Traveling to Peru with kids - Itinerary ideas
Yet we went, and we had an amazing time! It is doable. I will be sharing some tips we have learned along the way but for now let me share the itinerary we had.
I tried to balance the urge to visit all the must-sees with the desire to expose the family to cross-cultural experiences in positive and reflective ways, to my desire to share my childhood with my family but ultimately to have a nice family vacation as well.
Not easy to do, but it got done.
I'll explain more in our next blogs but I decided to not over plan. With that in mind, here is the actual final itinerary we ended up having in our 10 day saga
Day 1: Travel day
Travel direct to Lima. Our 8 hour flight was delayed and we did not get to our hotel in the Miraflores district until around 4AM. It was a good thing that the day before I had contacted our agent to add a night stay in the hotel. Originally, I had originally thought we could rest in the hotel lounge but by the night before we left, I realized that would only work if I was traveling alone or with just another adult.
We checked in, settled into our rooms (a quad and a double) and tried to sleep for about 6 hours.
Day 2: Historic Downtown
We woke up and enjoyed the complimentary breakfast, a standard in most hotels in Peru. These breakfasts are not your Best Western breakfasts in North America - they are by themselves a feast to the eyes and to the senses and tummies!
I hired a private driver to pick us up at around 10AM. Because everything was hired privately, we readjusted our pick up time when it was clear we needed a bit more time to settle. My brother and I went out after breakfast to get some bottle water for the kids as they adjust (instead of boiling water from the beginning), and we tried to get SIM cards (but failed). We did manage to exchange some USD to PEN soles in one of the many exchange houses in the district. TIP: DO NOT exchange money at the airport. Instead, arrange for someone to pick you up so that you do not need cash right away upon arrival to the country.
Our driver arrived right on time - a nice van that comfortably sat all 6 of us with room to spare. Our driver Gonzalo welcomed each one of us with a friendly Peruvian handshake and off we went to visit the Historical Downtown Core of Lima. TIP: check with the driver - which of the days you are staying in Lima might be best to head downtown - Lima traffic is notorious for chaotic traffic and you do not want to be stuck in traffic if you can avoid it.
On the way you will most likely pass by the National Statium, Grau Plaza, the Italian and Art Museum and the Ministry of Justice buildings. TIP: The advantage of hiring a private car is that you can change your plans at any time. On the way downtown we took a detour to pass by my childhood home. We could have stopped by the Ministry of Justice too but we decided to just snap pictures from the car while Gonzalo slowed down a bit.
Gonzalo dropped us off at the San Martin Plaza and we entered Hotel Bolivar to stroll around the foyer and historical rooms. From there, we went to Jr. de la Union, an entire road with shopping and old colonial architecture (look up!) and no cars. While walking there, we found a CLARO store where you can buy a SIM card. TIP: You will need to have an unlock phone and the staff has to set it up for you - be prepared to spend 30-45 min just to set it up - on the positive side, SIM cards are super cheap in Peru
Once my brother and I were hooked online and set up we were set! Plaza San Martin and Jr. de la Union leads you directly to the Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas on foot. We took a few pictures in the plaza, but did not want to bother lining up to take a picture beside the "LIMA" sign. Kids were getting tired and hot and thirsty so we paused and decided to stop for lunch at Pardo's Chicken, the famous Peruvian BBQ place everyone must at least try once, along with the purple corn drink - Chicha. TIP: Peruvians have lunch at around 1PM and dinner at around 8PM so try to avoid these times.
Once our tummies were fulled, our bodies rehydrated and our bowels empty, we continued onto our walking tour. There are literally multiple sites you can visit around here. It just depends on who you are with and how much you want to get done. In our case, knowing we were with kids, I tried to not cover too much. A must-see is the seat of Government of Peru - the Palacio de Gobierno. If you are lucky you can catch the change of guards at around 11:45 am or just taking pics around there is plenty enough for the family. Walk to the other side and you will find the Cathedral de Lima - and the Home of the Archbishop of Lima. Again, we did not go in, knowing our group, it was enough just taking pics of the outside and strolling around the plaza.
Continue onto Jr. Carabaya, the walking street between the government palace and the archbishop's residence and you can stop by the artisan shops and choco museum there. If you walk to the end of the street you will find the Casa de la Literatura Peruana and the Train Station. Unfortunately, the day we were there, the building was closed. If you get a chance, go inside. The architecture and details of the building are quite nice.
Continue walking towards Jr. Ancash and look up. The street is full of colonial balconies. At the end of the street you will find the San Francisco church. If you feel adventurous, you can go in and visit the church and catacombs. My kids did not want to see bones so we just hung around the plaza and looked at pigeons.
By now your kids will be tired - and maybe itching for more food. Turn to Jr. Ancash and find "CHURROS" kiosks. These are donut like pastries that are delicious. Stop and get a few and enjoy some street food.
There is a lot more to see but I knew if we had pushed for more sightseeing we would have increase stress levels. Our aim was to open a new world to our family but not to over stuff things so it was time for me to send a WhatsApp message to our driver to arrange for a place for him to pick us up.
We would have headed back to our hotel to rest but we decided at last minute to swing by my old school. We were lucky enough the school was open and we were able to show our kids the place where their mom and uncle had gone to school.
All of this took about 4 hours.
Day 3: Barranco and Lurin
Our second day in Lima was supposed to be a free day, but the day before, in talking with Gonzalo, I realized I might be able to go to a dance/buffet experience after all. Marinera is a very beautiful coastal dance in Peru. Peru also has famous dance horses called Caballo de Paso. I had heard that outside Lima there were old plantations that offered Criolle buffet lunches with dance shows. I had looked online while in Canada but left the idea when I found out how expensive they were. There was one place that was suggested to me by my local friends, but I found they only opened to the public on Sundays. When I inquired about weekday shows I was told they were not open.
Then I found out our driver might have a connection. After bargaining for prices and arriving to a price that I found reasonable, we decided the night before to go. Gonzalo came to pick us up at around 11 am and offered to swing by the Bohemian district of Barranco to show us around. If you appreciate art, this is a district you do not want to miss. We went through the Bridge of Sighs, walked and enjoyed the murals, and took pictures by the 'mirador' overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Some of us stopped by Starbucks for a cold drink and washroom break.
Soon enough it was time to hop on the car again and head to Lurin, about 45 min south of Lima. We hit traffic here and the kids suffered some car sickness. But we arrived to Mamacona. The place is beautiful and quaint. The buffet lunch covers the main dishes in coastal Peruvian cuisine (drinks are extra). While we enjoyed we also got to enjoy some interactive dances too.
Unfortunately, not everyone in our party felt well here but the facilities were very clean and comfortable so we were able to handle the situation.
After lunch, guests are invited to go outside to enjoy more dance shows and at the end we could hang around to take pictures with the beautiful horses. Although this cost extra, and despite the setbacks with the kids, I would highly recommend this. Just beware that prices can range drastically and you may not want to just accept the 'tourist' price they quote you at once.
Our driver charged us for 3 hours for this outing though it was more like 4 hours. I gave him a bit more tip here since he also paid for tolls and parking along the way (something he never asked me to reimburse him for)
Because of the food allergy scare, when we got back to the hotel we went to McDonalds and treated the kids with some familiar foods.
Time to unwind, rehydrate and rest. In the evening we would go to meet my extended family to celebrate New Years
Day 4: Beach day and WaterPark
This was New Year's Day and most things were closed. My cousin was kind enough the night before to invite us to their club to spend a morning at the beach (so far everything was planned the day before!). We were picked up at around 11 and headed to the beach. The kids loved this time and I have to say I enjoyed just chilling. The Pacific Ocean's waters were cold though, but the sun was so nice and warm! After a couple of hours, we headed for a ceviche/seafood lunch with the family and the kids ordered some Peruvian/Seafood inspired pizzas. We left the restaurant and enjoyed some Picarones. Another must-eat in Lima - they are ring-shaped pastries made with yam.
Find out when the show times are. There is one fountain that is used as a screen and at certain times a short video is projected onto it. It is pretty cool. We only planned 1 hour in the park and because it was New Year's Day it was jam packed with people. Watch your wallet and your kids if you find yourself here on a busy night. If it's not busy, you might want to pack extra clothing as the kids might get wet.
Day 5: Sandbuggy and sandboarding in Huacachina
We were picked up by a new driver very early in the morning to head south. We left our luggage at the hotel and packed a 1 night suitcase with us as we headed to Ica and Paracas for a 2 day, 1 night adventure.
The drive to Ica is about 4.5 hours. We left early to try to avoid traffic exiting the city. Most of us slept while our driver drove. When we arrived to the Huacachina Oasis we could feel the hot desert heat. Sunblock was not enough. We were thirsty. After a few pictures by the lake, we headed to the buggy ride area. The kids were not thrilled at the washroom facilities and I think these were the most 'basic' they saw in all the trip.
The night before (see the pattern?) I had contacted Gonzalo again and requested we change our buggy ride package - we originally had bought a package that saw us sharing the ride with other people. Upon thinking more about it, I realized my kids might not enjoy the wild ride. It was only 100 soles more to get the entire ride so I asked Gonzalo to get us a private car so that the driver could drive a bit slower.
Walking up on the sand dunes to the buggies was quite a trek but once in the buggy, my heart pumped and was ready for the adventure. Because we hired our own car, our driver was able to join us. He was so excited!
The ride is incredible and for a moment you really think you are in the middle of a movie in the Saharas. After a few stops for pictures, the driver prepared some sand boards and invited us to slide down the hills. Most of us did but some prefered to stay behind - again, because we booked privately, there was no problem. Once everyone had sandboarded down, the driver drove the car down to meet us.
I never counted the time - one thing you learned in Peru is not to live by the watch - everything always works out somehow even though we don't plan much! But we must have been out there maybe 1 to 1.5 hours.
Upon return our bellies were crying out for sustenance. Our lunch was not included but our agent had given us a suggested place to each. After freshening up we sat down and enjoyed a hearty meal before hopping on the car again, heading out of Ica and into Paracas, where our resort hotel was awaiting us.
The drive is relatively short - about 30-45 min in the desert.
Our hotel was by the ocean. Every one of our rooms had a balcony overlooking the pool, which was right beside the beach. The kids were quick to change to their swimming gear and we headed to the pool for some R&R. We just ate dinner at the hotel and enjoyed the complimentary drinks with the famous Pisco Sours. My husband and I enjoyed a stroll by the beach and saw the sunset. Magical. Before the night ended the kids went to play some pool and foosball and ping pong in the rec room
Day 6: Ballestas Islands and Sea Lions
Our hotel San Agustin was right beside the port that would take us on our next adventure. Our driver came to pick us at 8:45 and we walked to the port and he set us up in the correct line for the boat with English tour guides.
The boats are very big and comfortable. The ride passes by interesting sites. Upon arriving to the Ballestas Islands, the kids were fascinated by all birds and sea lions and mussels they saw. Seeing them happy made me happy.
When we got back to the dock everyone was hungry. Checkout was at noon and it was only about 11 am. We walked to the stolls nearby and bought breakfast sandwiches on the street - best breakfast ever! I also ordered freshly squeeze orange juice.
With our tummies full, we checked out and hopped onto our van to return to Lima. An extra day at this hotel would have been nice, but we had to head to the City in the Clouds soon.
Day 7: Travel to Cusco
We had some issues with our original flights from Lima to Cusco so by the time our agent found us new flights our options for times were limited. Our flight was at 6:30 am which meant we had to leave the hotel at around 5:00 am.
We said good bye to our lovely Casa Andina Premium in Miraflores and headed to the airport. Check in was smooth and I said my prayers - for safety, for the flight to be able to hit good weather in Cusco as Cusco is notorious for bad weather causing pilots to turn back to Lima and for no altitude sickness (or minimal).
Because of my worries for altitude sickness, we did not plan on staying in Cusco. Cusco is the place with the highest elevation - Machu Picchu is always quite a bit lower.
So our team welcomed us at the Cusco airport and took us to a nearby hotel so that we can all try the coca tea - it is supposed to help alleviate symptoms caused by altitude sickness. It was also here that we paid the other 50% of the cost of our trip to our agent.
All accounts settled, we headed out of Cusco towards our hotel, the Casa Andina in Urubamba. Urubamba is in between Cusco and Machu Picchu and it is lower in elevation than Cusco. In addition, it is in the beautiful Sacred Valley, so I thought this might be a better place to acclimatize. The bonus? The hotel has alpacas for us to pet for free ^_^
Half of our group did not feel well enough to have dinner that night - as everyone suggested, this day was designed for rest and acclimatization
Day 8: Sacred Valley
After a good night rest, but still feeling the high altitude, especially for some, we pressed on and checked out of our hotels to tour the Sacred Valley. We visited Moray and the Salt Mines. The sights were breathtaking but the drive there is not an easy or smooth one, especially in the rainy season. One of our members was hit really hard and stayed in the van at the Salt Mines.
We had another lunch buffet - this time at a beautiful place surrounded by lush mountains. We were going to ask for the driver to stop at some artisan places but decided to skip this because people looked tired.
Our original plan was to catch the 4 PM train to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. The plan was for our driver to take our luggage back to Cusco so that we did not have to carry all our heavy luggage.
As our guide bid us farewell at the train station in Ollantaytambo, and as our hearts got excited - tomorrow we would be in Macchu Picchu! - we heard the bad news: our train had been cancelled due to the rain with no new schedules posted thus far
Were we going to miss Machu Picchu all together?
I WhatsApp'ed our agent right away and she told me to sit tight as they figured out what exactly was happening. About 15 min later she texted me saying she did not want us to wait there and was going to put us back into a hotel. 15-20 min later she gives me a few hotel suggestions near the train station -- hotels are getting all booked up because a lot of tourists were looking for overnight lodging. Finally, our agent calls and tells me we could return to Casa Andina - the one with the alpacas and wait there while the agency figured out our plans
My daughter was excited to be able to return, some members prayed hard for the weather to clear and I was just happy we did not have to figure things out by ourselves!
We re-checked ourselves into the hotel and rested and enjoyed the hotel one more night. By 8 pm we received another text: good news - they had open the tracks again and our agent got us the 6:40 am tickets. It looked like we could still make it to Machu Picchu after all!
Day 9: Machu Picchu
We got picked up at 5:30 but this time we left our luggage at the hotel. The plan was for our driver to pick up the luggage in the late afternoon before picking us up from the train after Machu Picchu.
The train ride was very nice - we went on the InkaRail Voyager this time (the first time I traveled on the PeruRail) and the train left on time.
Our guide met us at Aguas Calientes and took us to wait for the 20 min bus ride up to Machu Picchu. The waits were minimal and though there was a crowd (it is supposed to be low season now). I was thankful for this - more wait meant more tired kids.
The ride was not as hard as I thought it would be for the kids and when we arrived we paid the 2 soles to empty our bowels - there is no washroom inside the citadel. We lined up to get in and once we did, we were ready for Machu Picchu - we were here!
God gave us the perfect day. The hiking trails were not slippery. A sliver of clouds still lingered in the late morning by the sun shone through. There was a deep blue sky and the lushness of the rainy season meant the mountains seemed especially green. Last time I was here in September, during the end of the high season, in the dry season and I don't recall seeing this kind of beauty.
I was worried about the hike - how my kids would fare, but as it turns out, my son was deeply interested in inca history and stayed with our guide the entire time. Our daughter walked alongside us and enjoyed the scenery. I tried my best to catch up.
After maybe 2-3 hours (who's keeping an eye on the watch right?) we were done and said farewell to this mystical citadel and headed down for lunch.
Our lunch was prearranged by our agent and it was one of the best lunches we had. The only regret is that we were a bit on a rush because we had a 2:30 pm train to catch.
We did catch the train, and we did arrive safely to Ollantaytambo. Our new driver picked us up, alongside our luggage, and we headed back to Cusco for the night.
Day 10: Cusco and Home
We spent the night at yet another Casa Andina. We rested and I just went out to order pizza for the kids. Everyone was so tired and the kids just wanted to stay in their comfy beds. Those with altitude sickness just wanted to hop on the plane out of Cusco
In the morning I asked our guide to swing by the Main Plaza for just a couple of quick photos. Then we headed to the airport and checked in with no problems.
Upon entering the flight, those with altitude sickness showed a sigh of relief!
This is the only thing I regret. We ended up having a 12 hour layover in the Lima Airport. I dreaded more traffic so we opted not to go anywhere else. We survived the 12 hour layover, ate all the Peruvian food we needed and spent all our remaining soles. But it was not the most comfortable. In hindsight, we should have booked one extra night of hotel since our flight did not leave until 3 am (we did not have to arrive at the airport until midnight)
This was, indeed, a trip of a lifetime. The memories shared, the sights we saw, the experiences we had, and seeing my kids and family push through some of the challenges will be treasures I will hide in my heart forever.
I will post more about lessons learned, tips I gathers and details in later blogs but hope this helps the many of you who asked me to share our itinerary with you. Would love to hear what you think!
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