Peru Family Holiday

From enigmatic Inca citadels to spectacular wildlife, Peru is one of those bucket-list family holiday destinations that makes for lifetime memories for kids and grown-ups alike.

While many parents might wish to wait until children are a little older to take kids to Peru (you do need to do so if you want to do some of the Andes trails), we partner with adventure firms who can take families with children as young as five, for whom Peru is no less magical.

With younger kids you might, for instance, head up the Amazon River in search of macaws, monkeys and tarantulas, learn traditional archery and spend a few nights in a jungle lodge. You can also venture into the Andean mountains to Cusco – an ancient city with all the modern accoutrements and a lively feel (expect llamas on street corners with families in traditional costume, but also hip cafés galore). It's a good place to learn about local art and music before heading into the Sacred Valley to visit a local farm and meet more llamas, plus alpacas and vicunas.

But the highlight of the trip for most people are the spectacular and mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu, perched high up in the mountains surrounded by cloud forest - lost to the world until they were rediscovered in 1911. With younger kids, you get here via one of the world's most unforgettable train journeys; with older teens and grown-up children (aged at least 15) you can get to Machu Picchu by hiking the iconic Inca Trail or the quieter Quarry Trail, camping at high altitude in the Andes en route. Or with older children (minimum age varying from 10 to 15), we can offer other active itineraries for families that can include the likes of hiking, mountain-biking, canoeing, rafting and SUP paddleboading.

The below itinerary is just one example of what we can put together for your family. With a maximum group size of 16 people, organised Peru family adventures like this are perfect for making new friends with likeminded families, and you also have the benefit of having all domestic travel and accommodation included, as well as many activities and some meals. You'll have the services of expert local guides, too – introducing you to the very best of their country and giving you personal insights.

A trip like this can be tailor-made to your family's needs and be bookended by extended stays or even combined with other itineraries either in Peru or in other parts of South America, such as the Galapagos, Argentina and Brazil.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Peru's capital city, Lima, and settle into your hotel before meeting your tour leader and the other families on the trip in the evening.

Day 2: Fly (2.5 hours) to Puerto Maldonado before hopping into a motorised canoe to travel up river to your jungle lodge in the Madre de Dios area - keep an eye out for wildlife along the route (taking about 2 hours). After checking in to your accommodation, head out for a guided walk in the jungle and a traditional Amazonian archery lesson. Back at the lodge, enjoy a hearty evening meal, before heading out on the river in search of caimans and other nocturnal creatures.

Day 3: Hike through the Amazon jungle to Tres Chimbadas Lake (1 hour). Look out for colourful macaws, hoatzins, monkeys and black alligators - and perhaps even an endangered river wold (otter). Back at the lodge you'll have some downtime before an afternoon visit to a traditional medicine garden and laboratory. After dinner, you'll have a guided walk in search of insects, amphibians, tarantulas, bats and birds, and perhaps some shy armadillo too.

Day 4: A boat will take you back to Puerto Maldonado, where you'll collect your large bags and take a flight to Cusco (approx. 40 minutes), arriving early evening. The evening is then free to explore and have dinner so you can take some time to discover this delightful old city. Take things easy though - it can take time to adjust to the altitude (3,450m).

Day 5: Today starts with a guided walk through Cusco and a meeting with a local musician, who will show you round the artisans' neighbourhood of San Blas and tell you about the importance of music and art in Peruvian culture and history. You'll visit their home and have a chance to play some traditional drums, string and wind instruments before learning how to make a zampona - a traditional panpipe, which you can take home. The rest of the day is free to explore as you want - perhaps head to the market or visit some of the museums.

Day 6: Heading into the beautiful Sacred Valley (1 hour), today you'll visit Awanacancha, a local farm, and get to know some of Peru's furry locals - llamas, alpacas and vicunas. Then you head on to Pisac, a little village at the base of an Inca fort, to wander around the colourful market and see a weaving demonstration before exploring the Inca ruins.

Day 7: Heading deeper into the Sacred Valley takes you to Ollantaytambo (1.5 hours by road), built over an ancient Inca town. You'll have time to explore the archaeological site before taking the midday train (2 hours) up to Aguas Calientes, enjoying the stunning Andean scenery along the way.

Day 8: Today you'll take the bus (30 minutes) up to the 'lost city' of Machu Picchu, arriving at 6am. Perched high in the Andes, the site is surrounded by cloud forest. Invisible from below, Machu Picchu was only rediscovered in 1911. You'll have a 4-hour ticket to explore, starting with the upper terrace by yourselves, before joining a guided tour. Later, you'll take the bus back to town and have time for some lunch before taking the train back to Ollantaytambo (2 hours) and then joining the group's vehicle to drive back to Cusco (2 hours). In the evening there is the option to join the group for a farewell meal.

Day 9: The tour ends today. You may have time to explore Cusco some more before flying home, or we could arrange for you to extend your stay if you wish.

Contact us on 020 3820 5453 or via our online form for more information about this itinerary or to discuss your needs with one of our family travel experts.

Teenager taking photographs on a trip to the Arctic. [copyright]© Rhonda Carrier[/copyright]

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