Peru - Luxury Family Travel Adventures with Tanit Trails DMC

A firm family favourite, Peru brings the big guns when it comes to family travel. And with its balance of education and entertainment, luxury and affordability, this is a great gateway into South America for families. You’ll find enough international cuisine for those with less adventurous palates, good infrastructure, so travelling around is usually easy, and family-friendly accommodation to make sharing rooms manageable.

This 2-week family itinerary from Tanit Trails shows how to make a complex destination work around a family’s mixed interests and schedules.

Lima

Introduction to Peru’s food, art & culture

Explore Lima with a chef guide and get instant immersion into Peru’s history and culture. Begin at one of Lima’s food markets, picking up ingredients as you admire the weird and wonderful items on offer. Wander through the bohemian Barranco neighbourhood to your host’s apartment, which overlooks the sea. Get your hands dirty with a cookery class and sample your creations.

Continue to explore Lima, visiting the historic centre, the main plaza, and Casa Aliaga, one of the city’s most iconic colonial houses.

Sacred Valley

Andean textiles & Pisac archaeological site

Visit the market and archaeological site of Pisac. Pick up some handicrafts and admire the brightly coloured clothes available. Stop for a picnic lunch and then visit the Awanakancha textile centre, where you can observe the creation of textiles from alpaca, llama, and vicuña wool. You may even spot the animals roaming outside.

Treasure hunt

Embark on a scavenger hunt through the Sacred Valley, visiting Inca palaces, terraces, and water channels as you seek out clues to find the hidden treasure. A picnic lunch will be served, surrounded by the incredible Andean scenery.

In the afternoon, meet a local musician and try your hand at playing a mix of traditional and ancient instruments. For dinner, enjoy a pizza-making class.

Mountain biking, paddle-boarding & cookery class

The Sacred Valley is a playground for adventure activities. Spend the day outdoors, biking through fields of corn, across the Chinchero Plateau and along dirt roads, enjoying a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Cycle for approx. 45 minutes until you reach our favourite, more remote Andean Lake. Hop off your bike and don your gear ready for a paddle-boarding session across the mirror-like waters. Relax on the shore and soak in the views, before a fun and interactive cookery class.

Zip lining & traditional Pachamanca

It’s time for more adventures - today’s adrenaline hit comes in the form of a zip lining course through the spectacular valley scenery. Climb up the mountainside along Via Ferrata, iron ladders that take you to the starting point of the zip lining course. A series of 6 lines will bring you back to the valley floor as they increase in speed and length.

After an exhilarating morning, you’ll be treated to a Pachamanca, a typical Peruvian meal cooked in the ground. Tuck into delicious meat, potatoes and vegetables, all served with local herbs. There’s also a distillery where the adults can enjoy a sip of Andean whisky.

Machu Picchu

1-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu

Perfect for families, this 1-day trek gives you the amazing experience of hiking to Machu Picchu, without camping and in much less time than the typical Inca Trail, which takes 4 days. Begin with a journey on board the Vistadome train, which drops you at the starting point for your hike. Arriving to Machi Picchu through the Sun Gate on foot by following in the path of the Incas, is truly epic. To look down on this famous, ancient city for the first time framed by the sun gate is one of the world's most sought after experiences and also means you get to escape the crowds of tourists having to arrive by bus.

Cross the river and start the ascent, following the trail to Wiñay Wayna archaeological site. Admire the Inca’s incredible engineering and learn how they would have lived at the time it was built.

Continue to Inti Punku, where you’ll be greeted by the first views of Machu Picchu. Stop here to soak it all in and enjoy a well-earned picnic lunch. Descended into the site and explore the citadel before the sun sets over the valley.

Hike Machu Picchu Mountain

Return to the Machu Picchu site and take the adventurous hiking trail up Machu Picchu Mountain for bird's-eye views over this world wonder. You’ll have an epic 360-degree vantage point across Machu Picchu and the Vilcabamba mountain range that surrounds. Head down to the valley floor and board the train to Cusco.

Cusco

San Pedro market & Sacsayhuaman Inca ruins

Visit the vibrant stalls of San Pedro market, soaking in the sights and sounds. Your guide will introduce you to native Peruvian products and you’ll be able to buy anything that takes your fancy.

Next, head to the outskirts of the city to explore the impressive Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman. This important worship site is made up of huge stone blocks and it’s incredible to imagine how it would have been constructed.

Mancora

Whale watching on Peru’s northern coast

Embark on a thrilling whale watching experience off the coast of Mancora, keeping your eyes peeled for dolphins, sea lions and turtles too. Hop on board your boat and head out to sea, watching for the pectoral fins to appear. The whale migration through Mancora is an impressive spectacle and takes place from July to October.

Surf lessons

Mancora’s waves make it a great spot for surfing, even if you have no experience. Don your gear and head to the beach for a surf lesson with an experienced instructor. The lesson will be tailored to whatever level you need.

Lake Titicaca, Arequipa & Colca Canyon

If you have additional time, add on a few days to explore Arequipa & the Colca Canyon, an area that’s rich in culture and jaw-dropping scenery. It’s also a great place to spot Andean condors in the wild.

Belmond Andean Explorer train journey

From Cusco, spend 2 nights on board the Belmond Andean Explorer for the world’s highest railway journey. Travel from Cusco to Arequipa, travelling via Lake Titicaca. Along the way, stop to enjoy the highlights, visiting Andean communities, the unique reed islands of Uros, and areas of spectacular beauty. Once in Arequipa, we can then arrange for guests to visit the Colca Canyon to explore this famous canyon’s highlights.

Kayaking on Lake Titicaca

Spend a morning kayaking on the mirror-like waters of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. While the lake islands can get busy, kayaking is a great way to enjoy the lake at a more leisurely pace, away from the crowds. Paddle around and observe as locals go about their daily lives, fishing and weaving and entertaining their children.

Horse-riding & hot springs in the Colca Canyon

Explore the canyon on horseback, taking in its vast size from ground level. Ride through farming communities and past Inca terraces towards a jaw-dropping viewpoint. Sections of the canyon are twice as deep as the Grand Canyon so expect impressive scenery. On the way, you’ll pass through huge herds of llamas. Return to your hotel and relax in the natural hot springs, the perfect way to unwind after a morning of adventures.

White water rafting in Arequipa

Depart Arequipa for an exhilarating rafting adventure along the upper section of the Chili River. After a full safety briefing, try to stay afloat as you hurtle along white water, passing farming communities and mountain scenery.

This itinerary can easily be tailored to fit the needs of your travellers. A wealth of other experiences can be added on to spark the interest of multi-generation families, like trips into the Amazon and visits to Huacachina and the surrounding desert.

If you need a Peru DMC that can cater to families, get in touch and we’ll set up a conversation with Tanit Trails founder, Nico.