Diane Valenti, owner and founder of Llama Expeditions, says their trips “are a chance for culturally curious travelers to make a meaningful connection with the people and the land of Peru”. Llama Expeditions tours offer full cultural immersion giving guests the opportunity to see how Peruvians live – to talk with them about their dreams and accomplishments, and to learn about the challenges they face.

Manu is one of the most remote parts of the Peruvian Amazon that is still accessible to travellers. It takes 6 hours from the closest town by car and boat to reach our lodge. It is this remoteness that makes Manu such an attractive place to visit as unlike the more accessible regions of the forest, Manu is still a pristine wilderness that has been barely touched by human development and is teeming with wildlife.

By James Imbriani, Aracari Travel

With plenty of investment in transport and tourism infrastructure it is now possible to see the highlights of Peru, including the relatively remote Machu Picchu, in just a few short days. Spend just a little more time, however, and you will begin to uncover some of the ‘hidden’ Peru – people and places that most visitors don’t get to experience, all while contributing to local livelihoods and communities.

By Laurel Angrist

No matter where you travel – the saying goes – there’s still no place like home. Luckily, for many travellers, it’s now possible to forgo run-of-the mill hotel stays in favour of a night (or more) spent with a local family. Considering sustainable alternatives to staying in a hotel? Here are five of our favourite cultural homestays that offer enriching travel experiences while also improving local livelihoods.

Since 2009, Vida Digna, an animal welfare association based in Lima, Peru, has organized an annual health campaign for horses that work the tourist trails on the Cusco highlands of the Peruvian Andes. This campaign is supported by the US-based animal welfare organization Humane Society International. As part of this effort, every year in the month of August, ten American doctors, veterinary students and a professional farrier are sent to Cusco on a two-week mission, bring with them all the necessary medicines and equipment.

By Piero Ponce

Ayacucho is a region located in the central Peruvian Andes and encompasses the province of Puquio, an extensive area with historical archeological sites and home of a living culture that mainly speaks the Inca language Runasimi. Through a visit to that area, I could experience a close touch with the rural world and Andean nature. Puquio can only be reached by bus, thus it offers the chance to see marvelous landscapes among the route.

Projects in Kenya, Peru, Sri Lanka and Brazil have been announced as the winners of the first Travel2change idea challenge. Since its launch late April 2011, over 500 members joined the travel2change online community, and submitted around 60 innovative project proposals. The submitted ideas were evaluated based on creativity, effectiveness, impact, feasibility and sustainability. The four winning projects were awarded on July 17, 2011 by a jury of experts and will be realized in the coming months, thanks to the support of the travel partner Kuoni.

It is no secret among the surf community that the Pacific coast of Peru is something of a surfers paradise, with consistent off shore winds and few crowds. With a few exceptions, many waves can be found still breaking clean and empty for the more intrepid surfers to discover and enjoy. Word spreads and things are changing fast though; every year brings new surf businesses, foreign investments, more accessible waves.

(English translation follows Spanish text) El diseño de nuevos circuitos turísticos en el Valle del Colca es una tarea que demanda un análisis cuidadoso de los recursos, financiamiento y expectativas locales. Los circuitos, corredores económicos típicos ancestrales y hasta senderos peatonales de uso cotidiano, sirven como uno de los primeros elementos, a los que se van sumando atractivos no conocidos, actividades distribuidas a lo largo de un año cronológico como festividades religiosas, actividades agrícolas, eventos sociales, entre otros; a fin de generar una…

Danielle Weiss, Planeterra Foundation – My first volunteer experience was a two-month solo trip to the Middle East when I was 19 where I divided my time between volunteering on a kibbutz and travelling throughout Israel and Egypt. This first experience enabled me to make lasting friendships with local people, gain an in-depth knowledge of their daily life, and build the confidence to know that I could travel alone as a single woman.