When you say Mexico, almost by default, imaginings of mariachi musicians wearing big sombreros (and big moustaches!), tacos soaked in chili sauce or guacamole dip, day of the dead, white sandy beaches and the oh so notorious tequila shots spring to your mind.

Legitimately belonging to North-America, many parts of the country have more in common with neighboring Central American countries. A country so extremely rich in history and culture, yet so diverse and full of contrasts.

It boast one of the largest metropolises in the world, Mexico City with its bustling 20 – 30 million ‘chilangos’ (depending on which statistic to believe), and at the same time some of the most quaint and picturesque ‘pueblitos’, such  as Todos Santos, home to the Eagles’ Hotel California, where time has stood still since long ago.

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Time spent at project: 1 month

Home Country: Belgium

This volunteer project is all about coffee! You will meet the families of small scale coffee farmers and will actively get to know the coffee farming process. Actively because you will hike over spectacular Inca trails towards the coffee farms passing coffee fields where they have cultivated coffee for generations. The villages are all situated close to Machu Picchu so you could combine your volunteer work with a visit to the spectacular lost and sacred city of the Incas. Read the following testimonial of a former volunteer at this exciting ecological project!

This project was better than I could even imagine! I met some amazing families and learned a huge amount about coffee, fruits and most of all the style of life of a Peruvian family! The moment I arrived in my first family (that lives in Huayopata – about 1 hour away from Quillabamba), I was greeted with a huge hug and offered jugo de platano y papaya (banana and papaya juice) fresh from their garden! That basically describes the whole stay! You will help the family with the work on the farm, anything from watering the plants to cutting a banana tree down! The food you will eat here is all fresh, whether it comes from their farm or the local market. The coffee is amazing! Everything is organic. The family was very warm, in fact I became part of their family and I hope I will be able to go back. They will make you love the Peruvian culture.