Trek to Peru is an Exciting Journey
Peru is a land rich with history and culture. Instead of just reading about the South American country, a group of 34 students and several Huntington High School teachers traveled to the ancient land during the mid-winter break and encountered a set of unique experiences.
Huntington social studies teacher Camille Tedeschi served as group leader. The traveling party also included teachers Erik Bruckbauer, Peter Crugnale, Paul Caleca and Anne Gambino, Ms. Tedeschi’s best friend who work as an assistant principal in Brooklyn.
The trek was a completely private journey booked through EF Tours and not approved or subsidized by the Huntington School District in any way.
“Our week in Peru was an exciting journey that offered so many unique experiences,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “The beauty and rigor of hiking Machu Picchu, touring famous sites in Cuzco, hiking through the Amazon jungle and a sunset dinner overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Lima were some of the highlights of the trip.”
The teenagers participating in the trip included Hailey Bengston, Leah Butz, Elizabeth Corrao, James Crugnale, Grace Curran, Jack Gallagher, Samantha Glicker, Kathleen Keys, Holly LoTurco, Lily Morris, Brianne Neira, Michael Nemaric, Miranda Nykolyn, Joseph Saginaw, Jacklyn Schultz, Lana Ziegler, Ryan Goldsmith, Kayla Ryan, Emma Pipolo, Shannon Contino, Alexandra Muller, Olivia Baldanza, Christiana Reinertsen, Cody Bograd, Samantha Conte, Delaney English, Jackson Spector, Cole Blackburn, Scott Venturino, Mary Sheehan, Hanae Wada, Annie Trousdell and Michal Bast.
“It was such a pleasure to spend the winter break with an amazing group of travelers,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “I loved watching the excitement of the students as they explored these unique places under some tough conditions, such as the high altitude in Cuzco or the jungle humidity in the Amazon. I will forever be grateful for being part of such a memorable and educational tour.”
The tour included stops in Lima, Cusco, Pisac, Machu Picchu and Puerto Maldonado and stretched for the entire mid-winter break.
Located 7,000 feet above sea level, Machu Picchu had been abandoned for about 300 years when the ruins were rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. “We took a guided excursion of Machu Picchu,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “We saw remnants of temples and terraces that have yet to reveal the true purpose of Machu Picchu. We also hiked to the Sun Gate as a group and saw spectacular views of the Incan trails and mountains.”
The travelers found themselves in the heart of the Andean highlands when they visited Cusco, which served as the administrative, religious, and ceremonial center of the Inca Empire. “We visited Korikancha Temple, the cathedral, Sacsayhuaman fortress, the ruins at Kenko and Tambomachay,” Ms. Tedeschi said.
In Pisac, at the entrance to the Sacred Valley, the travelers encountered a traditional Indian market town where members of the traveling party had fun shopping and spending their Nuevos Sols, “which contributed to the local economy,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “We also visited Ollantaytambo, which is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the Americas.”
The trip concluded in Puerto Maldonado, the capital of Peru’s Madres de Dios region. Located in the Amazon Rainforest at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios Rivers, the small frontier town was founded more than 100 years ago. It has a history of logging, gold prospecting and oil exploration.
“We flew to Puerto Maldonado and then transferred to a river boat that brought us to an area lodge,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “We stayed at a camp style accommodation in huts in the jungle. There was only electricity for three hours a day. The lodge provided unparalleled access to Peru’s incredible biodiversity. Following a briefing on the lodge and ecotourism, we were able to enjoy boat ride and hike to Monkey Island, where students were able to feed monkeys in their natural habitat, bird watch, and take in the nature that surrounded us. It was amazing. We took a boat ride at night to look for Cayman and view the stars in the peace of the night. The next day we hiked in the jungle and watched Cayman feed on fish in the wild. It was an exciting trip that involved a lot of adventure and great memories.”
Participants returned home with all sorts of interesting stories to tell and many colorful photos to show family and friends. Many of the students were seasoned travelers while others were novices.
“The students were able to experience and explore the culture and history of Peru while gaining first- hand knowledge of the past,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “Even though this is not a school sponsored trip, it is educational and students take away knowledge that cannot be taught in a classroom. There are no words that can actually describe the experience of Machu Picchu and the photographs as amazing as they are still do not capture the extraordinary experience and beauty of the site.”
Eight of the teenagers who made the trek to Peru were seniors who participated in an earlier trip through EF Tours to Belize. “It was amazing to have the opportunity to climb Mayan ruins together in Belize along with Incan ruins together in Peru,” Ms. Tedeschi said.
“Traveling is my passion and having my students and colleagues by my side only heightens my experience,” Ms. Tedeschi said. “I am fortunate to work with an amazing team of chaperones. Without them this travel program would not be the same. Trust, loyalty and commitment are essential in our friendships as well as our professional commitment to this travel program.”
Ms. Tedeschi said that upcoming tours will bring participants to Costa Rica (2016), Tanzania (2016), Grand Canyon (2016), Amsterdam and Brussels (2017) and Galapagos (2017).