THESE young explorers are already counting down the days when they can swap the wilds of the Yorkshire Dales for the breathtaking scenery of Peru.

The six girls have been chosen by the Yorkshire Schools' Exploring Society to take part in the trek through one of the world's most diverse countries.

It features everything from snow-capped mountains and river canyons to the lowlands of the Amazon basin.

Natalie Crisp, Laura McCain, Grace Holland, Georgina Anson, Kezia McFarland and Sally Ashton are all year 12 pupils at Skipton Girls' High and are actively fundraising to collect £1,600 each to pay for the trip.

On July 11 the girls will head off to Peru where they will follow the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, which is the country's most visited archaeological site.

It was the only major Inca retreat from which to escape the looting and destruction of the Spaniards.

On the trail the girls will pass through Inca tunnels, cloud forests and steep passes.

They will complete a four-day trek into the remote wilderness of the Andes mountains reaching altitudes of 6,000 metres.

During a journey to Lake Titicaca they will gain real insight into the lives of indigenous Indians that inhabit these remote areas.

The girls will see a lagoon glacier, hot springs and the witches' market in Bolivia and will spend the final week of the trip crossing the Atacama Desert in a 4x4 vehicle.

But before they can go the students have the huge task of collecting enough money to pay for their flights and accommodation.

Already they have had stalls at Grassington's Dickensian Festivals, have done sponsored swims, organised jumble sales and have had stalls at their own school fairs.

Anyone who would like to help financially can write to the girls c/o Skipton Girls' High on Gargrave Road.