What to wear while volunteering in peru?

Question

in august i will be traveling to cuzco, peru to volunteer with orphans for two weeks. im trying to find comfortable, conservative clothing that will help me blend in while still being weather appropriate. any ideas?

Answer 1

You should check weather.com for the weather over there. It's not like winter clothes cold I know that.

Answer 2

Try to contact "Iperu", Peruvian Government free information and assistance service:

email: [e-mail]

24 hours/phone: [phone] (phone based in Lima).

Therefore, you cant contact personally, because Iperu have offices in airports and downtown at most main cities (included Cusco).

They will give you neutral suggestions and information about Peru attractives and destinations, recommended services (accomodations, travel agencies, travel by your own...), activities, times, referrencial prices, routes and all you need to plan your travel or activities...

They are the potection tourist and consumer's office too, so they will give assistance with troubles in all over Peru (example: contact your embassy, contact police if you were robbed or if you was not happy with the services what you paid...)

Feel free to contact them, they speak English and are very helpful... They will be your best friends or partners while you be in Peru.

Answer 3

August is winter in Peru and in Cuzco, at more than 10,000 feet above sea level, it can get cold, especially at night. My recommendation, take winter clothes and buy a poncho in Cuzco to wear over your winter clothes. That will let you blend without sacrificing comfort. try to make it a baby alpaca one, although those tend to be expensive. Whatever you do, do not buy a llama one because they are very harsh and can give you a rash, buy an alpaca one, even if you can't get a "baby" alpaca (baby alpaca comes from the first shearing of the alpaca and is the highest quality alpaca wool. It is the softest and it will not itch).

Answer 4

you could buy everything you need to keep warm in cuzco for cheap... I just came from there and it gets cold at night..during the day you can get away with a shirt and pants....

Answer 5

Cuzco during the day can actually get pretty warm.  During the morning, I'd usually start off with a sweater and peel down to a t-shirt by midday.  Nighttime, by contrast, is COLD.  You'll need a jacket and some thermal jammies.  I actually got so cold one night in a cheap hostel that I actually pulled out an "emergency blanket" from a first aid kit and slept with it and every real blanket I could find layered on top.  I was also wearing a t-shirt, sweat-shirt, jacket, thick cargo pants and two pairs of socks!  It's a mountain kind of cold that gets deep in your bones.

As far as clothing goes, as long as you're modest you'll be just fine.  Peruvians wear a variety of different clothing styles.  Unless you're naturally dark complected, your skin color will probably out you as much as your clothing.  In Cuzco, it's not so bad to be a tourist other than that you'll never have a minute's peace in the main square without someone trying to sell you something, shine your shoes or just out and out hustle you.  Peruvians are highly trained in spotting tourists, so you probably won't be able to hide no matter how hard you try.