Walking between the ruins of Machu Picchu and recalling the many amazing facts about the place — including that it eluded discovery by the Spanish — was the highlight of the eight-day school trip Rachel Doughty took with 14 students and two teachers from Saltus Grammar School.

On top of a hill and surrounded by mountains that soared above it, Machu Picchu provided an amazing view. It was strange because it was so different from what we were used to.

For Rhea Gibbons, however, visiting Saqusaywhamen, an Inca fortress, was what stuck in her mind. Particularly striking was the construction of the amazing complex, with huge boulders — the largest being 40,000 tons — put together without mortar. The boulders shaped like a puma had an extreme intricacy which was breathtaking. Every stone had to be carefully placed, fitting together like a puzzle so that if there were an earthquake, they would not be shaken out of place.

On February 8, a tired group of teenagers assembled before dawn at the Bermuda airport in order to catch the 8 a.m. flight to Miami. A tedious nine-hour layover in Miami led to their arrival in Lima some time after midnight. Their journey continued after a brief snatch of sleep with a 7.30 a.m. flight to Cuzco.

The visit included several days at the Latin American School of Language — there had to be some schooling — and the opportunity to stay with local families and experience everyday life in a culture quite different from that of Bermuda.

The kids of the host families had to work very hard to make ends meet. Some of the host mothers that the students stayed with woke at 4 a.m. to make a 6.30 a.m. start. Their days ended late in the evening at around 7 p.m. The long day was broken with an hour-long lunch taken at home. Lunch is the most important meal of the day, because everyone is able to spend time together.

Despite the hard work, their quality of life is not as good as that of Bermudians — their houses seem to be in a perpetual state of construction. Fifty percent of the people are unemployed. Many gravitate to work in the cities but unfortunately there are far fewer jobs then there are people.

Street vendors overwhelm the passersby, anxious to sell their wares. The market was very disturbing — the various parts of the butchered animals were on display, not tidily wrapped in cling film. "The smell was overwhelming," Jamilla recalled. At the back of the market, locals grabbed their meals that were prepared in open stalls; the many different smells were actually interesting.

There were opportunities for sightseeing — like Olyantytambo, an Inca temple, its summit reached by climbing 370 stairs. The puma, condor and snake — the symbols of power, knowledge and wisdom — were incorporated into this structure. However, many symbols were destroyed by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas in the 17th century.

The two textile factories the Saltus students visited were amazing — one made clothing and accessories by hand, the other made similar items but by machine — they used super fine alpaca and llama wool. The yarn was dyed using berries and natural substances.

"It was amazing," declared Rachel, "and the view was like a tapestry."

What made it good for Kyle McGhee was learning more about another culture, "It made me realise that we're so privileged [in Bermuda]," he noted.

But would they go back? "Oh definitely," they all asserted.