Trip Page 2025 - Peru

Itinerary - Updated May 2025

Our itinerary includes explorations of ancient, colonial, indigenous and modern cultures of Peru, musical exchanges with Peruvian groups, and some "bucket list" sights including Machu Picchu. Destinations will include Lima, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, and Cuzco.

New, updated itinerary now includes hotels and concerts.

Click here: Updated Itinerary (as of 5.22.2025)

Crash Course in Basic Spanish

For those who want a quick introduction to Spanish and a few key phrases for daily activities during our trip, Jill Updegraph will lead two sessions prior to our Trip Rehearsals.

June 12 & 26, 6:00-6:50
In one of the Sunday School Classrooms
turn right when you enter the church, just past the restrooms

Jill will cover topics included in this document:
30 Minute Crash Course in Basic Spanish for SANS Travelers
For those who already have the basics, Jill has included a section on Peruvian slang that might be fun to peruse before we head out.

Tour Repertoire

We will select from the following list. And you know there will probably be some surprises added along the way…!

From Fall 2024:
Find scores & practice materials on the Fall 2024 member page (click here)
Love is Little
Lean on Me
Avulekile Amasango

From Spring 2025:
Find scores & practice materials on the Spring 2025 member page (click here)
Bajo el Mismo Cielo
Gloria in Excelsis
God is God (or similar)
Oye
El Condor Pasa
Sariri Paya

Repertoire songs from prior seasons:
New singer this year? Don’t worry, we’ll get you up to speed!
Encourage My Soul: Lyrics | Video
I Have a Dream: Score | Lyrics
I Open My Mouth: Video
What the World Needs Now: Video
You Raise Me Up: Score

Health & Wellness Guidelines

Our goal is to stay healthy as a group, as best we can. We depend on every traveler to care not only about their personal wellbeing, but for the wellbeing of the whole group. Together, let’s adopt the mindset that we want to keep ourselves AND 61 other people healthy for the 10 days of our trip.

With that in mind, the Trip Committee has developed the following health guidelines:

• Please be up to date with your Covid booster

• Please bring a supply of masks with you. Masks will be optional during the trip, but if you develop any symptoms, we will ask you to mask. If we have an outbreak of anything - Covid, cold or flu, we may ask the group to mask.

• Please take a Covid test before you leave, and bring at least 2 tests with you.

• Please consider limiting public gatherings in the week before the trip, to limit your exposure to any illnesses.

• Please wear a mask when we board the airplane, and keep it on until we take off and the airplane’s circulation system comes on. Once we take off, masks are entirely optional.

• MOST IMPORTANT: If you don’t feel well during the trip, or you’re coughing or sneezing, please wear a mask and keep a distance from other travelers. Travelers who are not feeling well are asked not to sing in concerts or join in group meals.

Helpful Information & FAQ’s

WEATHER
In July in Peru, daytime highs are in the 60’s; nights can get down to the 30’s. There is typically little/no rain. This is general advice - as the trip gets closer, please check a weather app to see the forecast for our travel dates.

PACKING ADVICE
- If you are checking a suitcase, please be sure to pack your concert clothes, medications, and travel documents in your carry on, as well as enough clothes/supplies for a couple of days, in case of lost luggage.
- If you are bringing walking poles (highly recommended for Machu Picchu & archeological site visits), be aware that TSA official policy says they must be checked, and may not be in your carry-on. Some people report that they have carried on poles with no problems, but we want you to be aware of the official TSA policy. If you are not planning to check a bag, you can “take your chances” or ask another singer to let you pack your poles in their checked bag.

LUGGAGE
Please stay aware of your bags at all times. When we arrive at a new hotel, a volunteer luggage team will unload all the bags. Please follow the instructions of the bus captains about when we can go into the hotel, and please never leave your bag unattended on the street. The luggage team is not responsible for your bags if you wander away.

FOOD & WATER
Be sure to drink and use only bottled water, including when you brush your teeth. Do not use ice unless you know it was made from bottled water. Avoid salads, lettuce and any uncooked vegetables, and fruits you can not peel. Look to our Tour Manager, Gerry, for advice about where to eat when we have meals on our own.

CURRENCY
The official currency of Peru is the Peruvian Sol. In Peru's tourist spots, they will often accept USD but the exchange rate will not favor you. Bring some USD, your bank ATM card and a credit card(s). In Lima, it's easy to exchange cash from banks or ATMs in Miraflores (where we’re staying).

In places such as Cusco and Lima, credit cards are increasingly accepted, but in rural areas and small restaurants, cash is king. ATMs will generally charge a fee for withdrawals, so it can make sense to take cash out in larger amounts. Use ATMs attached to banks, during daylight hours and with other people around.

Important Tip: Don’t forget to notify your bank and credit card companies about your travel dates and destinations. This can often be done online.

ELECTRICITY
There are three different kinds of outlets in Peru. Here’s a good breakdown on what to expect and what adapters and converters you will need to charge your devices: https://www.peruforless.com/blog/peru-outlets

ADJUSTING TO ALTITUDE
- Prepare now by walking/exercising here at home: The more we exercise now, the more efficiently our bodies will adapt to altitude. Whatever you do now, add a little something more: Add some extra steps into your day, add a few blocks to your regular walk, do an extra set of leg lifts. Nothing’s too little, and it’s not too late!
- Altitude Medication: SANS is strongly recommending that every traveler get altitude medication from your doctor. Follow the instructions carefully; typically you begin the medication before you get to altitude.
- Go Slow: It may take a few hours or days to adjust to the altitude. Go slow and enjoy our surroundings!
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of (bottled!) water to help your body adjust to the altitude. 
- Avoid Alcohol and Heavy Meals: These can worsen altitude sickness symptoms. 
- Bring headache remedies: In case of altitude headaches, bring Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen.
- Coca Tea: This indigenous altitude remedy will be available in all our hotels, but should not be considered an alternative to altitude medication. Coca Tea has a simulant effect, so be aware that it can keep you awake at night if you drink it in the afternoon or evening.

PERSONAL SAFETY
Safety advice in Peru is the same as all cities and tourist areas. Be aware of your surroundings - stay alert and be cautious, especially in crowded areas and at night. Don't display wealth - avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying large amounts of cash. Carry your money, wallet and phone in a well-secured bag, and stay aware of your bag at all times. If you wish to depart from the group, we prefer you not go off on your own - take at least one other person with you, and be sure to inform the daily bus captains of your plans.

PERU TRAVEL ADVISORY
On May 16, the US State Department issued a level 2 Travel Advisory for Peru, saying, “Exercise increased caution due to crime, civil unrest, and the risk of kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk.” For our purposes, please note: “The city of Cusco and popular tourist sites nearby, like the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu, are not located in the affected area.”

Pre-Trip Learning Resources

This year we are grateful to Gabby's husband Prentice Zinn for preparing a "Media Sampler" with an extensive list of videos, films, books and articles on a wide range of subjects.  Thank you Prentice! We have shared this with you before and perhaps you have sampled some of these. There are many wonderful resources on this list that are well worth exploring.

You can view the Peru Media Sampler HERE

SHORT ON TIME? Here are the Trip Committee’s “TOP 8” Recommended Short Videos
To simplify things for those with limited time, we have selected several items from this Media Sampler as well as some others that we found that we particularly recommend. These are generally quite short videos that provide excellent information!

 History of Peru

AFRO PERU: The African Diaspora in Peru (7:01) YouTube 
The Afro-Peruvian population today numbers up to 3 million people! From the 1500s through to the mid 1800s, the slave trade flourished in Peru.

 Peru's Chinese Connection  (12:23)
Explore the rich cultural ties between Peru and China as Dan Collyns takes us to Lima’s vibrant Chinatown.

Peru’s Indigenous Revolt (13:56)
An Indigenous-led uprising in Peru, sparked by the arrest of a beloved farmer-turned-President, is exposing a racist system that’s exploited native people and their natural resources since colonization

The History of Peru Explained in 10 Minutes (10:00) YouTube

The Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire (5:45) YouTube
It was the western hemisphere's largest empire ever, with a population of nearly 10 million subjects. Yet within 100 years of its rise in the fifteenth century, the Inca Empire would be no more. What happened? Gordon McEwan details the rise and fall of the Inca Empire.

About The Indigenous Quechua People of Peru

Peru’s Quechua Indian: Culture and Family Traditions (16:51) YouTube
Traditional knowledge and ritual practices are part of the cultural heritage of the communities surrounding the Qeswachaka Bridge in Peru. Their close relationship with the Pachamama (mother nature) has allowed them to survive in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet: the heart of the Peruvian Andes at 4000 meters above sea level.

About the Quechua Language (9:35) YouTube

 The Original People of Peru: The Quechua (Indigenous People Documentary) (50:00) YouTube The Quechua are indigenous people living in the highlands of Peru and neighbouring countries, far away from modern society. Follow along as they make the strenuous pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Señor de Quyllurit'i. (This is long but very interesting)