Every Blackheath High trip is designed to inspire students, give them opportunities to experience different environments, try new adventures, and learn about the vast, wonderful world we live in. 

In summer 2024, a group of students in Years 10-13 travelled to Peru to immerse themselves in Peruvian life, help build community amenities, explore iconic cities steeped in history and experience life in a variety of unique community-based camps, from the windswept highlands to the outskirts of the breathtaking Colca Canyon.   

This ambitious trip was more than just a holiday – students also had the opportunity to take part in vital community regeneration projects, making a measurable difference to some of the poorest areas of Peru and helping to tackle critical issues such as education and sanitation.  

The girls faced some tough conditions – high temperatures and even higher altitudes tested the legendary BHS resilience. But every student more than met these challenges – we are so proud of them for demonstrating their commitment, quickly picking up new skills and showing up to make a real difference to these communities. 

Shanti, who graduated from Blackheath High in 2024, won a Sixth Form Travel Prize to put towards the Peru trip. Her last hurrah before embarking on the next stage of her educational journey studying Veterinary Science at Nottingham University, here Shanti tells us a bit about what she describes as a “truly life-changing experience.” 

“My last school trip at BHS was to Cusco, Peru for four weeks. In my team of 22, there were students from three different schools, two members of staff and several amazing team leaders. We spent the first three weeks of the trip working on a variety of projects in three different camps and we finished the month with an incredible five-day trek.   

At our first location, Camp Tarawasi, we slept in dormitories of 14 which meant we made friends quite quickly! Our first project was to make improvements to the local primary school - we also got to meet the children, which gave us even more motivation! Maestro Alejandro taught us to build a pathway to make the school more accessible for disabled students, smashing boulders from the side of the hill into rocks that formed a ramp, then filling in with concrete to make a flat surface. As the cement dried (which didn’t take long in the sunshine) we were able to carve our initials into the ramp, which was a really special moment!    

The other project at Tarawasi was the ‘Vivero’ (plant nursery) which involved preparing and clearing land to make it arable, then making soil bags which would later be filled with avocado or lemon seeds. This gave the local community an opportunity to grow produce that they could either use to feed themselves or to sell.  

Our next stop was Camp Moray – a coach trip which increased around 800m in altitude. Here, we stayed in tents and washed with bucket showers. During the daylight it was very hot, but at night it dropped to -6°C so a lot of us slept in 4-5 layers of clothing! The main project was building toilets for houses in the community, carrying bricks from house to house, bricklaying and cement mixing. The view from our camp was stunning and we could see the snow-capped mountains of Los Andes when we unzipped our tent. On our last morning, some of us decided to wake up at 5am to watch the sunrise above the mountains – early but so worth it! 

After this we went back to dorms in Sacred Valley, which was very welcome after a week of cold nights in tents! We were also lucky enough to be here for Peruvian Independence Day (28 July) and the staff had prepared an afternoon of celebrations and activities for us to take part in, such as dance classes, tug-of-war competitions, musical chairs and ending with a Peruvian-style buffet made by the chefs.  

The last part of our month in Peru was the Salkantay Trek which involves four days of trekking with a view of the glacier of the Salkantay mountain and through the different microclimates of the mountains. It was challenging but so rewarding to experience the vastness and beauty of the landscape. For example, on the first day we reached the summit of a mountain at an altitude of 4,600m and we were walking through the clouds! The trek ended with Machu Picchu and a tour of the Inca site at sunrise which was stunning. 

I am so grateful to the BHS Old Girl’s Association for presenting me with the Macaulay Award and helping me to fundraise for this unforgettable trip!    

Written by Shanti, Year 13 (now Class of 2024 Alumna)