Family Multi - Adventure Vacation
Trekking, Hiking, Zip line, Biking Tour in Peru
12 days / 11 nights
Overview
This is an active family vacation designed for teens and their parents and it will take you to revered places where deep jungle, wild rivers, soaring mountains, and sacred ruins take center stage. You will visit destinations like Lima, the Peruvian Amazon, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, where all the family can explore the great outdoors, ride, raft, trek and learn about the surrounding culture.
The journey starts in Lima, the capital city of Peru, where you will cycle around the historical center to see the city’s landmarks like the Presidential Palace and the Cathedral of Lima. Between photo stops, visit local eateries to sample “anticuchos”, “papa a la huancaína”, “ceviche”, “chocolate”, exotic fruits and “cremoladas”. Then you will fly to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway of southern Amazon where you will board a boat and arrive at our eco-lodge, your base to explore the Amazon.
Upon arrival at the lodge, you’ll have time to settle in and relax as well as meet your guide and learn about the variety of activities that you will enjoy during your stay.
You will spot caimans, turtles, hoatzins, toucans, and–if you’re lucky–endangered giant river otters that can reach a length of six feet!
Say goodbye to the jungle as you make your way back to Puerto Maldonado and the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival at Cusco airport, our guide will meet you for the drive to the Sacred Valley. On the way, you will visit spectacular Incan ruins and salt mines which are surrounded by the best views of the Andes Mountains. During your stay in the Sacred Valley you will ride a bike on a spectacular mountain road from the cold heights down into colonial towns, cross rivers with a zip line, walk Inca trails with steep stairs alongside high cliffs and visit the houses of farmer families that will welcome you and show you how to produce their organic and unique coffee.
The trip continues to Machu Picchu, one of the most famous and spectacular sets of ruins of the world. After touring this archeological masterpiece and marveling at its wonders you will take a comfortable train back to Cusco.
The following day, you will discover some of Cusco’s less-visited attractions including the famous San Pedro Market, the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, the sacred Temple of the Sun or Qoricancha and the spectacular Sacsayhuaman fortress. You will wander into the artistic heart of the city and visit the studio of Julio Gutierrez, where you can spend time making sculptures and learning two techniques: Cusco’s Colonial glass ceramics and Cusco’s colonial gold leafing. And to ensure that your memories of this experience stay as alive and vivid as our cultural legacy, you will have the chance to take your two unique and one-of a-kind art pieces with you.
Memorable Moments
- Explore Lima by bike, combining the city's famous attractions with its quintessential food;
- Walk through the Peruvian Amazon and spot Hoatzin birds, along with Squirrel Monkeys, rare Giant otters, huge Caiman and majestic Macaws flying overhead;
- Take a multi-day river trip down one of the beautiful tributaries of the Amazon.
- Discover the beautiful Peruvian countryside with a full-day tour of the magical Sacred Valley;
- Stroll along cobblestoned streets of Ollantaytambo and admire the massive Inca fortress located nearby;
- Cross rivers with a zip line and enjoy the best view of Andean landscapes and the Sacred Valley;
- Walk Inca trails with steep stairs alongside high cliffs and discover the coffee route that takes you to Machu Picchu;
- Wander into the artistic heart of Cusco and make your way to the studio of Julio Gutierrez, where you will learn about two classic techniques that have been passed down through generations;
- Explore San Pedro market and learn about the history behind Peruvian food guided by a professional chef and afterwards enjoy al fresco lunch.
Itinerary at a glance
Day 1 – Welcome to Lima!
Day 2 – Lima – Gastronomic Bike Tour
Day 3 – Lima – Tambopata Jungle (The Peruvian Amazon)
Day 4 – Tambopata National Reserve - Oxbow Lake & Jungle
Day 5 – Tambopata – Sacred Valley
Day 6 – Climb Via Ferrata and Zip Line in Sacred Valley
Day 7 – The Coffee Route to Machu Picchu
Day 8 – Trek to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
Day 9 – Machu Picchu – Full Day Tour
Day 10 – Cusco – Crafting Memories
Day 11 – Cusco – Walking Tour & Cooking Class
Day 12 – Cusco - Lima – Departure
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Full Itinerary
Upon arriving in Lima, you will meet your guide and be transferred to your hotel in Miraflores district. This is one of the nicest neighborhoods for you to stay in – it is centrally located, safe, and near many restaurants and things to do.
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodations: Villa Barranco
A perfect introduction to Lima’s most charming and trendy neighborhoods including Lima’s scenic cliff top walkway “El Malecon”, cool & arty hotspots, pristine parks, Barranco’s old town, the best kept secrets of Miraflores, inspiring old and new architecture. You will delight your senses with fantastic creole treats while visiting small family-run restaurants known as “Huariques”. You will also visit a Farmer’s market and taste native fruits of the country such as Lúcuma, Chirimoya, Pitaya and Tuna. Before returning to the hotel, you will enjoy
“cremolada” a refreshing Peruvian drink made of frozen exotic fruits, very popular on hot summer days.
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodations: Villa Barranco
To begin your jungle tour, you take a quick plane trip from Lima to the Amazonian city of Puerto Maldonado, in Southeastern Peru. After we meet you at the airport, we’ll take you on a 1-hour road trip, followed by a tranquil 1-hour boating downstream on the Tambopata River, to arrive at our secluded rainforest lodge.
Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips. You will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active and easier to see.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodations: Refugio Amazonas
On the Oxbow Lake Visit, you experience one of the most important and distinct habitats of the Amazon. They form when a river bend gets cut off from its main channel, transforming it into a calm lake. After a quick boat trip from the lodge, you hike a short distance inland to the lake. Then, you and your guide will take a pleasant ride around the lake to spot wildlife. Due to the lake’s diversity and fish-filled waters, you have a great chance of seeing the Hoatzin, a bizarre, dinosaur-looking bird, along with troops of Squirrel Monkeys, rare Giant otters, huge Caiman and majestic Macaws flying overhead.
Then we will continue with a 30-minute walk until we reach a canopy tower. Free from the dense vegetation of the forest, you can see all the way to the horizon, framed by an endless sea of treetops of the Tambopata National Reserve. From here views of mixed species canopy flocks as well as toucans, macaws and raptors are likely. Five minutes downriver from the lodge lies a farm owned and managed by charismatic Don Manuel from the neighboring community of Condenado where lunch will be served. Along this trail we will find a variety of plants and trees that are used by the local population with at least the same variety of purposes. We will learn about the medicinal (and other) uses of Ajo-Sacha, Yuca de Venado, Uña de Gato, Charcot-Sacha, Para-Para, among several others. In the evening, lectures prepared by the staff of Refugio Amazonas cover conservation threats, opportunities and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodations: Refugio Amazonas
Early in the morning you will be transferred to Puerto Maldonado to board your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, your guide will welcome you and you will depart to Moray in Sacred Valley. Our next destination will be Moray, an Inca agricultural research center where cultivation experiments were carried out at different heights thanks to its platforms as concentric rings. We will continue with a visit to the salt mines of Maras and a slight walk down the hills to reach the bridge that crosses the Urubamba river where our transport awaits us that will take us to our Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch box.
Accommodations: El Albergue de Ollantaytambo
Today you will enjoy the best view of Andean landscapes and the Sacred Valley. This tour is a combo for both activities, you will climb 400 meters of via ferrata and descend the mountain using 6 zip wires (150 meters to 700 meters). Climbing the via ferrata allows an experience of verticality and the zip line is a fun and safe way to descend. Next, you will visit the spectacular fortress of Ollantaytambo. These magnificent Incan ruins that were part of the royal estate of the Incan emperor Pachacuti. Later, you will be taken to your comfortable hotel in the Sacred Valley. If you’ve selected a hotel in Ollantaytambo, you can continue exploring the traditional Incan town at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch box.
Accommodations: El Albergue de Ollantaytambo
The Coffee Route is a unique, alternative experience that takes you to Machu Picchu while meeting and staying with remote coffee farmer families along the way. Ride a bike on a spectacular mountain road from the cold heights down into the upper jungle (optional), cross rivers with a zip line (optional), walk Inca trails with steep stairs alongside high cliffs to reach the houses of the families that will welcome you and show you how to produce their organic and unique coffee.
Meals:
Accommodations: A family house
After breakfast, we will walk to Santa Teresa while enjoying a wide variety of flowers of extraordinary colors along the way. We will cross a river in a cable car and we will reach the thermal baths of Cocalmayo and we will be able to enjoy the three thermal pools or relax in the sun. For those who love adrenaline, it is possible to enjoy zip-lining. This adventure can take place just 20 minutes from Santa Teresa. Finally, we will transfer you to “la Hidroelectrica” train station. From there we will board the train and continue towards Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch box.
Accommodations: El Mapi Hotel by InkaTerra, Aguas Calientes
From Aguas Calientes you will be transferred to Machu Picchu. Located at 7,972 feet above the Urubamba river, it is one of the most famous and spectacular sets of ruins of the world. After touring this archeological masterpiece and marveling at its wonders, you will have some free time to explore the area on your own, or to relax and meditate. A few hours later, you will board your train on your way to Cusco. Upon arrival in Poroy train station, we will transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.
Meals:
Accommodations: Antigua Casona San Blas
Home to the classic Cusco School of Painting – one of Colonial America’s most recognized schools of painting – the Inca capital is a fascinating combination of pre-Colombian and Colonial pieces, that together divulge the history of the city. Wander into the artistic heart of the city and make your way to the studio of Julio Gutierrez, where you can spend time making unforgettable memories as part of the Totemiq Collective. As you work, Gutierrez will tell you about the significance behind each detail of his sculptures, as well as his creative process, and the history of cultural expressions in the Imperial City. During the workshop, you will have the chance to learn about two classic techniques that have been passed down through generations: Cusco’s Colonial glass ceramics, and Cusco’s Colonial gold leafing. And to ensure that your memories of this experience stay as alive and vivid as our cultural legacy, you will have the chance to take your two unique and one-of a-kind art pieces with you.
Meals:
Accommodations: Antigua Casona San Blas
Your day will start with a gastronomic adventure at the beautiful San Pedro Market, where you will be in contact with a vast variety of local and Andean products and receive a in depth explanation of them. During this one hour activity, you’ll also learn about the history behind Peruvian gastronomy guided by our professional trained chef. Then, head to Palacio Manco Capac where the cooking instruction will begin, followed by a full lunch that will take place at a relaxing outdoor garden setting and best views of the city. Following lunch, we will start a walking tour to Sacsayhuaman fortress and return to Cusco to explore the charming bohemian district of San Blas.
Meals:
Accommodations: Antigua Casona San Blas
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Offers
Driving Argentina’s wild northwest: Mendoza to Jujuy on Ruta 40
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FAQ
This itinerary is designed for regular active people. You should be able to walk 5-7 hours a day over relatively tough terrain for 3-4 days in a row. We recommend consulting your doctor before booking your trip to Peru.
This multi-adventure vacation is appropriate for travelers who are physically fit, lead active lives and are comfortable participating in long days of activities. All travelers should visit either a travel health clinic or their personal physician 4-8 weeks before departure. Email us with your questions, or phone our expert Travel Specialists to chat in person.
It is best to travel during the dry season (June through August) or the shoulder seasons for the best conditions (September through early December). Good weather is especially important for Huayna Picchu because the steep, stone Inca steps can get slick in the rain.
You definitely need hiking boots. By far the most important thing for your boots is to be well broken in by the time you do this trek, and to be comfortable walking 9 miles or more. Most of your porters will be wearing rubber sandals because that is what they are comfortable walking in. If you have heavy duty backpacking boots that you love, great! If you prefer a lightweight running shoe for long distances, is good too.
You can never predict altitude sickness; you may not even get it. Physical fitness, age, and gender have no bearing on whether you will get altitude sickness. Symptoms usually develop within the first day at altitude (when reaching heights above 2,500 m/8,000 ft above sea level). Since Cusco is at an elevation of 3400m (11,154ft above sea level) we head to Urubamba first, because the lower altitude makes a huge difference to prevent altitude sickness and acclimate.
To prevent acute mountain sickness, we start our journey in the Sacred Valley, which, by nature, is lower in elevation than the surrounding mountains. This will help minimize the unpleasant effects of altitude sickness. On your first day in the Sacred Valley, we take things easy, drink plenty of fluids and we don’t plan any strenuous treks until you’ve acclimatized.
Upon arriving at Machu Picchu, your temperature will be taken — if you’re above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you will not be allowed to enter. Individuals must wear masks and remain six feet apart (2 meters) at all times. Tour groups are limited to eight people, and they must remain 66 feet apart (20 meters) from other groups.
Definitely. We can include meals to meet any dietary requirement (vegan, vegetarian, gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, Kosher). You will get the opportunity to specify your particular requirements when you fill in our pre-trip form. We will let the trekking team know of your dietary requirements beforehand and it should then be easy to adjust the menu.
Currently, proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test is required to enter Peru that is no more than 72 hours old after being issued and before boarding the plane. Given the fluidity of the situation, updated entry requirements will be provided 30 days prior to travel.
A passport valid for six months is required to enter and depart Peru. Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. Citizens of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Chile may enter the country with their national identity document. Check with your nearest Peru Consulate to determine entry requirements.
A current yellow fever vaccination is a must ( you will be required to show it to the Health Ministry representatives); CDC recommends anti-malarial vaccine when visiting Peru. All travelers should visit either a travel health clinic or their personal physician 4-8 weeks before departure.
If you are planning to travel during high season (mid-December through end of February) we recommend to book your trip 12-15 months in advance. Most people book their December vacations a year in advance, and so should you. If you are planning to travel during mid-season you can start booking 8-6 months in advance. As soon as you know when you want to go, contact us and we will help you with the planning and booking process.
WiFi is available almost everywhere in big cities and in most towns/villages so you can rely on having access a few times a week during your trip. WiFi is available at the hotels where you will stay but there won’t be any internet signal in the mountains and in Machu Picchu.
Yes. We publish special offers periodically throughout the year. Check out our Offers page for the latest offers and on-going discounts.
Yes. You are required to have full travel insurance cover. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that also includes trip cancellation and other travel mishaps (e.g. flight cancellations or delays, trip interruption, theft or loss of luggage and personal effects).