Family program - Peru

Itinerary

Your family vacation in Peru should be jam-packed with the some of the country’s most important destinations, and so we have designed this tour of Peru to include Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu, and Chiclayo, plus the possibility of extending your Peru trip. Overall, a family-oriented Peru tour package that has something each member will enjoy.

Day 1: Arrival in Lima / City Tour

Your Peruvian tour begin with a trip to downtown Lima, also known as the “City of the Kings” and an UNESCO World Heritage site. The Main Square is an awe-inspiring sight with incredible buildings lining it. Afterwards, you take a short walk to the 16^th century Santo Domingo Convent where the tombs of two of the city’s patron saints are located: Rose of Lima and San Martin de Porres. Next on the agenda are the city’s modern sectors: the exclusive district and financial center of San Isidro and Miraflores, with some time spent at the “Parque del Amor” and a lovely view of the Pacific Ocean. The last stop is the Larco Museum, a private collection of more than 3000 years of Pre-Columbian history. Children will receive an activity book on Peru to take back home and remember what they learn while traveling. Overnight in Lima.

Day 2: Family bike tour & dinner with folkloric show

You will enjoy a bicycle ride around the two main cultural areas of Lima: Miraflores and Barranco. It is the perfect combination of art, history, architecture, and family recreation that ends with a snack in a traditional bar or café. Dinner that evening includes the best Peruvian food plus a wonderful show of folk music and dancing.Overnight in Lima.

Day 3: Cusco

You will fly from Lima to Cusco for your Cusco tour; upon arrival, you will be driven to the Sol y Luna Hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where you will learn how to make great homemade pizza. For your night’s entertainment, there is the play, “Andean Gods”, about the religions, rites, legends, and traditions of the Andes. Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 4: Lagoon of Piuray

Today, you will visit Lake Piuray, a beautiful place in the middle of the Andes mountains, where you can engage in yoga, kayaking, or stand up paddle boarding. Lunch will be either a nice family picnic or a traditional pachamanca. Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 5: Visit to the Community of Misminay

The excursion begins in the community of Misminay, elevation 3700 meters, in the Urubamba Valley, where 200 families still preserve the traditional Andean way of living, which you will be able to share by performing their regular tasks, like plowing or harvesting, depending on the time of year. You can also participate in an offering to the earth (a rite that honors mother earth) and enjoy a traditional lunch made by the women from ingredients they organically grow in their fields. In addition, you will see them spin and dye wool using natural colors as well as weave fabric following their ancient techniques. Later that night, you will enjoy a pizza party in which the young ones will be able to make their own. Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 6: Machu Picchu Tour

You are going to visit one of the most important energy centers of the world: Machu Picchu. You will travel by train to the town of Aguas Calientes, an experience in which you will see the striking scenery of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After you arrive, you will take a bus to the Machu Picchu archeological site, and tour its every nook and cranny in the company of a professional guide who will tell you the history that envelopes this mysterious and enchanting place: an unforgettable experience. Once the guided tour is over, you and your family will have some free time to explore the site on your own, to relax, or to meditate. At the agreed upon hour, you will descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch and, afterwards, board the train for the return trip to Cusco. Overnight in Cusco.

Day 7: Cusco city tour and Chocomuseo (Chocolate Museum)

Your day begins with a tour of the so-called Imperial City, in the historic district, another UNESCO World Heritage site. The tour begins at the Koricancha Temple, an old Incan palace and main center for the worship of the sun god, Inti. Once the Spanish conquered Peru, the Dominican order built a lovely church over top this temple’s foundations: the church of Santo Domingo, that is still there today. Your next destination is the Main Square, upon which sit the Cathedral, the beautiful Church of La Compañia de Jesus (Society of Christ), and other Colonial period buildings. The adventure continues to the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, built of enormous stone blocks expertly shaped by the Incas. It is strategically located at the top of a hill overlooking the city of Cusco. What a view of the city!

The treat of the day is a stopover at the Chocomuseo, to learn everything there is about the fine chocolate produced in the Cusco region. Kids will have a lot of fun while making their own chocolate, an excellent family experience in Cusco!
Overnight in Cusco

Day 8: Return to Lima / Chiclayo

You will return to Lima and then hop onto another flight to Chiclayo, where you will visit the famous Lord of Sipan Museum in Lambayeque. Overnight in Chiclayo.

Day 9: Natural Reserve of Chaparri ( Extension trip)

Today, you will follow the trail of Paddington Bear, an orphaned spectacled bear from Peru who is the main character in Michael Bond’s famous book; enjoy this family trip to the Chaparri Ecological Reserve, located in northern Peru, and habitat of Paddington’s relatives. Overnight in Chiclayo.

Day 10: Departure

You will take the short flight from Chiclayo to the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, where you will await the flight to your next destination.

Extension trip: Jungle Adventure, 3 days - 2 nights in Puerto Maldonado or 1 day of dune buggies and sand boards in the Ica desert.