Useful Information about Peru
Peru lies on the central western coast of the South American continent, sharing borders with Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia and has a coastline along the South Pacific Ocean. The Peruvian culture is rich in history and traditions with authenticity to its nature, food and what entails the Peruvian identity. Close to 3,000 different popular festivals are held each year, including processions, carnivals and rituals in honour of their faith, celebrating nature and alike. The official language in Peru is Spanish with the vast majority of the population speaking this. However, the country has no less than 47 spoken native languages, including Quechua and Aymara among the people in the Andes, and Shipibo, Ashaninka and Aguaruna in Amazon communities.
Cusco, or Qosqo, used to be the capital of the Inca empire and now represents the centre of Quechua indigenous culture. It is a World Heritage site where visitors can sense the layers of history with Incan and Colonial monuments and ruins side by side both in the city, as well as in the Andes mountains of the Cusco region.
Popular places such as Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley trails are all well-known sights and visited by most visitors coming to Peru. However, the country is full of places to discover from the wilderness of the Amazon rainforest and the thousands year old cave paintings in the Sumbay caves near Arequipa, to the ancient fortress Kuélap in the green mountains, and the mysterious Nazca lines in the desert.
Weather in Cusco
For the volunteer projects located in the mountain highlands, including Cusco, the period from April to October is the dry season. This means warm and dry days with average temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius and with cold nights around freezing (particularly in June and July). May is a good month to experience the landscapes blooming. From November to mid-April it is the rainy season with the most rain in the months of January and February.
Want to know more?
You can learn more about Peru and its history, culture, sights and more on our country page here. You can also check out the short video below. They explain what volunteering at the different programmes entail and work towards.
Dog Shelter Volunteer Project outside Cusco
