Awamaki’s homestay program is one of our most successful endeavors, allowing visitors and locals to connect in a meaningful way through intercultural and linguistic exchange, while providing families with a direct and sustainable income from tourism.

We work with families to capacitate them to host visitors and tourists, training them in simple hospitality and hygiene. Homestay placements are fully supported: families are screened, interviewed, registered, and required to attend regular meetings with us to ensure quality standards. We look for loving, open, kind families. We also look for families that have a home life, maintain a clean kitchen and bathroom, and don’t have problems with alcohol. If we don’t know a family directly, we rely on recommendations from our other families with whom we have developed a relationship over time.

Our homestay program has two sites. The first is in Ollantaytambo, a small but bustling town whose rich history and ruins have made it a very popular tourist destination. Our homestay families are mostly middle-class Ollantinos who work as artisans, teachers, drivers, chefs, etc. Tourists and volunteers who choose to live in a homestay have the option of participating as much or as little in family life as they like, although they are expected for three meals a day. Typically, families will include guests in routine activities like visiting their chakra (farm plot), preparing meals, and joining in birthday or other celebrations. It is important, however, to keep in mind that many of our families have two breadwinners, and so they aren't always available everyday for showing their guests around town. Ollanta homestays have most modern conveniences (running water, flushing toilets, and electricity), although none have controlled heating, and some do not have hot water. For those in search of an immersive language experience, homestays are an excellent way to improve your conversational Spanish while learning pertinent vocabulary and local dialect. Homestay families are extremely patient and are accustomed to accommodating tourists and volunteers with all levels of Spanish.
 

Our other homestay site is in Patacancha, about an hour's drive up the valley from Ollantaytambo. The families we work with in Patacancha are all part of our weaving cooperative program, so a homestay includes a weaving lesson on the traditional Andean backstrap loom, with one of our women weavers. These homestays are much more rustic; most families have one light bulb for electricity, and perhaps running water and a flush toilet, but these are not guarantees. Nights are very cold, and because Patacancha is at about 12,000 feet (3,600 meters), the altitude can be a problem for some visitors. However, this is a very unique opportunity to engage indigenous Quechua culture, and is often one of tourists’ favorite experiences in Peru. Visitors will often be taken out to pasture the family’s livestock, help with harvesting or planting in their chakra (according to the season), go for hikes, help prepare woodfire meals, and learn to weave. It should also be mentioned that men and children may speak some Spanish, but most women in Patacancha only speak Quechua.

A homestay in Ollantaytambo costs S/ 50 per night, and in Patacancha it costs S/ 45 (including a weaving lesson and materials). Each placement includes three meals and boiled drinking water as well as bedding in a private room.

Depending on the household, room size and capacity vary. Some homes have three beds in one room. Others have matrimonial beds available. And others have multiple rooms and beds. Please inquire about our homestay program, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs!

Tourist and Volunteer Comments

“I really enjoyed spending time with my family. Susana & Antonio love helping me with my Spanish and teaching me all about Peruvian culture.”

“A plus-size cultural experience invaluable in developing Spanish language skills…”

“My homestay owned a restaurant – there was a little chair next to the stove – just right for a guest to get warm by the stove, learn about Peruvian cooking, and practice their Spanish food vocabulary!”

“Our homestay family was very warm and always made me feel welcome despite the language barrier.”

“I had the most interesting conversations with my host-father, I called my host-mother “mama” within the first week, and had great nights out with my host-sisters. Literally, a home away from home.”

“It is great living with my family and experiencing Peruvian culture first-hand. Ruth and Valentin are always extremely warm and accommodating, especially when it comes to practicing my Spanish.”

 “Loved the experience! Great food, great company, great people. An experience not to be missed.”

“My host family has become my real family. I have loved living with them so much that I continued to live with them for 6 months!”

“Living with my homestay family has been one of the best experiences of my life! It’s a great way to improve your Spanish as well as build relationships with people in the community.”