Family Holidays: Peru family adventure holidays
Take the Family holiday rating 
Why
Peru is a truly amazing and beautiful country. But it's also a long flight and you'll need to contend with jetlag to begin with and high altitude during your holiday depending on where you visit. Carefully consider whether your younger children can cope with the required exertion. But if they're older and you take the time to prepare then you'll have the trip of a lifetime. And when you get home you'll be able to tell Paddington Bear all about how his country's doing.
Beth Jewell aged 8… “At the Colca Canyon it was exciting to see all the huge condors swooping on the thermals. Cusco is great for shopping and seeing big Inca sights and the cathedral in the square was weird with lots of chambers and full of gold. The mummies at Nazca were not as scary as I thought they would be but it was odd seeing their hair and bodies all wrapped up. When I came back I was telling my friends about what I’d done and they wished they could have gone too”.
- Top left: Nazca Monkey
- Top middle: Inca Trail near Macchu Picchu
- Top right: Macchu Picchu
- Bottom left: Snowcapped Mountains
- Bottom right: Peruvians
When
Although Peru is in the Southern hemsiphere, it's also close to the equator and variations in seasons are therefore not extreme. At, or near, sea level it can get hot, while in the mountains temperatures are mild during the day and drop considerably at night.
You'll need to spend at least two to three weeks here. Partly because it's a long way and partly because there's so much to see and it's spread out across a large country. So, not advisable during half terms but the winter, Easter and summer holidays are all feasible.
How
take the plane
Getting to Peru from London requires a stop and the journey can therefore take over 15 hours. You can break up the trip in the States, say Florida, and overcome jetlag by the pool. Or fly KLM via the Caribbean and stop off in a beautiful island. Once in Peru note that it's a large country and you'll need to be prepared for lengthy journeys. But it's worth it!
Stay
We recommend combining nights in hotels with camping. Our recommended partners provide equipment and specialised expedition vehicles, so that your group of families is completely self-sufficient and can therefore visit areas that most family holidays can never get to.
Do
Machu Picchu is, undoubtedly, an amazing place to visit and your kids won’t fail to be as enthralled as you. Not only do these spectacular ruins enjoy an incredible setting in the mountainous jungle, but they also continue to be shrouded in mystery. Machu Picchu was clearly an extremely important Inca settlement, yet it was overlooked completely by the Spaniards and not rediscovered until 1911. Other ‘lost’ civilisations are still being uncovered today.
You can get to Machu Picchu by walking along the breathtaking Inca Trail if your family are fit and can spare four days. Alternatively, take the train from Cusco to Aqua Calients and hike for a day.
Cusco, or Qusqo, is South America’s longest established city, inhabited permanently for over three thousand years. to be completed
The Nazca Lines are an, as yet, unexplained and astonishing phenomenon. There are hundreds of them, some up to 12 miles long, in the desert. From a light aircraft flight your family will spot giant pictures of an ‘astronaut’, hummingbird, monkey, spider and other shapes, as well as perfectly straight and long lines. Although they were ‘drawn’ several hundred years ago, the lines were not rediscovered until they were flown over in the 1930’s. You can’t truly appreciate them from the ground, and that adds to the whole mystery, as it’s very reasonable to assume that their creators did not have access to light aircraft. Numerous existing theories and, perhaps, one or two of your own, will elicit great debate among your family. Explanations even include giant runways for space craft visits.
Arequipa is Peru’s second city, also called the White City since almost all buildings are built from a white volcanic stone. Not only is it a beautiful city, it also enjoys a great and mild year-round climate from being over 2000 metres above sea level in the Peruvian desert.
The Colca Canyon is the world’s deepest (3,000m.), three hours north of Arequipa. Beautiful in its own right, it’s particularly famous for being home to giant and majestic Condors. There’s no guarantee you'll see one but, if you do, they're impressive and worth the trip.
Lake Titicaca is high! 3,800 m. above sea level. If you come here then be prepared for altitude and bring sun block. In fact, Lake Titicaca is the highest lake navigated by large boats.
Of the many highlights to a Peruvian family holiday your stay in Lima, the capital, won’t come top of the list. Nevertheless, there’s an enchanting old town and worthwhile gold museum.
Here’s a suggested itinerary provided by one of the operators we'd recommend depending on your requirements:
- Day 1 – Lima, relax at hotel; Explore old city, opt. visit to Gold Museum or Catacombs.
- Day 2-3 – Nazca, visit Nazca lines, opt. flight over the lines in light aircraft, visit the ancient aqueduct; Nights camping.
- Day 4 – Puerto Inca, sand and sea, penguin viewing available; Night camping.
- Day 5-6 – Arequipa, beautiful ancient city set in the lower Andes, with great cafes, shops; Visit to St. Catalina Convent; Atmospheric Hotel with swimming pool.
- Day 7-8 – Cross the Andes, stunning drive into the high Andes, land of the llamas and alpaca; Stay in small guest house in Chivay, small Indian market town set in the beautiful Colca Valley. Search for Condors at the Colca Canyon and day to explore the valley.
- Day 9 – Drive over high passes through Altiplano to Cusco. Here we stay in a lovely atmospheric historic hotel near the Central Square.
- Day 10-11 – Free time in Cusco to explore the city, to shop in the superb markets and boutiques or to relax in the numerous cafes, bars and restaurants. For the more adventurous opt. bike adventure to Moray or horse trek to Pumamarca.
- Day 12 – Sacred Valley tour, with visit to Sacsayhuaman Fort, explore Pisac Markets and trek to or from Pisac Ruins.
- Day 13 – Train trip to start of 1 day IncaTrail. Full day trek to Machu Picchu with guide. (If you prefer not to trek, you may stay in Aquas Caliente and meet the group in the evening). Overnight in hotel at Aquas Caliente. Kids love this place.
- Day 14 – Guided tour around Machu Picchu for whole group
- Final Day – End of trip. Opt. white-water rafting trip is available or consider extending your trip and travel down to the Amazon Jungle.
Eat
Peruvian meals generally include rice or potatoes, chichen, pork, lamb, and fish. They're often accompanied by one of the different kinds of "aji", or peruvian hot pepper.
Cost
You should budget around £660 for adults with a 20% discount for children up to and including 15. In addition, a ‘kitty’ contribution of US$ 510 per person is payable to the leader on arrival – this pays for all group activities and food whilst on truck and hotels.
Flights are additional and generally cost between £400 and £700 per person depending on time of trip and booking.
Travel reading
by Rob Rachowiecki
Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 30%
Comprehensive coverage of Peru, including where to go and stay, plus history, culture and more.
by Hiram Bingham
Buy from Amazon.co.uk - Save 20%
A gripping account of the discovery in 1911 of the lost city of Machu Picchu.
