Your generous donation helps to save and change lives every day.
Your charitable investment will go toward ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need.
Overview
The Need
Peru is situated in a seismically active region, where major earthquakes occur frequently. In addition, the country faces a range of environmental challenges—heavy rainfall, flooding, droughts, forest fires, frost, snowfall, and the periodic El Niño phenomenon—making communities more vulnerable and susceptible to disease. Whereas in 2011 the fertility rate was 7.7 children per woman, the current total fertility rate is around 2.0 children per woman, the crude death rate today is about 4.4 per 1,000, and the infant mortality rate stands at 10.8 per 1,000 live births—a dramatic shift from past figures. Many deaths continue to be caused by preventable infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria, and yellow fever.
Peru’s healthcare system, like those in many Latin American countries, often lacks the infrastructure to serve remote populations. A 2009 study by the World Bank and WHO identified indigenous communities as being in critical need of comprehensive health support. In response, IMR is working in collaboration with local partners to provide medical and dental care, as well as health education, to these often-overlooked populations. Your team will encounter patients with untreated infections, wounds, and common ailments, as well as individuals suffering from severe dental issues—often relying only on home remedies for relief.
Annual flooding in the Amazon River basin presents additional challenges—including skin infections and emotional trauma linked to displaced families and destroyed homes. Dengue fever is also a growing concern: Peru was among the countries hit by a major dengue outbreak in 2024–2025 with nearly 223,000 reported cases. Public health education and supportive care for mosquito-borne diseases will be a key part of our mission.
This trip offers a powerful opportunity to provide compassionate, hands-on care to those who truly need it. We will bring indigenous patients from isolated areas into our clinic and collaborate closely with local medical students. If you have a passion for teaching and serving vulnerable communities, this experience is especially rewarding.
Our Work
International Medical Relief began relief efforts in Peru in 2012. Since then, more than 300 volunteers and staff have served over 9,000 patients. IMR continues to strengthen their relationship with the community and provide community health training, medical treatments, medical supplies and equipment, and clinic operations.
With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, 6, and 17.
IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing.
Our medical mission teams also work toward UNSDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation by supporting and strengthening the participation of local communities in improving their water quality and installing water filtration systems that supply communities with clean drinking water and providing education on hydration and hygiene.
In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.
This Mission
This unforgettable journey begins and ends in Iquitos, Peru, a lively and remote city nestled deep within the Amazon rainforest. Accessible only by river or air, Iquitos is the largest city in the world unreachable by road, offering a unique blend of urban energy and untamed nature. Situated along the banks of the Amazon River, the city serves as a vital hub for exploring the surrounding jungle, including the renowned Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, home to extraordinary wildlife and pristine tropical landscapes.
Lodging/Transportation
You will be staying in a lovely hotel on this trip, traveling each day to the small villages and towns that are in need of medical and dental care. Bring your bathing suit and don’t forget your camera!
Highlights
Working with the indigenous communities surrounding Iquitos is a truly unique and immersive experience. You will have the opportunity to engage with Amazonian cultures and learn about traditional healing practices that have been passed down for generations. Local artisans often share their handcrafted creations, including intricately woven textiles, beaded jewelry, hand-carved wooden items, natural-dye ceramics, and clothing that reflects their vibrant heritage and connection to the rainforest.
A highlight of this trip is your final day in Iquitos, where you can choose to relax, explore the surrounding Amazon rainforest, or shop for locally made goods and souvenirs. Alternatively, you may opt to travel to Lima, Peru’s capital city. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lima is celebrated for its rich history, world-class museums, pre-Columbian archaeological sites, stunning coastline, dynamic culinary scene, and energetic nightlife. Your decision will depend on your return flight schedule and personal preferences—either way, it’s a chance to add something special to your journey.
If you’re considering extending your trip, visiting Machu Picchu is an unforgettable option. From Lima, you can fly to Cusco and then travel by train and bus through the Sacred Valley to reach this iconic Incan citadel, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Contact our partner, Worldwide Navigators, to learn more about adding this incredible experience to your itinerary.
Extend Your Stay
You’re journeying halfway across the globe, have you considered extending your stay to visit some of Peru’s top spots? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators!
- Experience the wonder of a sunrise on Machu Picchu
- Enjoy a train ride through the Peruvian jungle
- Journey to the vibrant & colorful Rainbow Mountain
Click here to view the itinerary!
Ready for the adventure? Connect with Worldwide Navigators today!
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrivals & Orientation
Clinic
Clinic
Optional Training Day and Departures
Please View Full Itinerary in the Next Tab
Sustainable Impact
Your Journey
Weather
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Average Hourly Temperature in Pucallpa @weatherspark.com
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Climate in Pucallpa @weatherspark.com
Clinic Photos
Gallery
Full Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change without notice.
You will need to arrange your flight to Iquito. Plan a flight into Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport (IQT). If you need assistance booking flights, please contact Worldwide Navigators, our preferred travel agency, at travel@worldwidenavigators.com. You may also choose to arrange transportation from the airport to your accommodation, which you may purchase from within your portal under Trip Add-Ons.
Arrivals & Orientation
You and the team will fly into Iquito and arrive to the Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport (IQT). Please arrive by 2pm to transfer to your hotel and meet up with the other volunteers you’ll be working with this week for a team dinner.
After dinner, you will attend the team orientation to prepare you for the upcoming week of clinic. During orientation, your team leader will assign roles for the clinic, discuss our community health education efforts in detail, present IMR’s clinic protocols, and provide an overview of the communities your team will be serving in Peru. Our partners will join us to explain the cultural components, medical landscape and overview of the medical conditions prevalent in the area.
Meals: Dinner,
Clinic
Today is your first day of clinic! Wake to enjoy a hearty breakfast with your team. Clinics begin early in the morning and run into the evenings. Your days will be long and hard, but also incredibly rewarding. You will find the indigenous people of the rainforest to be among the kindest people you will meet and the most in need of healthcare.
After returning back to your accommodation at the end of the day, you will have a team debrief with your team leader and dinner provided at the accommodation.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
Most time at the clinic will be spent treating those with with infections, wounds, and common health problems that are frequently untreated. Clinic days will also be spent caring for the indigenous people of the Peruvian rainforest with conditions associated with the annual Amazon Basin flooding such as skin issues, infections, and emotional loss.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Optional Training Day and Departures
Enjoy one final breakfast with your team! Depending on the time your flight leaves, you can explore more of the city before you head back to the airport for your international flight home.
If you’re interested in extending your stay, our partner Worldwide Navigators offers exclusive trip extensions just for IMR volunteers! See the extensions tab on this page for details.
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Extension Photos
Extensions
You’re journeying halfway across the globe, have you considered extending your stay to visit some of Peru’s top spots? Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators!
- Experience the wonder of a sunrise on Machu Picchu
- Enjoy a train ride through the Peruvian jungle
- Journey to the vibrant & colorful Rainbow Mountain
Click here to view the itinerary!
Ready for the adventure? Connect with Worldwide Navigators today!
Minimum Donation
Your generous donation of $1200 will go toward the ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need. A small portion of your donation includes:
- Clinic supplies and medications for patients
- Clinic participation
- Transportation, accommodations, and meals as outlined in the itinerary
Donation Payment Deadlines
$1100 due by December 1, 2025
$1200 due by February 1, 2026
Early Bird Savings Opportunity
To be eligible, the participant must upload ALL your required documents and forms, sign their liability form and make your 50% donation including your $35 application fee by December 1, 2025. This savings opportunity does not apply to disaster relief missions.
Featured Enhancements
**To purchase any of the above Featured Enhancements for your mission, please contact our office at office@imrus.org or call at (970) 635-0110.
Your Donation to IMR for Your Mission Cost Includes:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- Transportation
- Lodging (except for Colorado missions, disaster missions, or as otherwise mentioned in the trip itinerary)
- Costs associated with the clinic
- Food
- Tips for services provided to the IMR team
- All logistics, including translation services and security as needed
Additional Costs That You Are Responsible For:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- International and Domestic flights to the country.
- Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
- Required or recommended insurance
- Vaccinations and medications common for travel
- Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
- Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you meet
- Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
- COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure
- Each team member is responsible for carrying medical supplies for the deployment. All fees associated with transport are the responsibility of the volunteer.
Financial FAQs
Prepare to Go
A Walk Through Clinic
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