The Ultimate Family-Friendly Travel Guide for Peru
*This is a collaborative post
Traveling with the whole family can get expensive, which is why it’s so crucial that you choose a destination that offers a little bit of everything, so you can get the absolute most out of the experience every time you fly.
The destination that by far encapsulates this best is Peru. With stunning landscapes, history, and culture, it’s a winner by all accounts and perfect for adventure-oriented families that want to get off the beaten path. To help you plan your ultimate family-friendly trip, all you need to start is this guide:
Outline Your Top Hotspots and Things to Do
A great way to take a trip together is to plan a trip together. Have everyone in your family choose one thing they want to do or see while on the trip, and try to avoid overlap. This way, you can plan or book a trip that suits everyone. Just make sure you take note of everyone’s fitness levels; there are other ways to get to Machu Picchu, for example, other than taking the Inca Trail if one of you, say, has a bad knee!
Find a Travel Guide that Covers Your Bucket List
Peru is best seen via guides. You can either book multiple local tours (a horseback riding tour, the Machu Picchu tour, a hiking tour, etc), or you can look into a luxury all-in-one tour that you can even customize through agencies like Kuoda Travel. If you want to see and do everything without worrying about driving, transport, or other logistics, opting for such a tour experience is absolutely the way to go.
When to Travel
There are two considerations to make when you travel. The first is whether or not you can get tickets or book a tour for the period that you want to go. This is mostly in regard to Machu Picchu, which caps the number of visitors per day and, most importantly, gets booked out months in advance.
The second consideration is dry season versus rainy season. Naturally, the dry season is the better time to go unless you want to be huddled up in a raincoat the entire time. This means you’ll want to travel between April to October.
Remember to Get Travel Insurance
One of the last things you want is to accidentally get hurt on a trip, but that’s exactly the eventuality you need to plan for. Make sure you get travel insurance that covers your entire family and the activities you plan to do. If you don’t, and you get a basic package and end up getting hurt in an “extreme sport” like water rafting, your insurer may not cover you.
Top Areas You Should Absolutely See in Peru
Without further ado, here’s a quick list of the areas you absolutely need to include in your family itinerary to Peru:
- Lima, the capital city, and a cultural hotspot.
- Huacachina, where you can see and explore Peru’s dunes up close.
- Sacred Valley, where you’ll enjoy stunning views, vistas, and beautiful villages.
- Machu Picchu, the infamous UNESCO World Heritage site that’s an absolute must to see in person.
- Cusco, the small town full of history, museums, and culture.
- Rainbow Mountain, to see the stunning waves of color.
- Lake Titicaca and the Uros Islands, where you can sleep on a floating island.
- Amazon Rainforest, to see the beauty and biodiversity of the Amazon up close.
Note: that since there are so many great things to do, it’s recommended that you take at minimum two (or even three weeks) to explore Peru.
