- Tuition / Cost:
$17,500 USD
- LENGTH
12 Weeks
- DATES
5th September 2026
4th September 2027
- GROUP SIZE
14
- AGES
17 - 22
Booking Overview
- Cost: $17,500 USD
- Length: 12 Weeks
-
Date:
5th September 2026
& 4th September 2027 - Group Size: 14
- Ages: 17 - 22
*Note: If you have other dates in mind or would like to travel as an individual, email us at [email protected] and we’ll be more than happy to help!
Semester Overview
From the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu to the vibrant streets of Panama City and remote island conservation projects, you’ll move from guided immersion to independent leadership, building cultural intelligence, resilience, and practical skills that will prepare you for university and life beyond.
Semester Overview
Two countries, One Story of Change
In Peru, ancient Andean civilizations, Indigenous worldviews, and dramatic mountain landscapes shape daily life in the Sacred Valley and surrounding highlands. Panama offers a contrasting lense, where global trade routes, biodiversity hotspots, and coastal communities intersect with urgent questions of conservation and sustainability.
Experiencing these two countries back-to-back invites deep comparison and reflection, revealing how culture, environment, and history shape how communities adapt, resist, and thrive.
Two countries, One Story of Change
ITINERARY
PERU
Weeks 1–6
Learn & Apply | Guided Immersion and Real-World Foundations
Trek Peru’s high Andes, explore emerald valleys, and live alongside centuries-old communities. Over these first six weeks, you’ll immerse in Andean life, contribute to ethical community and conservation projects, and build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in real-world settings. Through this guided semester you’ll ignite curiosity, make an impact, and inspire growth, laying the foundation for the independence and responsibility you’ll carry into Panama.
ITINERARY
PERU
Weeks 1–6
Learn & Apply | Guided Immersion and Real-World Foundations
Trek Peru’s high Andes, explore emerald valleys, and live alongside centuries-old communities. Over these first six weeks, you’ll immerse in Andean life, contribute to ethical community and conservation projects, and build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in real-world settings. Through this guided semester you’ll ignite curiosity, make an impact, and inspire growth, laying the foundation for the independence and responsibility you’ll carry into Panama.
Week 1 - Building Cultural Foundations
Sacred Valley
You’ll settle into life in the Sacred Valley with orientations, language workshops, and hands-on cultural immersion activities that give you a sense of what it’s like to live like a local. Through cooking, crafts, and daily routines, you’ll be able to ignite your curiosity around local customs, values, and daily life. Team bonding activities and personal goal setting activities will further help you lay the foundation for leadership, reflection, and the skills that will guide you through the weeks ahead.
Key Highlights:
- Cooking Class with market visit
- Language, Arts and Crafts workshops
- Live a day like (with) a local
Week 2 - Ethical Community Development
Urubamba
You’ll be introduced to ethical community work and responsible volunteering. With the help and guidance of a mentor, you will help plan and deliver educational workshops in the local community and be part of other small community projects. Learning how to make an Impact that respects local culture and is focused on long-term sustainability. As the day winds down, you gather to reflect on your experiences, exploring what you’ve learned, the challenges you’ve faced, and how your actions ripple through the communities you’re part of.
Key Highlights:
- Meet our non profit on the ground and learn about the pillars of sustainable community development
- Deliver educational workshops in one of our local partner schools
Week 3 - Travel with Purpose
Travel Across Cusco Region
Journey through Cusco, Pisac, Moray, and Maras, and trek the high-altitude landscapes of places such as the Rainbow Mountains or the 7 Lagunas . Along the way, you’ll further ignite your curiosity by exploring the region’s cultural and natural wonders and learning to travel safely, confidently, and sustainably. With the guidance of your mentor, you’ll practice leadership, teamwork, and develop? soft skills, discovering how to navigate new places independently while staying culturally aware and respectful, and reflecting on your personal growth.
Key Highlights:
- Hike to the Rainbow Mountain
- Explore Cusco
- Visit Maras, Pisac and Moray
Week 4 - Taking Initiative in Community Projects
Sacred Valley
This week you’ll step further into community engagement, applying the cultural insights and skills you’ve been building. With your first experiences behind you, you take a more active role in planning and leading workshops, collaborating with your team to address the needs and requests of the local community, and putting ethical development principles into practice. This week challenges you to take initiative and lead with purpose, strengthening your leadership, communication, and teamwork while reflecting on the real impact of your actions.
Key Highlights:
- Deliver educational workshops in local school
- Explore the small quaint town of Ollantaytambo
- Try chica morada in one of the local restaurants!
Week 5 - Challenge & Resilience on the Salkantay Trek
Salkantay Trek
You will undertake 5-day Salkantay Trek taking you deep into the high Andes, where every step challenges your body and mind. Along the way, you’ll connect with Pachamama, the Andean Earth Mother, learning to respect the land, reflect on your place in the natural world, and move with intention through rugged trails and soaring mountain landscapes. You’ll practice expedition skills, manage high-altitude challenges, and develop resilience, teamwork, and awareness of your own limits. The trek culminates at Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Providing a breathtaking reward that invites reflection on your journey, your growth, and the wisdom and legacy of our global ancestors.
Key Highlights:
- Humantay Lake and the Salkantay Pass
- Machu Picchu
- A day in Aguas Caliented town
Week 6 - Final Integration & Reflection
Cusco & Lima
After completing the Salkantay Trek, you’ll spend a day in Cusco to recover and reflect, letting the lessons of the high mountains and Pachamama settle within you. From there, you’ll travel to Lima for the final days in Peru, where you’ll be completing your Peru related capstone project and reflecting deeply on your first six weeks in Latin America. You’ll celebrate your achievements, and prepare for the adventures ahead in Panama. With the aim to leave Peru with high confidence, a strong sense of leadership, and the skills and insights to embrace the next phase of your journey.
Key Highlights:
- Exploring the Capital of Peru
- Opportunity to try some of the best ceviche in the country
- Final Celebration!
ITINERARY
PANAMA
Weeks 7 - 12
Apply & Lead | Independent Exploration and Leadership
From the bustling streets of Panama City to the remote coasts and islands, these six weeks are designed to challenge your independence, strengthen leadership, and deepen your ability to make a meaningful impact. You’ll apply the skills and insights developed in Peru to new cultural and ecological contexts, leading community and conservation projects while continuing to grow in resilience, teamwork, and global perspective.
ITINERARY
PANAMA
Weeks 7 - 12
Apply & Lead | Independent Exploration and Leadership
From the bustling streets of Panama City to the remote coasts and islands, these six weeks are designed to challenge your independence, strengthen leadership, and deepen your ability to make a meaningful impact. You’ll apply the skills and insights developed in Peru to new cultural and ecological contexts, leading community and conservation projects while continuing to grow in resilience, teamwork, and global perspective.
Week 7 - Reorientation & Adapting to Your New Environment
Panama City
You’ll begin your Panama adventure by settling into a new country, establishing routines, and orienting to local culture and logistics. Through guided exploration, language practice, and cultural workshops, you’ll adapt your skills from Peru to a fresh context, while setting personal and group goals for the coming weeks. This week is about reflection, reorientation, and preparing to take on increasing responsibility and leadership.
Key Highlights:
- Exploring Panama City, including casco viejo & amador causeway
- Seeing the Panama Canal
Immersion into the afro-caribbean culture – living like a local!
Week 8 - Cultural Immersion & Infrastructure Project
Panama City
Explore Panama City’s historic neighborhoods, the canal, and Afro-Caribbean communities, and venture into nearby towns or natural sites. Alongside travel, you’ll participate in a few days of hands-on infrastructure project supporting the local community. This week encourages curiosity, cultural awareness, and reflection, while giving you a chance to practice ethical engagement in new settings.
Key Highlights:
- Infrastructure project work
- Visiting an indigenous Tribe
- Visiting the Los Cangilones
Week 9 - Facilitating Community Driven Development
El Valle
In El Valle, a town surrounded by rural communities with limited educational resources and diverse cultural needs, you’ll take ownership of your community engagement by planning and delivering workshops and locally-driven projects. You’ll work closely with your team to understand community priorities, identify practical ways to contribute, and act with leadership, teamwork, and communication skills—all while ensuring your impact is ethical and sustainable. After project days you will participate in reflection sessions to help you evaluate your contributions, understand long-term effects, and deepen your awareness of responsible engagement in diverse communities.
Key Highlights:
- Deliver educational workshops in local school
- Explore the town and local markets of El Valle
- India Dormida hike
Week 10 to 11 - Environmental Action & Marine Conservation
Pedasi / Isla Cañas
You’ll spend two weeks on Panama’s coast participating in environmental and marine conservation projects, including sea turtle protection, and tree planting initiatives. You’ll actively contribute to meaningful work, collaborating closely with your team and local partners to ensure your efforts are ethical, responsible, and responsive to real community and ecological needs. Immersed in these ecosystems, you’ll develop resilience, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship.
Key Highlights:
- Engage in Turtle Conservation work
- Tree planting & tree nursery work
- Sunsets at the beach!
Week 12 - Integration, Celebration & Transition
Coastal Panama
As your journey comes to a close, you’ll spend your final days reflecting on your six weeks in Panama and the entire South America Semester. You’ll complete your final capstone project, sharing your insights and story, and mapping out the ripple effects of your actions and experiences. You will have some final group activities and celebrations to honor your growth and achievements, while preparing for your next steps—whether it is college or future adventures— cementing your confidence, leadership, and global perspective gained from this transformative dual-country experience.
Key Highlights:
- Relax at the Beach
- Reflect over your journey & celebrate your achievements!
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
What's Included
- A Gap Guru mentorship pre, during and post departure.
- Designated group leader that travels with the group for the full 12 weeks
- Safe, fully vetted accommodation
- Meals throughout the program
- Flights between Peru and Panama
- In-country transportation
- Experienced local staff & 24/7 support
- Structured mentoring and reflection sessions
- Risk assessments, health & safety protocols, and communication
- Cultural immersion experiences and community projects
- Excursions, adventure activities, and learning opportunities
- Option to earn up to 9 college credits at no extra cost
- Certified carbon offset initiative
COLLEGE CREDITS:
What’s Not Included:
- International Flights
- Insurance
- Personal Kit
- Spending Money
- Visas
- Vaccinations
What’s Not Included:
- International Flights
- Insurance
- Personal Kit
- Spending Money
- Visas
- Vaccinations
Explore our semesters
Students are supported throughout by experienced GapGuru leaders and local teams based in-country year-round. Guided reflection and mentoring help turn experiences into lasting learning, creating a semester that’s adventurous, supportive, and transformative long after the gap year ends.
