Peru Family Adventure Holiday

Upon arrival at Cusco airport, your guide will greet you and accompany you on a 90-minute transfer to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Along the way, there will be plenty of scenic viewpoints, perfect for photo stops.

Later, you’ll visit a local pottery studio, where you can create a unique keepsake under the guidance of expert artisans.

Finally, your guide will return you to your hotel, allowing you to relax and enjoy the tranquility of this beautiful rural setting.

Today, we’ll head to the town of Pisac to experience its bustling market. Stroll at your own pace among artisan stalls, and keep an eye out for elders from remote hill villages who trade homegrown vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions for tropical fruits from the jungle.

From there, we proceed to Taray, where we’ll unload bikes and begin a scenic ride along a dirt road by the Urubamba River. Cycling lets you fully appreciate this traditional agricultural area, with fields of corn, kiwicha, and quinoa lining the way. Friendly farm workers may even wave as you pass.

We’ll stop for a picnic lunch, and energetic riders can continue cycling back to the hotel, while others have the option of the support vehicle.

Next, we visit our watersports center on Lake Huaypo, surrounded by cornfields and offering sweeping views of the snow-capped Vilcanota mountains. This peaceful spot is ideal for adapting to the altitude and enjoying some water fun.

Choose between stand-up paddleboarding or sit-on-top kayaking. With full gear provided, your guide will teach you the basics before you glide across the lake, taking in stunning views of the Andes and, hopefully, glimpsing some of the local birdlife, including rare Andean flamingos.

On the far side of the lake, we’ll stop for snacks before returning to base for a warm shower and lunch.

For lunch, we’ll enjoy a traditional Andean dish known as Pachamanca, where meat and vegetables are cooked over hot stones in an earthen oven. Once everything is covered and sealed with herbs, wet sheets, and earth, the meal cooks for about 35 minutes. When ready, we dig up delicious potatoes, yams, corn, fava beans, and meat straight from the ground.

Afterward, unwind in our hammocks while admiring the views before we say goodbye to Lake Huaypo and drive to the remarkable Moray ruins. These circular ruins, once Incan agricultural labs, are rarely visited. Afterward, we travel to Maras to explore the ancient Salineras salt pans, in use since Inca times.

After a full day of culture, adventure, and fine dining, we return to the hotel.

Today’s highlight is a hike on the one-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

After an early train ride, we begin the hike, stopping for lunch at the beautiful Inca terraces of Wiñay Wayna.

From there, a gentle two-hour walk and a final ascent bring us through the Sun Gate, where Machu Picchu unfolds before you.

Tonight, you’ll stay in Aguas Calientes, the nearby town, and can relax in the hot springs as you dream about tomorrow’s full exploration of the ruins.

At Machu Picchu, a short bus ride brings you to this legendary site, where your guide will explain the intricacies of Inca engineering, including altars, temples, and structures used for celestial rituals.

If lucky, you might even see a spectacled bear, which inspired Paddington Bear. After a memorable day, you’ll take the train back to Cusco, enjoying the picturesque journey.

The next day begins with a short drive to Sacsayhuaman, an ancient fortress overlooking Cusco with walls built of massive stones, some weighing over 140 tons. After admiring the views, you can explore the labyrinthine pathways before a scenic walk back to Cusco for lunch.

In the late afternoon, indulge in a 2-hour chocolate-making workshop where you’ll learn about the history of chocolate and make your own bar of Peruvian chocolate – a perfect gift, if you can resist eating it yourself!

Time to work off the chocolate with a rafting adventure on the Pinipampa section of the river, where gentle rapids make for a thrilling ride in your own inflatable canoe.

Your guide will ensure you’re prepared for a safe and fun experience.

Then, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting Awana Kancha to meet llamas and alpacas and watch traditional cloth-making demonstrations.

The following day is free for you to explore Cusco at your leisure, from the artist-filled San Blas district to the many museums displaying Incan treasures.

Later, your transfer to the airport awaits, whether your next stop is Lake Titicaca, the Amazon, or your journey home. You may also choose to extend your stay in Cusco.

Important Note – Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu Permits Daily visitor numbers to Machu Picchu are capped, so we need to book your entrance in advance. If you’d like to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, permits must be pre-booked for an additional fee of USD 75, including entry to Machu Picchu.

Peru is the perfect holiday destination for adventure travellers that want an amazing variety of activity, geography and cultural travel experiences.

The breadth of travel experiences in Peru is breathtaking – from trekking in the Andes to Machu Picchu to the tropical jungle of the Amazon, and plenty in between.

The people of Peru make it a special destination too, with its colourful and traditional street life and friendly locals.

Peru is made up of 3 distinct geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.

The costa or coastal region is a narrow ribbon of desert 2,250 km long, crossed by fertile river valleys flowing from the Andes. It takes up 11% of the country and holds more than 40% of the population.

The cold Humboldt current gives rise to a blanket of mist – the garua – which hangs above coastal cities like the capital Lima from May to November.

Heading east, you’re soon climbing above the garua and into the Andes. The sierra, or mountainous region, covers some 25% of Peru’s territory and contains 50% of the population. The sierra inhabitants are mainly Indigenous or Mestizo, and many still speak Quechua or Aymara.

The sierra contains dozens of 6,000-metre snow peaks and volcanoes, including Huascaran (6,768m) the highest mountain in the tropics. The deep valley basins contain most of the towns and arable land; the terracing and canal systems of the Incas and pre-Incas are often still used today.

The eastern Andes are heavily forested up to 3,350m and sweep down into the Amazon Basin.

Peru’s selva or jungle makes up almost two thirds of the country’s area, but holds only about 6% of the population: the only towns with significant populations are Iquitos and Pucallpa.

Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high performance outdoor gear.

Peru has a wide variety of climates, due largely to the huge altitudinal range it covers.

During the day hopefully, it will be generally sunny enough for shorts and T-shirts, though having a fleece and rain gear handy is advisable. It will get cold especially in the evenings, so bring a warm fleece jacket, a good waterproof and some warm clothes including thermal underwear, gloves, scarf and woolly hat as well as one set of smarter clothes for Cusco.

Machu Picchu does have some sand-flies and clients are advised to wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts to avoid bites.

General: Towel, sunglasses with attaching string, peaked cap, water bottle & purification tablets, torch & spare batteries, insect repellent (high DEET content is best), swim suit, suntan lotion factor 30+ / aftersun, lipbalm, long sleeved shirt, trousers/jeans

Rafting: We provide wetsuit boot, wetsuits and splash-jackets. You just need; swimming costume, thermal top, towel and change of warm-clothes.

Trekking: Shorts, tee-shirts, warm fleece or down jacket, thermal underwear, warm hat, gloves, scarf, sweater (available in Cusco), waterproof raincoat & trousers, socks / underwear, trekking trousers, after trekking trousers & t-shirt, good / well worn -in walking boots, after trek shoes (sandals), trekking poles with rubber tips (optional), poncho and rucsack cover (optional)

Personal gear: Binoculars (optional), camera with spare batteries/memory cards/film, pocket knife, book, notepaper & pen (optional), music player or (e)book, money belt, personal toilet kit, spare glasses / lenses, personal first aid kit to include, painkillers, plasters (band-aids), moleskin, anti-biotic cream, general antibiotics (ask your GP), after-bite (tiger balm), anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication, good head torch

Being at altitude, especially in the tropics, is usually a pleasure as it isn’t so hot, there are few insects and the air is clear.

However, when gaining altitude, air pressure drops and the amount of oxygen reaching the lungs is reduced. Although we build plenty of acclimatisation time into our itineraries, certain ill-effects are possible. Nevertheless, all of these can be minimised or prevented if care is taken.

On reaching heights above 2,500m (approx. 8,200 ft), especially when ascent has been straight from sea level, heart pounding, mild headache and shortness of breath are normal, especially on exertion.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a syndrome known locally as soroche, whose symptoms can include of bad headache, dizziness and nausea).

To avoid AMS, you should:

• Rest for a few hours on arrival at altitude and take it easy for the first couple of days. Note: you may feel fine on arrival and tempted to exert yourself as normal. Don’t be fooled: you might be benefiting from oxygen brought in your blood from sea level.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (altitude is a diuretic). Coca tea (mate de coca) helps alleviate symptoms.
• Eat light meals, with high carbohydrate and low fat and protein content. Dine early, allowing digestion time pre-sleep.
• Avoid over-exposure to the strong highland sun (UV rays are very powerful) – especially in the early stages – making sure you wear a broad brimmed sunhat. Apply lip-salve to prevent chapped lips.
• Avoid or minimise consumption of cigarettes and alcohol. Avoid sleeping pills.
• If you do get AMS: Rest, take non-aspirin painkillers (for headache) and coca tea. Symptoms should subside after a day or two.
• Pregnant women, people with a history of heart, lung, kidney or blood disease or blood pressure problems, should consult their doctor before traveling to high altitude.

Andean Trails has 25 years of experience of putting together the best South America holidays.

We pay a fee to the CAA for every licensable passenger we book since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking.

We also offer ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority) protected holidays to give our customers peace of mind when booking and travelling.

When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Andean Trails Ltd you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 6275.

You can read more about ATOL, who is covered and what protections you have if not ATOL-covered, on our ATOL page.

What is ATOL?

The CAA’s ATOL scheme offers protection to your money and your holiday if you book with us. Not everybody is covered (see ‘Who is covered?’ for more), as you must purchase an ‘air package holiday’ with Andean Trails to be protected.

And  ‘air package holiday’ is defined as including a flight and some ground services (hotel, transfer, trek etc). This is also known as an ‘ATOL-protected holiday’.

Who is covered?

To be covered by ATOL, you must book a flight and some ground services with us and be from the UK. If you are from the UK and only book ground services and no flights, you are not covered by ATOL (see below for more on how non-ATOL clients are covered).

If you are outside the UK and buy flights with us, you will be ATOL protected IF any of the flights booked with Andean Trails touches/stops in the UK at any point during your holiday package booked with us.

If you buy your flights elsewhere, please check with that agent if you are ATOL protected. Be careful with online flight purchases and make sure you know what protection you have, if any, before paying for flights.

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd. are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Andean Trails.

I’m not ATOL covered, what protection do I have?

If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account.

We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails Limited while you are on holiday, then your money is secure and you can either complete the trip or be able to make it home.

If you pay for your holiday with a credit card, some offer payment protection – please check with your cardholder.

You also should have cancellation protection written into your insurance (which we recommend you have at the time of booking) in case you need to cancel.