Come explore Peru with your family on one of our uniquely crafted tours, designed with your kids in mind! Our family-designed tours are based on our own experiences traveling with our own kids to Peru and around the world.
- Lima
- Cusco/ Sacred Valley
- Amazon
- Best Activities
- Recommended hotels (3*-luxury)
Peru, a country brimming with culture, stunning landscapes, history and amazing food, is the perfect gateway country for a first family adventure to South America. With frequent and numerous direct flights from all over the US, Canada, and Europe to Lima, the capital, Peru is easily accessible. The northern hemisphere summer is the perfect time to visit Peru's highlands and Amazon as it is the dry season where sunny, clear days are the norm.
Many families have a limited time to travel together; the highlights of Peru can be visited without any difficulty in a seven-day period: Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu! Peruvian culture is extremely welcoming and accommodating to families- all excursions can easily be tailored to meet the needs of a multi-generational group and most hotels offer discounts for children up to 12 years old. Cultural exchanges with locals help inspire kids (and adults too!) to practice their Spanish and dive into the rich, unique traditions found in this glorious nation!
Here is a carefully hand-picked list of our favorite family excursions in Peru’s highlight destinations as well as our favorite family-friendly hotels:
Surfing in Lima: We start the day on the Pacific Ocean! Early pick up from your hotel, and depending on the waves, we decide which beach to go to for our surfing lesson. Most beaches are nearby along La Costa Verde, in Miraflores. After 2 or 3 hours, we dry off and head to lunch at a fantastic local restaurant, to enjoy seafood and other spectacular tastes of Peruvian gastronomy!
Boat trip and optional snorkeling at the Palomino Islands: At the Callao boat dock, you will board your boat for a 4-hour tour of the islands. The guide will point out historical sites, geological features, and marine birds. About 1/2 hour will be spent swimming with the sea lions (optional).
Kayaking/ SUP at Piuray Lake: Piuray is a beautiful lake located in the Community of Pongobamba, in the district of Chinchero. In a private area along the shores of the lake, Placido Escalante, owner of this area and member of the local community, will greet you and invite you to take part in a variety of outdoor activities such as sea kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, mountain biking, yoga, among others. Tarnquil Piuray is known for its bird watching diversity, from endemic kind of birds to many types of Andean ducks. You will enjoy outstanding scenery and breathtaking views of the surrounding hills with pre-Incan terraces, forests and the Sacred Valley snow-capped mountains!
Ziplining/Via Ferrata in the Sacred Valley: Pick up at your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, drive to the Pichar area in the Sacred Valley; a full day of rock climbing with via ferrata assist, and zip lines. Depart in the late afternoon to your hotel in the Sacred Valley or Cusco.
A via ferrata is a type of rock climbing on an established route with a safety system permanently installed, it gives people with no experience in climbing and using minimal equipment, the opportunity to move through spectacular mountain scenery. The 100-meter rappel descent will give you the extra adrenaline you need to make this a unique experience. The zip-line has 5 cables from 100 to 500 meters for a total of 1880 meters. The first cable is a beautiful 35-minute walk.
Rafting (mild class 3-4): You will raft the Chuquicahuana section of the Urubamba River, located about 2 hours south of Cusco, and above 11,000 feet elevation. This whitewater rafting offers a moderate to challenging (class III and IV) option by a beautiful canyon. Prior experience is not required, but it is important to have swimming skills.
Chocolate Museum: We take you to the Choco Museo so you can uncover chocolate secrets and taste chocolate delights made from the best organic Peruvian cacao beans!
Peru Amazon Adventure: Located about a 25-minute motor-canoe ride down the River Madre de Dios from Puerto Maldonado, the Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Lodge is in an enchanting and serene lush setting of natural rainforest.
This rainforest property at Switzerland includes the main lodge with 8 rooms and 7 individual Cabañas, all with private bathrooms and covered porches. There is a spacious dining area with warm colored furnishings. You can view this website to learn more about this villas.
Sensitively positioned within walking distance of beautiful and solitary Lake Sandoval, this unique jungle lodge offers a wide range of fixed land and river excursions in its surroundings, opportunities to spot hoatzins or shanshos and other wild animals. The varied menu of day-trips will introduce guests to the magic of the rainforest which has yet to be discovered. Guaranteed to provide an incomparably memorable stay, this is an experience for true adventure seekers.
RECOMMENDED HOTELS/LODGES FOR FAMILIES:
LIMA
3*: Casa Andina Miraflores Family Room
4*: El Pardo Family Suite (swimming pool)
5*/Luxury: Belmond Miraflores w/ connecting rooms (swimming pool)
CUSCO
3*: Amaru I / Amaru II Family Room
4*: Casa Andina Cusco Plaza Family Room
5*: El Convento Family Room (swimming pool)
SACRED VALLEY:
3*: Pakaritampu Hotel Suite Apartment
4*: Greenhouse Villas Family House for 6 people
4*: Sonesta Posada Yucay Family Room
5*: Sol y Luna Family Suite (swimming pool)
MACHU PICCHU:
3*: Casa Andina Machu Picchu Family Room
4*: El MaPi Connecting Rooms
5*: Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel Family Suite Cabanas (swimming pool)
AMAZON:
3*: Hacienda Concepcion Triple Cabanas (Kids Half Price and up to 2 children under 12 can be in the same cabana as their parents)
3*: Inkaterra Field Station (Families can be in one room/cabana- no age restrictions)
4*: Reserva Amazonica (Kids Half Price and up to 2 children under 12 can be in the same cabana as their parents)
Want to plan your next family Peru adventure? Check out the following itineraries for ideas or contact us to create a custom journey!
- 8-Day Family Adventure in Peru!
- 7-Day Peru: Machu Picchu Tour by Train
- 9-Day Andes, Incas, and Amazon
- 3-Day Amazon Rainforest
Your friendly South America expert,
Gretchen