Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
Click here to jump down to the most recent post!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19
Our first day in Peru!
We arrived on a chilly morning/afternoon in Cusco, where we were met by our mentors and directors, followed by a scenic bus ride away from the city and toward our homebase in Ollantaytambo. Once at homebase, we had a chance to rest, play games, and eat a delicious lunch of palta (avocado) with dressing and chicken and vegetable saute with Andean potatoes, before heading out to explore the beautiful town and go to the local market. Some of us even started the process with a local vendor of making our own woven hacky sack!
Once we got back, we played some fun icebreakers and had our first “chow circle,” a nightly ritual where we will be sharing our appreciations, announcements, concerns, and leaders of the day for the rest of program. Dinner was a comforting dieta de pollo (chicken noodle soup) and pork and vegetable kebabs. We are tired but incredibly excited for the days to come, and we especially look forward to welcoming our late arrivals – Regan, Michael, and Olivia!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20
In the morning, we first started by eating a traditional Peruvian breakfast of pan (bread) with scrambled eggs and Peruvian yogurt. Then, we stayed in the inn and talked to some of the family members that live in the hotel, such as the family’s children Rumi and Anke.
Afterward, we left to play a game on a trail not too far from where we’re staying and came after about an hour. We even saw a bull and took pictures. We had some free time where we all hung out in the living room area.
After lunch at a nice Peruvian restaurant where we had chips with guacamole as an appetizer and traditional rice, chicken, and vegetables, Smithy, our local director, took us on a tour of the town. We visited some of the buildings in the town and houses which were very interesting to see, since it’s so different to what we are used to seeing. We then went to some ancient ruins where they used to keep food and grains, which was cool because the ruins were on a mountain with a very nice view.
After the ancient ruins we went to the only house in the town where everything is the same as it was in the 1400s. After an adventurous day, we went back to home base and had dinner and free time, followed by our first mentor group!
By tomorrow’s leaders of the day: Thiago & Jacob
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21
The group started off the day eating breakfast and meeting the two new people who had arrived today, right before we headed up to the community service project location which was about an hour away from home base and about fourteen thousand feet in the mountains. When we got to the site, we met the town leaders who greeted us with flower necklaces and taught us about their important artifacts that have been used for generations. Afterwards we were fitted with the traditional clothes and did traditional dances around a point in a circle. Once we finished, we started the ritual Pago a la Tierra (Payment to the Earth), blessing the and thanking the earth for everything it has given to us, as they believe people just take and never return to the earth, and they want to give back what they have taken. To start the ritual we started off rubbing flower oils on our hands and then from our head to our stomach. The next step was putting llama fat between two coco leafs with a flower petal on the bottom of the coco leafs.Then we faced east to where the sun sets and asked for blessings. After asking for blessings, the flowers were put with objects that represent family and overcoming fear and jealousy, and were burned in a fire. Chicha, a traditional fermented corn drink, was poured around the fire to make the blessings come true.
Meanwhile, we learned about how Peru has many plants that assist tourists with the intense elevation change. To get immersed in these crops we tried them for ourselves. We were given multiple different herbs and their medicinal values, for instance, the coca leaf, which is known specifically to help acclimate to elevation. We turned these herbs into tea and mixed it with sugar . The teas were potent but delicious and noticeably assisted those who were feeling woozy with the big change. After the tea, we consumed a fresh Peruvian lunch that consisted of corn soup, rice, potatoes, and delicious tender chicken which they raised there on the service site. The food was delicious and it was incredible to taste the food of such an amazing culture.
Later, still in the mountains, we began our true service work by hands on in the dirt and mud. We were assigned to create a base for bathrooms as well as paint walls with homemade dirt paints. In order to make mud bricks for the walls, we sifted dirt through a large sifter with shovels. To create the dirt paint, we crushed up rocks to a powder and mixed it with water. Making the base for the bathrooms we found rather taxing, as it took a lot of effort from the students to dig through essentially rock. We even found native potatoes in the ground below. There was paint all over clothes and hair, but we enjoyed all of the work we completed today. Tomorrow we will go back to the service area and work as hard as we can!!
Also, welcome to our latest arrivals, Michael and Liv!!
Leaders of the Day: Tyler and Thea
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
Yesterday we had a good amount of work to do but it was still a very chill day. It started off early with a 7am breakfast, then by 8am we were on the road to head to our work site. It was a long bumpy drive that climbed thousands of feet of elevation, but we passed the time by listening to music and talking with each other.
When we got to our site, we were initially going to do the same work as the previous day but the plans changed. Another site needed help with moving rocks down the side of a mountain, so we got back in the van and drove for another 15 minutes. The new site was in this huge mountain valley and honestly it was one of the prettiest areas we’ve seen in our lives. We then spent the next two hours focusing on getting large rocks down the side of a mountain. We all lined up in a brigade form and handed the rocks to each other until it was time for lunch. Lunch was pretty good, it consisted of rice and potatoes with other traditional Peruvian foods. Once we were done eating we got back in the van and drove back to Ollantaytambo. The ride made some of us sleepy enough to take a quick nap once we were at home base again.
The afternoon was definitely one of the most fun parts of the day. We went to the market, spent time in Ollantaytambo, and played a game of soccer with the local kids. Some funny incidents were the three times the ball went out of the arena: once on the road, and twice in the outfield. After that we chilled, ate dinner, did a mentor group, and then went to bed!
Leaders of the day: Michael and Regan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
The day started off similar to all the service days. For breakfast we had a choice of banana milkshake or sausage with bread and cheese. During breakfast we met the guide for the Lares trek, who gave us a packing list of what to bring and what to expect on the hike. Then we headed out to the service at Patacancha, and similar to yesterday we unloaded rocks from the mountain side into a pile in order to build a wall at the service site. This time though we had a truck to load the rock piles onto and they would take it back to Patacancha, a process we repeated four times. When we finished, the group drove back to Patacancha and had a delicious lunch of spaghetti bolognese and quinoa soup. Then we had a bumpy ride back to homebase where we chilled for about an hour. Then we went to the market for about an hour to stock up on snacks and other supplies. After this we had a scrumptious dinner of chicken breast, beets/corn, and potatoes. Finally, we had a surprise celebration for Wyatt’s birthday! The chocolate cake was so good. Then we ended the day a little earlier than usual with some chill time until 9:30, since we have to wake up early tomorrow!
Leaders of the Day: Wyatt and Liv
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24 & 25
Today we woke up bright and early to head to the start of the Lares Trek trail. Before leaving, we ate some breakfast and finished our packing. Once we reached the start of the trail after a long bus ride, we took a few minutes to get organized and shed some layers, then we began the journey. The trail started with a steady climb through stunning mountains, villages, and fields. After a few hours we arrived in a small town to eat a delicious buffet style lunch with soup, rice, and fresh vegetables. It was exactly what we needed to refuel! We took some time to relax, stretch, and take in the views before continuing on.
After a bit of rest we continued our trek, seeing many llamas and alpacas. When we reached our base camp high in the mountains, we set up our tents to avoid the rain and warmed up before heading to the dinner tent and eating more delicious food and warm hot chocolate and tea. We all sat together and played multiple fun games of imposter and sang together. After dinner we went outside and took photos of the amazing views and stared up at the stars. Afterwards, we were so excited to get snuggled up in our tents and go to sleep.
Then, after a damp night in the Andes, we were tired but excited for the second half. We woke from the rain to a beautiful sunrise that painted the mountains orange and purple. The day started with the same cold as the night, but heated quickly with the now-rising sun. We drank coca leaf tea to stop altitude sickness and keep us warm, and had a short breakfast before packing up. After breakfast, we began our final uphill towards our summit. Along the way we were able to see some wild horses and streams stained orange with copper. The hike was hard, especially on some of the steeper sections, but we found it was well worth it once we reached the top. At our summit we were greeted with a beautiful grassy valley ringed by mountains dusted with snow. We took a break there, and made sure to take plenty of pictures before starting on the downhill of the hike.
We made good time on the downhill through the valley until we stopped again. This time the break was before a majestic mountain with a little lake and a few scattered llamas at its feet. Continuing on, we passed by locals selling souvenirs and fields of furry alpacas. Always we were surrounded by mountains. We came to a flatter part of our hike and went a while without a break. When we stopped again, we were able to see with a bird’s eye view the valley we had done service in. Off to the right was the quarry we had carried rocks, and to the left was the town that we were doing our service with. We finished our hike with a descent towards the town, after which we were given a good lunch with purple corn juice. After lunch, we rode the bus back to Ollantaytambo and reunited with our friends who haven’t been feeling well, who had been recovering the past few days (Regan and Raphael, who are feeling better by this morning, got to hike part of the Inca trail to a beautiful pool of water on the side of the mountains!). We were all then given the choice to either take time to rest from the hike or go out into the markets. We came back together to have Chow Circle, then dinner, and mentor groups after that. It was a fantastic day today, and we are all thoroughly excited for our trip to Machu Picchu tomorrow. See you tomorrow!
Leaders of the Day: Lucy & Dylan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Today we woke up early and left homebase at 6:45 in the morning after a quick breakfast. This was one of the days many of us had been looking forward to, since we would visit Machu Picchu, an Inca ruin and one of the seven wonders of the world. We boarded a train which brought us from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, a small town in the valley below Machu Picchu. The train ride followed the Vilcanota river, which runs through the sacred valley and whose banks feature many smaller Inca ruins. In Aguas Calientes, we had an hour of free time to explore before regrouping for lunch at a local restaurant. Next, we headed to the bus stop where a long but thankfully fast-moving line had formed. We boarded our bus shortly after and 30 minutes later arrived at the entrance of Machu Picchu. After entering the park we hiked up a long path to reach a terrace which had a breathtaking view of the ruins and surrounding valley, and happened to also be home to a large amount of llamas. Our guide, Fisher, taught us about the history and purpose of the site, and we took many, many pictures!
We took a group picture at Machu Picchu, and it was a really cool experience being there with everyone. The mountains and the view made it feel unreal, and even though we were tired from walking, everyone was still smiling and joking around. We took a few photos, waited for everyone to be ready, and just enjoyed the moment before starting to head down. It felt like one of those memories we’ll always remember because it was such a famous and beautiful place.
After that, we spent about an hour walking around Aguas Calientes. We looked at different shops, talked about the trip, and relaxed after such a long day. Eventually, we went to the train station to head back to our home base, but the train ended up getting delayed, which made the trip feel even longer. By the time we finally got back, we were exhausted. We ate dinner, didn’t do much else, and went straight to bed because everyone was tired from the delay and the long day. Looking forward to being rested for tomorrow!
Leaders of the Day: Raphael and Mauricio
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Today we started another day of service, leaving around 8:30. Once we arrived to Patacancha after the usual hour and a half car ride, we all worked together, hauling gravel from the end of a road to the construction site in canvas bags, with a few people staying to fill the bags. After a while, we took a break and had a snack in the house built by previous GLA groups. We then resumed hauling gravel until lunch. For lunch we had soup, rice, and vegetables. Once we had finished eating lunch, we broke up into different groups to resumed other service activities. One group made progress painting the walls of the house, while the other took on continuing leveling of the ground where we are to build two new bathrooms. After about an hour, we wrapped it up for the day, thanked Juan Yupanqui, and headed back to Home Base in the bus.
At home base, we took a quick rest. After that, we headed back out with Smithy to the ruins near Ollantaytambo. Some photos later, we left and bought snacks near the big market and headed to the small soccer pitch, also nearby, that we had previously played at. The football game with the locals was great, although the ball had to be rescued from nearby fields and roads a few times. We then headed back to home base around 6pm to get ready for dinner. After chow circle, we ate dinner then finally concluded the night with a GLA activity that focused on our relationships with and opinions on technology.
Leaders of the day: Milo and Wyatt
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Today was one of our last full days before heading to Cusco, and it was a meaningful way to wrap up our time at Home Base. We spent an hour back in Patakancha doing service, continuing to work alongside members of the community. Even though it was only an hour, it felt rewarding to contribute one last time before leaving. Afterward, we spent another hour playing soccer with the local kids and families. It was one of those moments where language didn’t matter. Everyone was laughing, cheering each other on, and simply enjoying being together. We also participated in a ceremony to commemorate our work at the site and learned about the traditional weaving practices in Patacancha from women in the community.
When we returned to Home Base, we packed our bags and got everything ready for our trip to Cusco. That evening, everyone came together for a farewell celebration to mark the end of our stay in Ollantaytambo . We shared food, music, memories, and reflected on everything we had experienced over the past week. It was a bittersweet night because while we were excited for the next part of our journey, it was hard to say goodbye to a place and people who had already made such a lasting impact on us. The farewell reminded me that this trip was about much more than service. It was about the friendships, connections, and memories that we’ll carry home with us.
Leaders of the Day: Oriya and Sully.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Today, we woke up and had a final breakfast in Ollantaytambo where we said some hearty goodbyes to our host family – Edith, Stan, Rumi, and Anke. We ate a delicious breakfast of bread, eggs, and orange juice and got into a van heading towards Cusco. Then, we went to the Maras salt mines which was about an hour and a half away, where Smithy explained to us that it is one of the salt capitals of Peru, and some of us were even able to buy salt at the markets. Afterward, we went to lunch at a restaurant on the way where everyone order their own meals such as chicken, rice, and trout.
After lunch, we as a group officially started heading to Cusco where we were going to stay the rest of the trip. Once we arrived we got a tour of the older part of town with El Templo del Sol (the Temple of the Sun) that was turned into a Christian church, and walked around the town square seeing the old Inca walls and the place where the Inca’s most important emperor lived.
Leaders of the Day: Jacob and Tyler
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Today we started the day off with our first breakfast at our new hotel in Cusco. After filling up, we boarded vans for a two-hour car ride to the place where we would be doing one of the final major activities of the camp; white water rafting! Along the way we spotted small bakeries selling special bread.
Once we had arrived to the spot where we would end along the riverside, we changed into swimsuits then suited up with waterproof boots, wetsuits, raincoats, life jackets, and helmets. After getting ready, we got back into the vans and drove twenty more minutes to where we would start the rafting. We listened to briefings, split into three rafts, and got started on the river.
We began our rafting with a quick lesson in coordination from our guide in a calmer area of the river. After we were able to move the raft together, we set out to the real rapids ahead. Our boats shook and thrashed when we occasionally hit rocks and were filled with white water that splashed and put us knee-deep in water. Through the rapids we kept rowing, keeping coordination through Viking chants. The rafting felt like a roller coaster, but more rewarding in that we had to work as a team to get through. By the end of the rafting we were all cold from the white water but throughly happy from one of the best experiences of the trip. Afterwards, we degeared before going to the sauna and showers to warm up. After we were warm again, we had our lunch, and got back in the vans to get back to our hotel.
Once we were at our hotel, we were given some free time that we used to rest after such a full day. For dinner we went out to a pizza place in the city, where we were able to order our own pizzas and drinks. After we ate our share of pizza we went back to the hotel to prepare for our last full day in Peru. See you tomorrow!
Leaders of the Day: Dylan & Milo
BLOG POST FOR July 1
Sadly, today was our final day of the program! In the morning, we all had the chance to go out one last time to the city center and visit the San Pedro market and other local spots to buy souvenirs. We had lunch at a delicious local restaurant and then came back to our hotel to rest and relax before the dance class! The dance class – where we learned salsa and local dances from the different regions of Peru – took place on the roof of the hotel with extraordinary views of the city and mountains beyond. We all gave it our all in the dances and had a blast!
The evening was bittersweet, as we had our last dinner together and our final closing activity, the appreciation circle. Our director Sophie and mentor Bernardo read prompts aloud while we all sat with our eyes closed in a circle, and small groups of us could go up at a time and tap people in the circle according to the prompts to show our appreciation for them. We all then stood in a mandala shape with our hands on each other’s shoulders, making eye contact with all of our friends we’d made over the past two weeks. Finally, we ended the evening celebrating Thea’s birthday! It was all a very sweet way to end what has been an amazing trip.
Leaders of the Day: Thiago and Liv
