Inca 12 - 2nd January - 11th July 2003
Ecuador / Peru / Chile / Bolivia
Working for VentureCo as a leader with their Gap Year Expeditions
I landed in Quito a month before my group were to arrive, which gave plenty of time for a trip down to Lima, Peru for a reconnaissance of the route and a spot of Surfing, before returning to Quito to brush up on my Spanish.
My group arrived at the end of January and started the first phase of the trip, a three week language school with weekend trips to some of the nicer spots in Ecuador.
After this was an Aid project, which meant half of the group headed into the Jungle for 4 weeks to build concrete bridges in a Nature Reserve, while I remained in Quito with the other half and we started work on building a classroom in an Orphanage. During this project we lived with Ecuadorian Families, and although mine catered for my eating habits they were not the most sociable people in the world which meant most evenings were spent having a awesome time in the bars of Quito.
Having finished the Aid Project, we headed out to Laguna Quilatoa a beautiful volcanic creator filled by a lake. This is where the fun really started. While the other leader headed onto the nearest town with a couple of our sick students, I was left to guide the other 15 through the mountains as they dropped with altitude sickness, fatigue and other general vomitings; which meant much route changes, challenging the local villagers to Volleyball, and me ending up carrying three tents!
Next was a 60km Mountain Biking trip down into the Jungle then I hopped onto a bus for the fasted bus ride of my life, as the bus driver raced the rival bus company back to Banos, a Thermal town where I spent a few days with a sick student that has just been diagnosed with 4 different parasites and prescribed numerous drugs to get rid of them. The rest of my group were in the Jungle at this point enjoying canoe rides and mosquitoes, while I had the next 4 days to relax, soak up the sun and practice my Spanish, and of course look after my sick student.
After our boarder crossing we headed to the quiet beach resort of Punta Sal where two days were spent soaking up the sun and swimming in the sea. Onto Huanchaco for another day on the beach, then into the Mountains
In Huaraz (trekking and climbing capital of Peru), we spent a day acclimatizing to the altitude then headed off on the 5 day Santa Cruz Trek over the Punta Union pass at 4700m above sea level. A couple of unwell students meant that I had to walk them out to the start of the trek meaning I was unable to complete the entire trek myself, but has left something unseen for when I return with the next group
From the tranquility of the Mountains to the Hustle and Bustle of Peru`s capital, Lima. Continuing south to Pisco, a boat trip to an island inhabited by Birds, Penguins and Seals, then on to Nazca to see the famous Nazca Lines from the air in a small plane. An overnight bus ride brought us to the Old town of Arequipa, our last big town before heading into Chile. 
On Leaving Peru all our bags were checked for Drugs by a poorly trained sniffer dog, and on arrival in Chile the bags were once again unloaded from the roof of the bus, but this time X-rayed in the search of food products which are not allowed to be taken into the country.
Chile was a pleasant break and a bit more civilized, but it didn't last for long as we headed on to San Pedro de Atacama, one of the driest places in the world. Two days were spent relaxing here, seeing some impressive geysers and mountain biking in the dark without any torches.
Then off across the Atacama desert by jeep to see the Uyuni Salt Flats. This entailed spending three days in jeeps, off road through the dusty desolate terrain across the border to Bolivia.
After a couple of days in Potosi, the highest city in the world, and a trip down the Silver Mines to find that mining techniques haven't changes since the Spanish Invasion; we headed onto my favorite Capital City, La Paz. After many hours walking the markets and old haunts, with a bit of time at the local Police Station we hopped back on a bus to Lake Titicaca. 
Leaving the students on the Isla del Sol for the night Bridget (the other leader) and I had what was to be a relaxing evening until we headed into a restaurant for what was to be the worst meal of my life, with even more appalling service. Luckily there were no repercussions the following morning!! 
Crossing the Border back to Peru and onto the town of Puno. We visited the famous floating Islands of Uros, then carried on to Cusco by train. A day rafting then straight into the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Four days walking, spectacular views before the climax of the trip the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu themselves.
A day for the students to unwind and us leaders to panic over accounts and sorting equipment before the quick flight back to Lima. Goodbyes were said to the students and short of a flat tyre in the Taxi on the way to the Airport I had an uneventful flight returning to Quito to meet my next group INCA 15.