Peru is a stunningly beautiful country with many unforgettable places to visit for the most adventurous of families. Cusco is the starting point for many of the country’s highlights, including Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.
There are numerous options for trekking and touring to see the incredible mountains, lakes and Inca cities and ruins, including Machu Picchu.
There are through-hike backpacking tours available, all ranging in price depending on accommodations that would be great for families with older kids or those who are experienced backpackers. We opted out of the multi-day treks this trip, and were able to see all of the destinations we hoped to, while still having a comfortable trip for the kids.
Trip Stats
- When: December 2019
- Days In and around Cusco: 8
- Ages of Kids: 8, 7, 2
- Time in Car: Medium to High
- Time Outside: High
- Level of Difficulty: Difficult
- Tour Guide: Yes!
We highly recommend Juan at https://www.apurimacadventures.com/
Although one of our favorites, the visit was really active and somewhat challenging. There were long, winding car rides and high altitude hiking, however each place we visited was stunningly beautiful and also historically interesting. We would take the trip again in a heartbeat.
Here’s our plan:
Day #1
Day 1: Arrive in Cusco
Today you will do…. NOTHING! No really, today you need to sit and get used to the altitude. At 11,000 feet, Cusco is really elevated for most of us, so having a very low key day is really important, especially to help the kids acclimate as well.
There are coca leaves available locally to help ward off feelings of dizziness and nausea, but bring your favorite remedy with you from home in case you or your kids start feeling a little queasy. We also use Sea Bands as well as essential oils (Young Living makes a kid-specific tummy one), and kept both with us through the trip. Even walking to town for dinner made our oldest queasy, so definitely give their little bodies time to adjust.
Day 2: Tour around Cusco
The historic section of Cusco is beautiful to walk around – there are magnificent churches, small alleyways to explore through, and tasty restaurants to try. The Indigenous culture here is so strong and so proud and there is a huge effort to preserve the traditions and customs.
Day #2
What to Do:
- Work with a guide or head off yourself to see the blend of two cultures, the Inca and the Spanish, that is uniquely on display through the architecture and the preserved ruin sites.
What to See:
- Travel to the Historic Section of the City, including the Plaza de Armas.
- Explore the three ruins just outside the city – Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, and Puka Pucara as well as the Temple of the Sun, Qoricancha.
- Wander through the San Pedro Market for dried fruit, handwoven items such as sweaters and hats as well as home-cooked meals and fresh-squeezed juices.
- Check into a chocolate-making class in town. There are multiple, but start your search at ChocoMuseo.
Where to Stay:
- Depending on budget, stay as close to the historical section as possible for easy walking to tour around or to restaurants.
Day #3
Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour to Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes is the town at the base of Machu Picchu and, unless you are hiking in on the Inca Trail, is the place to stay the night before you head up to see the magical Inca city. On the way, tour through the Sacred Valley, which is a beautiful stretch of farming land that produces much of the food for the surrounding areas. We traveled in December, which is technically part of the rainy season in this area, however, it made for beautifully green fields and mountainsides.
If you do not have a guide and a car – or just have a train-loving kid- there are many options to also travel from Cusco through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaybo by train.
What to See on the Way:
- The town of Cinchero is known for its weavers and textiles. Kids can learn about dying and making yarn and how to weave
- Moray is known for advanced-for-the-time farming methods. Check out the collection of circular terraces which the Incas used to experiment with microclimates to enhance crop production
- The Maras Salt Mine is one of the oldest working mines from the Incas where they produced natural salt.
- The Inca town of Ollantaytambo is where you’ll pick up the train to Aguas Calientes. See the Inca Fortress near the city as you wait for your train.
There are multiple restaurants and shops to wander through and be sure to pick up some snacks for the 2-hour journey.
Off the path:
- If you have older kids, or kids that are hiking and camping pros, consider a trek on the Inca Trail. Connect with a tour company (as of this writing, you cannot trek without a guide) for options for a single or multi day hike to Machu Picchu.
Day 4: Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
Today is a special day — the visit to Machu Picchu. This city is said to have been a royal or religious site for the Incas and is beautifully preserved, mainly because the Spanish were never able to find it because of its location and altitude. Its structures are examples of the Inca building methods, with thousands of stones strongly fitting together without mortar. Rediscovered in 1911 by an American archaeologist, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been designated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Day #4
What to Do:
- If you are not hiking into Machu Picchu, take the bus up the road to the entrance to Machu Picchu. Do not be tempted to walk up the road – the bus fair is worth it to have a great start to the day.
- Tour through Machu Picchu to see the temples, royal residence stone quarry and living quarters of the beautifully preserved city.
What to know:
- Be sure to purchase your entrance tickets to Machu Picchu as well as the bus tickets for the ride to the entrance in advance. You can go to Peru’s Ministry of Culture website to buy online. Your guide may include the options for the tour company to purchase them on your behalf.
- There are options to hike two mountains that overlook Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu. Huayna Picchu Mountain is the tall mountain that you see in most photos of Machu Picchu and takes about 2 hours in total. Machu Picchu Mountain is less busy, but typically takes about 3 hours and has more elevation gain. Both require tickets in advance and both have some steep drop-offs, so take care if planning with kids.
What to Bring
- Original passports for everyone
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Warm Jacket
- Hats/sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Comfortable shoes
Tips:
- If you booked the morning Machu Picchu time slot it is possible to take the train back to Ollantaytambo and drive or ride back to Cusco on the same day.
- There are multiple restaurants and shops in Aguas Calientes to stock up on water and snacks. There is a small restaurant within the entrance of Machu Picchu to buy some reinforcements.
Day #5
Day 5: Santuranticuy Crafts Fair and drive to Cachora
We had taken the trip over the December break from school and were in Cusco for Christmas. Each year, on Christmas Eve, hundreds of vendors set up in the Plaza de Armas to sell beautiful handcrafted items such as textiles, wood carvings and artwork. This is the place to support local artisans and bring home some memorable gifts.
In the afternoon, we headed to Cachora, which is the hometown of our guide, Juan, to help prepare a traditional Christmas dinner in his family home and guest house. It was a beautiful experience getting to know Juan’s family and seeing our kids play together and with the kids in the neighborhood.
Off the path:
- One of the treks that is on our list for when the kids get older is the Choquequirao Ruins trek. If you are interested in this trek, our guide, Juan, is extremely knowledgeable about this area and can help plan this (and other) treks. Check his company out at https://www.apurimacadventures.com/
Day 6: Hot Chocolate, Panetón and Gifts with the Pantipata Community
Each time we travel, when feasible, we try to set aside a day for helping out the community in some way. We teamed up with Juan and brought 100 backpacks full of gifts to hand out to the kids in the Pantipata Community near Cachora. Juan’s family made their famous hot chocolate and we brought panetón, the traditional tasty snack of Christmas in Peru.
Day #6
What to know:
- If you would like to set up a day like this, work with a local guide. They are typically from the area and know what communities might be receptive to and in need of some gifts.
- Try to purchase what you can in the country you are in. We typically purchase backpacks and some of the toys, notebooks and coloring items from the US and we look during our trip to see what we can add
- Learn the cultural traditions, especially if you are visiting on a holiday. This makes it extra special and shows respect for the community and helps everyone be a little more at ease with meeting new people
Day #7
Day 7: Humantay Lake
I first learned about this lake on Instagram and thought it was one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. The water is a beautiful turquoise color and the surrounding mountains are majestic and snow capped. You can see the lake on a day trip from Cusco with a group or private tour, or it is possible to hire a taxi to take a rental car as well. Most of the tours go in the early morning, so if you are able to hire a private guide or go on your own at a later time, I would recommend it for the chance to have less crowds at the top.
What to know:
- The drive and trek to the lake are a bit strenuous – the drive up to the trailhead is extremely narrow and twisty and the hike is a very steep.
- The hike is about 1.5 miles up, with a 1200 foot elevation gain to almost 14,000 feet at the lake. There is an option to ride horses part of the way up to help things out a bit. It is a steep hike and the elevation makes it a bit more difficult.
- There’s a glacier at the other side of the lake, however the area can be typically cloudy depending on if you are visiting in the rainy season making it hard to see the mountains across. The weather changes quickly, so plan to spend a bit of time waiting for things to clear.
- There is a small store near the trailhead and restaurant to get some food and some snacks.
Off the path:
- There are dome camping options at the trailhead that are owned by some of the tour companies. This would make a pretty place to sleep and help get a really early start on the hike in the morning.
- The trip to Humantay Lake may be part of a larger Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. These overnight treks would be great for older kids or families who are experienced with through-hikes and backpacking. There are more expensive options for “glamping” treks that could make the through-hike a bit easier.
Day 8: Vinicunca Mountain aka Rainbow Mountain
The trek to Rainbow Mountain was the most challenging hike we encountered in Peru, however it was the most memorable. Our youngest, who was two at the time, still talks about it and remembers the colors, and we all love remembering our accomplishment and how much harder it is to breathe at such a high altitude.
Day #8
This is a 6.5-mile round trip hike at an elevation of 16,500 feet, however, it is so worth it to experience not only for the view of Rainbow Mountain but to see the entire surrounding areas, including red mountains, beautiful fields, and wandering lamas.
What to know:
- The tours leave early in the morning (around 4 am) for the 3-hour drive. If you can, try to book a private tour again for this one so you can go at your own pace during the hike.
- You can arrange to ride a horse part of the way up the hill. Because of the altitude, this can be a very strenuous trek, even if you do ride up. The last section of the hike is extremely steep and the altitude is extremely high. Hike Rainbow Mountain at the end of your trip to ensure you are as acclimated as possible to the altitude.
- The walk down is beautiful! You will not only feel great that you just accomplished the trek, but you will also have a beautiful view of the scenery the whole way down, with herds of alpacas and llamas grazing.
- This is a full-day outing – Bring snacks, water, and whatever remedy you like for altitude sickness. You may consider bringing a portable oxygen canister just in case as well.
- The weather here can be unpredictable. On a cloudy or rainy day, this hike would likely be really miserable. If you are utilizing one, see if your tour guide can be flexible and have two or more days potentially earmarked for this trip that can be substituted depending on the weather.
The areas surrounding Cusco, Peru, as well as the city itself are rich with beauty as well as history.
There are so many people that are working to preserve the Indigenous culture and memory of the Inca empire and are so happy to share their knowledge and traditions with visitors. Kids will carry this trip with them not only because of the knowledge that they learn and the kindness of the people of Peru, but also because of the hiking and altitude challenges that they will be tested to overcome. Plan the trip so you can take things slowly and at your own pace and you’ll have a beautiful lasting memory for your family to share.
