Program Details
- Location:
- Cusco, Peru; Urubamba, Peru
- Program Type:
- Study Abroad
- Degree Level:
- Undergraduate
- Term:
- Rolling Starts, Summer, Winter Semester
Program Overview
- Program Description:
Learn about Nutrition & Natural Medicine in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru. This program was designed for those interested in gaining a better understanding of food as medicine, plant based medicine, holistic health and nutrition. We will learn from a variety of experts including a local herbalist, an Andean medicine practitioner, a vegan chef, a nutritionist, Andean guides, and aromatherapy specialists. We take a very hands-on approach to learning through workshops, cooking classes, hikes, patient treatments, and more!
- Setting Description:
- Urubamba, Sacred Valley of the Incas, Peru! Small town nestled in the Andes mountains between Cusco and Machu Picchu!
- Cost:
- 2695 USD. Includes: Pre-departure support, International health & accident insurance, Welcome orientation, Acclimatization hike, 24/7 local program coordinator support, Workshops (Peruvian Superfoods, Herbology, Medicinal Plants, Vegan Cooking, Cleansing), Excursions (Organic Planting, Day hikes identifying medicinal plants and herbs, Market visit to identify super-foods), Accommodation, 2 meals/day, Airport pick-up & drop-off, Guided Hikes & Cultural Activities
Additional Program Information
- Requirements:
- Age 18+
- Scholarships:
- Yes
Program Reviews
Overall Rating
Based on 8 Reviews
- EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS06/24/19
Nicole was super attentive and answered all my questions in detail as well as providing me with extra information that, although I did not ask for, was super helpful. She really cares for you and you feel it. The whole process of application to the program
and follow-up before the trip was super professional and it left me very calm since I knew at all times what was happening and what I would need before traveling. Once in Peru, everything was very easy. I did not have to worry about anything. I could focus on enjoying the experience and learning from the wonderful people I met. The quality of the workshops was beyond I expected and I'm really grateful for that. I really recommend the program to anyone interested in holistic medicine and natural nutrition. Thank you SO MUCH from the bottom of my heart for everything!! I'm definitely coming back to Urubamba to visit :)
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend - Beautiful, beautiful experience!04/08/18I would redo the whole thing all over again if I could! From the way Nicole sets up the program, to exploring, to learning, to the beautiful landscapes and the food–such a rich experience! I will never forget it! So thankful!Bottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
- Natural Medicine and Nutrition01/10/18
I had an amazing experience studying natural medicine and nutrition in Peru. I enjoyed having a new perspective on holistic nutrition and the many benefits of leading a natural life. We learned about the many superfoods, detoxes, cleanses, aromatherapy
and more. I highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn about holistic nutrition and natural medicine to come on this trip.
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend - Amazing opportunity to learn about nutrition and natural medicine in the Sacred Valley of Peru!11/15/17
My experience learning about nutrition and natural medicine in Peru was truly amazing. Through this program I had the opportunity to learn about aspects of natural medicine and holistic nutrition which I have never had the opportunity to learn in school.
It was so awesome to get to experience the health culture of this country and learn about all of the amazing Peruvian super foods and herbs used! I have already benefited so much from the information I learned about essential oils, body work, natural and herbal medicine, tradition Peruvian cooking and super foods, and overall holistic health - and it has sparked a desire within me to continue to learn more about these topics! I also loved all of the opportunities we had to hike and enjoy the outdoors - which were many! Every day was filled with fun workshops, delicious food, and outdoor adventures :) Peru is such a beautiful and health conscious place, and I hope to go back again! I could not recommend this program enough!
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend - Authenticity in the Sacred Valley04/07/17
If you are looking for the most authentic experience possible I would highly recommend this program. Nicole, the program coordinator, offers a far lower price to intern abroad than my own school does! From the moment I turned in my application for this
internship, Nicole was great with communication. Even without all of the amazing hikes(MACHU PICCHU!!), food, markets, and hands on medicinal experiences, I would say Nicole alone is what made this trip worth it for me. She is very attentive to detail and genuinely cares about you. When I would email her prior to departure, I would receive a reply within a few hours max. Upon arrival in Peru, she was constantly checking on us to make sure that not only were we hydrated and adjusting to the altitude, but that we were enjoying the activities we were doing. She and Max made a great team, he is very educated on the many ruins that we visited and knows the mountains like the back of his hand. If there is something you are interested in that is not included on the day's itinerary, Nicole will go out of her way to help you book that activity or make a day trip. This truly is as authentic as you can get. You truly learn your way around the town of Urubamba and might run into a cow or two. Even if I had planned by Peru trip on my own, I would never been able to meet the healers that I did through Nicole's contacts. She has some truly amazing friends and shares great advice/travel experience. This was a very spiritual experience for me, and it left me viewing my own world through a different lens.
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
- Amazing experience!03/31/17
I was looking for a program that focused on herbalism and a natural, holistic look at life and medicine. I was also hoping to find something that would get me back into a spanish speaking country to practice my fading language skills and support my love
of cultural exploration. Nicole's program (and it really is her grown-up brain child) did this for me and provided so much more than I had ever hoped. Nicole is an amazing person and has connected herself to an incredibly welcoming and insightful community. The cost of the program covers delicious cuisine for most of your meals, multiple excursions to incredible sights often featured in National Geographic, and an introduction and entrance into the culture on so many levels. You meet local artist communities, have contact with shamans who live several days worth of hiking up in the mountains, meet Max--our fabulous local tour guide and source of endless stories accessible to people of all spanish speaking levels--explore phenomenal nature and learn the secret local knowledge of how to barter at the markets and who sells the best fruit. Oh my Goodness the fruit. It's worth it if all you do is eat the fruit, but you do so much more as well. We hiked the mountains that create a backdrop to Urubamba and collected native medicinal plants for a local healer. We gave ceremonial thanks to Pacha Mama in return for letting us collect what we needed from her mountain and used what we gathered to heal people. I summated Machu Pichu and Huayna Pichu in the glorious jungle rain and sat in meditation in the temple of the moon half way down the back side of the mountain. We went to the Salt flats at Maras and spent days just sitting around loving life. We met with Vedic healers who taught us nutritional information and made the best snacks. Make the decision to go on the trip for yourself, because you will grow so much and learn about yourself and the world in ways you are not expecting.
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend - Life-Changing Experience03/26/17
This program has benefitted my outlook on medicine, nutrition, travel, and my environment in too many ways to count. I came to Peru with little knowledge of nutrition and herbalism, and absolutely no ability to speak Spanish. However, I was immediately
welcomed and given the resources to take Spanish classes. I felt encouraged to fully immerse myself in the experience, and through many workshops by people who worked with many types of indigenous medicine, herbalism, and nutrition every day, I learned so much about myself, the earth, and a more wholesome and caring culture in addition to the subjects the workshops were officially about. I learned a great deal of Spanish in a short amount of time, leaving with a determination to continue studying the language, apply what I had learned, and live in a more wholesome and open way connected to my surroundings and community. I cannot thank Nichole enough for the careful planning and love that she clearly put into the program and for the warm and open way she welcomed me and the rest of the members of the program. I made connections that truly changed me and met people I will never forget. This is a beautiful, immersive way to learn and to experience Peru, and I would recommend the program to anyone with even the slightest interest in Peru, nutrition, alternative medicines, or the environment. I continue to use what I learned in this program nearly every day, and feel happier and healthier because of it. I cannot think of any way to improve the experience!
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend - The most unique experience you will find in a study abroad program02/19/17
My experience with this program truly exceeded my expectations. Nicole, the program director, was so beyond helpful from before the program even started until the very end. I was only there for 3 weeks and I learned so much useful information about plant-based
medicine, Peruvian culture, and nutrition. Before going it was not my main goal to improve my Spanish, but after being immersed in the language I left Peru being more motivated than ever to eventually be fluent in Spanish. The opportunities that were presented to the students in the program are not things that you can find anywhere else, it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. The people that I have met through this program are some of the most amazing people I know and meeting them has truly changed my life for the better, if I could do it all over again I would not change a thing.
read moreBottom Line:Yes, I would recommend this to a friend