Ascend Service Expeditions

At Ascend Adventure Travel, we offer a variety of service options that can be arranged with little anticipation and can accomodate smaller group sizes. These packages include rural homestays, important sustainable development projects that have already been initiated, trained humanitarian tour guides and Ascend Travel Interns, cultural activities, local cuisine, and local transportation. These packages are a great way to get into the rhythm of humanitarian development in poor, rural communities without having to overthink the logistics (that''s our job!). Pricing includes donations for project materials and skilled labor - and we maximize the value of your contribution by working closely with the municipal government and the community we are serving (a win-win situation!) Check out our options - but remember that all tour packages are customizable so please tell us what your ideal service experience would be so we can make it a reality!

Productive reforestation with native trees along with environmental education for adults and children is a recipe for success. "Productive" reforestation means that the trees being planted produce fruits for better nutrition, flowers and leaves for dying wool and alpaca, natural medicines, and wood for artisan goods. This type of reforestation helps community members earn additional income while simultaneously improving the environment. Coupled with environmental training workshops in which we teach about recycling - reducing and reusing, and install trash and recycling containers is a great way to fight the harmful deforestation and trash problems that plague Southern Peru.

Something as simple as better kitchen ventilation can have a big impact on an individual's health. Peruvian families in rural areas have traditionally cooked over open fires using coal or firewood, generating a great deal of smoke, ash and carbon monoxide. Often, food preparation and cooking take place in small areas with poor or no ventilation. These conditions lead to respiratory, skin and eye issues and illnesses. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.5 million people in the world die prematurely each year from exposure to indoor smoke as a result of burning solid fuels. Our answer to this problem is improved ventilated stoves. In this activity, we will build an improved stove over the course of three days. This rewarding and life-saving opportunity will have a Peruvian family thanking you for their improved health AND the extra years you will have added to their lives!

In the rural communities in Southern Peru, most bathrooms are little more than a hole in the ground surrounded by four pieces of pleated tin. This setup, besides general discomfort, leads to ground water contamination as well as diseases that are spread through lack of hygiene. Many children in the communities we serve are perpetually sick and weak due to poor hygiene - and our answer to this problem is eco-latrines! In this service opportunity, we will spend three days building an eco-latrine from the ground up. Eco-latrines are inexpensive and they recycle human waste and use no water. Human waste becomes fertilizer that is used for crops. Also, we install electric showers and sinks as part of our effort to improve hygiene and stop the spread of disease. In rural communities, this project can be the catalyst for a bright and healthy future!

At Ascend Travel, we offer customizable service expeditions based on our project solution areas and our current projects. Expeditions are typically 5 days in length and start on Monday and end on Friday or Saturday. Anyone over the age of 10 can participate and past participants have included individuals, families, couples, organizations and companies. In-country staff will work alongside trip leaders to plan and carry out all transportation, food, lodging and humanitarian activities - so all of the organization is taken care of! We are always looking for trip leaders to help with expedition leadership and recruitment - and a trip leader can fundraise for their own trip!