
Sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
DEET insect repellent for the valley
Daypack, refillable water bottles, field journal and pen
Headlamp for camp and early starts
Community Visits and Cultural Sites
Modest clothing for the family visit, market, and churches in Cusco
One nicer outfit for the welcome and farewell dinners
Swimwear for the optional hot springs
Optional
Trekking poles
Camera or GoPro
Binoculars
Small padlock
Documents and Essentials
Passport valid 6+ months
Printed travel insurance details
Emergency contact card
Personal medications in original packaging, including any altitude medication prescribed by a doctor
Vaccination records
FAQ
Answers to Your Questions
For Teachers and Administrators
How does this align with our curriculum?
The program runs on one driving question and four lenses of inquiry, with outcomes in indigenous perspectives, Spanish, environmental systems thinking, outdoor leadership, and personal growth. Somos adapts the framework to your school's academic goals and provides pre-trip and post-trip materials.
What is the student-to-adult ratio?
Groups of 10 to 20 students travel with your school's adult leaders. A bilingual field educator is with the group throughout, and a licensed mountain guide leads all five trek days.
How are medical emergencies handled?
Guides are CPR and first-aid certified and carry medical kits on every activity. Somos provides 24/7 in-country support, emergency action plans for the remote trek environment, and medical protocols specific to high altitude, including a summit safety assessment on pass day.
What is the commitment and cancellation timeline?
A $500 deposit per traveler holds a place. 50% of the program cost is due 90 days before departure and the balance 60 days before. Cancellations more than 90 days out are refunded in full, excluding the deposit. See the Pricing tab for the full policy.
Can we customize the itinerary?
Yes. This itinerary is a starting point. Somos aligns every element with your school's academic framework, grade-level learning goals, and approach to experiential education.
For Parents and Students
Is this right for a first-time international traveler?
Yes, for students who are fit and ready for a multi-day trek. Pre-trip preparation covers each site, altitude, and camp life, and bilingual guides are with the group from arrival to departure.
How physically demanding is it?
High. The Salkantay Trek is five consecutive days of sustained hiking, crossing a pass at about 15,200 feet on Day 4. Two days in Cusco at 11,150 feet come first for acclimatization, and Day 8 is deliberately light.
What is camping like on the trek?
Students sleep in tents for three nights on the trail, with a guesthouse in Aguas Calientes on the fourth. The camp crew sets up camp and cooks all meals. Rustic lodge accommodation is available along the route as an alternative to tents.
How will students stay in touch with home?
Adult leaders and Somos staff communicate over WhatsApp throughout the trip. Connectivity on the trail is limited, so families receive a daily communication framework before departure explaining when and how updates arrive.
Can dietary needs be accommodated?
Yes. Share dietary needs and allergies on the traveler forms and Somos briefs the camp crew, hotels, restaurants, and host family in advance.
What if my student gets homesick?
It happens, usually around day two or three. Daily reflection sessions, a steady group routine, and guides who check in one-on-one give students somewhere to put it.
How much spending money should students bring?
Most meals are included. Students need money for 2 to 3 independent meals, purchases at San Pedro Market or the artisan quarter, the optional hot springs, and personal expenses. Tips for guides, porters, and drivers are optional and separate; Somos shares a recommended range before departure.
Program rate
Pricing and Logistics
This program is offered at $3,950 per student, all-inclusive, covering international airfare, lodging and trek camping, most meals, transportation, guiding, and activities as detailed below. Adult leaders typically travel at a reduced rate or complimentary, depending on group composition. Final pricing is confirmed once group size and travel dates are set, and may be customized for your group.
A base within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas and San Pedro Market, used before the trek and after Machu Picchu.
Nights 3 to 5
Tent Camps, Salkantay Route
Soraypampa below the glacier, then the cloud forest and the subtropical valley. Full board at camp, with rustic lodges available as an alternative.
Night 6
Guesthouse, Aguas Calientes
A guesthouse at the foot of Machu Picchu: a shower and a bed after the trail, positioned for the earliest bus up to the site.
Included in the Program
Accommodations
2 nights hotel, Cusco historic center
3 nights tent camping along the Salkantay route (rustic lodge available)
1 night guesthouse, Aguas Calientes
2 nights hotel, Cusco historic center (return)
All accommodations vetted and appropriate for student group travel
Meals
Most meals throughout the program
All meals during the trek (full board at camp or lodge)
Welcome and farewell dinners
Water and hydration during all field activities and on trek
Transportation
International airfare
All ground transportation in private, licensed, insured vehicles
Airport transfers in Cusco
Pre-dawn transfer from Cusco to the Mollepata trailhead
Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
Bus transfers to and from the Machu Picchu site
Activities and Guides
Professional bilingual field educator throughout the program
Licensed mountain guide for the full five-day Salkantay Trek
All trek camping equipment and logistics
Cusco city tour: Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, and the Cathedral
San Pedro Market guided visit
Machu Picchu entrance fees and a licensed professional guide
Sacred Valley community visit and traditional family lunch
All workshops and daily reflection sessions
Educational Support
Pre-trip preparation materials for teachers and students
Lenses of inquiry facilitation throughout the program
Daily structured reflection sessions and journaling
Post-trip educational resources and follow-up support
Safety and Logistics
24/7 in-country supervision and emergency support
Risk management protocols for urban, high-altitude, and mountain trek environments
Emergency communication systems
Medical protocols specific to high-altitude and remote trek environments
Not Included
Travel insurance (required)
Personal expenses and souvenirs
Meals noted as independent (typically 2 to 3 during the program)
Optional tips for guides and drivers
Personal trekking gear (gear list provided on confirmation)
Payment and Cancellation
Deposit$500 per traveler, non-refundable, honored for life toward any future program
90 days out50% of the program cost due
60 days outBalance due
More than 90 days outFull refund, excluding deposit
90 days or fewerNo refund
If Somos cancels due to low enrollment, travelers receive a full refund including the deposit. Force majeure events may be rescheduled or refunded in part or full at Somos's discretion, excluding the deposit. Cancellation notice must be sent in writing to team@somos.travel. Full terms: Terms and Conditions.
Next steps
Take the first step on your journey today.
This itinerary is a starting point. Reach out to talk through customization, pricing, and logistics, and we will align every element with your school's academic framework and grade-level learning goals.
