Walking in the footsteps of the Incas

Follow our travelers' adventures here

In 1911, Harvard University professor Hiram Bingham stumbled onto the lost city of Machu Picchu. This marvelous ancient Inca citadel is now considered one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World.

During the week starting Monday, October 19 th through Friday October 23 rd , Roosevelt sixth graders will travel the path Bingham took exploring the history and geography of Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The exploration is a hands-on learning experience that reinforces the study of ancient civilizations in Humanities classes along with the Inca and Colonial Spanish cultures studied in the Peruvian program of studies. This experience will also provide our diverse population of students with the unique opportunity to get to know each other better.

The Classroom Without Walls program is much more than a sight-seeing trip. Carefully planned learning experiences are designed to:

• Provide on site learning opportunities
• Connect school learning to the real world
• Facilitate a feeling of community and team spirit among our students
• Promote an understanding of different cultures represented by our international student body
• Cultivate social consciousness through community service
• Support the Peruvian program Social Studies curriculum and promote a better understanding of Peru among all students
• Develop students’ leadership skills
• Provide opportunities for teachers and students to bond more closely
• Encourage student interest in school
• Create lifelong memories

To maximize a high quality educational experience the trip includes:

• Expert bilingual guides, safe transportation, excellent food and quality rooms
• Adult supervision 24 hours per day by Roosevelt teachers
• Our nurse and a doctor will be traveling with us throughout our trip and will be on duty 24 hours per day.
• Our travel agency is Harmony Travel Av. Grau 1055 Cusco, phone (051-84) 240332
• Agent to contact: Maria Cristina Canal Romaña
• The total cost of the trip is $775 of which you will have made a deposit of $200. Date for payment of the remaining amount will be announced on our school’s web page
• Our trip’s official air carrier will be Lan airlines.

During the week of parent conferences in September you will be able to do the paper work to obtain your child’s notarized permission, that is a required document your child needs to have when traveling without his/her parents. Please be sure to bring your ID when doing requesting the notarized permission. There is a minimal fee to be paid for this document (30 soles approx.).

Altitude in Cusco: 3.399 mts. Annual average temperature 11 degrees with a maximum of 10 degrees and a minimum of -2 degrees centigrade. Rainy season starts on the month of November through March.

Trip price includes:

• Airline tickets Lima-Cusco- Cusco-Lima via Lan Airlines
• Hotel accomodations:

  Sacred Valley

  City of Cusco

• Quality buffet–style meals, nutritious snacks & water will be provided throughout trip
• Excursions to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Ollantaytambo, the Indian market and archaeological sites Moray, salt mines at Maras, Koricancha, Cathedral, etc.
• English speaking guides trained the University of Cusco
• Guided learning workshops: ceramics, painting, weaving
• Medical doctor and nurse attention 24 hours per day

REQUIREMENTS

Permiso Notarial (Notarized Permission document): Peruvian law requires that minors traveling without their parents must have a “permiso notarial” signed by one parent. In case you want to do this at school, our school will provide the services of a public notary on the school campus during parent conference days. If you are unable to obtain this document at school you can get it at any public notary office. Notarized permissions will cost you about 30 soles.

In case you are thinking of obtaining a trip authorization for your child through the U.S. Embassy, it is very important for you to know that Peruvian authorities do NOT accept this in lieu of the Notarized Permission form.

COMMUNITY SERVICE
The highlight of our trip is what sixth grade travelers do for community service in Cusco. Our class sponsors an orphanage located in the city of Cusco. Prior to our trip, our Spanish teachers start corresponding with the children at the orphanage. A collection of used clothes and gifts is also made. All of our sixth graders contribute to this collection. On the last day of our trip, our sixth graders distribute these gifts to the children and spend an afternoon of fun and games with their sponsored orphans.