Peru Family Adventure Holiday

Unique Peru Family Adventure Holiday

On the Capybara family trip, you and your family will explore Peru, see amazing sights and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Peru is a vibrant, family-friendly destination and you'll find children of all ages & yes, even teenagers! & will love exploring everything this country has to offer.

On the Capybara, you'll venture deep into the Amazon rainforest, see an awesome array of wildlife, visit the lost city of Machu Picchu and sea kayak across Lake Titicaca to stay with a local family on Amantani Island. Not only is the Capybara family trip an exciting adventure that everyone will enjoy, it's also a chance for your children and teenagers to learn about a different culture and way of life.

We've chosen locally-run, comfortable accommodations for this trip and we take care of all the logistics behind planning your trip, including meals & so all you have to do is show up and start building memories!

Itinerary / Highlights

Sunday - Arrive Lima
Welcome to Peru! Your trip begins in Lima, Peru's bustling capital, once known as the City of Kings. In colonial times Lima was one of the richest cities in the world and South America's most important port, linking the continent to the Spanish empire. We'll meet you at the airport in Lima when you arrive and head to our accommodation in the coastal suburb of Miraflores. This vibrant, modern district has cinemas, shops, cafés and some remarkable pre-Hispanic ruins & Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Juliana & two amazing pyramid-like structures. You'll have the rest of the day to explore the area, or if you prefer you can just relax in your private apartment and get used to being on vacation! We've chosen clean, spacious apartments in a charming, leafy precinct to provide a relaxing start to your adventure.
ACCOMMODATION: Family-friendly apartments, Lima (D)

Monday - Journey to the Amazon rainforest
We'll take an early flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, a frontier town in the Amazon basin where we'll take to dugout canoes and glide down the headwaters of the Amazon, deep into the jungle. Listen for howler monkeys in the tropical forest canopy above and spot macaws perched high on the river banks. This area is teeming with life & we'll look for giant otters, capuchin monkeys, caiman and many other jungle animals on our boat trip to the lodge. After lunch we'll head out in search of the plethora of monkey species this area is famous for. Keep an eye out for the macaw and other rainforest dwellers that come out in search of food in the late afternoon!
ACCOMMODATION: Lodge in the Amazon jungle (B,L,D)

Tuesday - Wildlife hike, jungle exploration
This morning we'll explore some of the many miles of jungle trails that criss-cross the dense rainforest. We'll travel by canoe and hike through virgin forest to experience the wealth of native flora and fauna under the rainforest canopy, and learn how the indigenous people thrive in this challenging environment. The Amazon is the most biodiverse place on Earth and you'll have the chance to find out more about the amazing flora and fauna here, as well as learning about the incredible medicinal plants that are found in this region. After lunch, you have the rest of the afternoon free to hang out at the lodge with a book, or game of cards or continue exploring the surrounding area on your own. If you'd prefer to hike a little more this afternoon, you can head out with our naturalist guide on little-known trails that pass by the homes of some of the rarest animals in the rainforest. This evening we'll brave the jungle again in search of the nocturnal South American crocodile & the caiman.
ACCOMMODATION: Lodge in the Amazon jungle (B,L,D)

Wednesday - Free time in Cuzco
We bid a fond farewell to our jungle home and head back to Puerto Maldonado where we'll catch a very short flight to Cuzco & the historic capital of the Inca empire & our base for the next couple of days. This afternoon you can join your trip leader to check out the amazing culture and history of Cuzco, or do your own thing with your family. Today is also a great chance for parents to get away and have some time on their own while we look after the kids & whatever you prefer! Cuzco is an amazing place to spend an afternoon & it's the archaeological capital of the Americas and the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city. You'll get a sense of this history as you walk Cuzco's central streets, lined with massive Inca-built stone walls that form the foundations of the city. Llamas and alpacas often roam the cobbled streets of Cuzco, and the kids will love being able to get up close to a friendly, city dwelling animal!
ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Prisma, Cuzco (B,L,D)

Thursday - Hike to Las Salineras
Today we'll head into the majestic Valle Sagrado de Los Incas where we'll take an incredible hike to the salt pans of Salineras. After a visit to the fascinating town of Maras, we'll hike down to the salt pans with the Rio Urubamba and the Sacred Valley below us & the views and history are amazing! These unique salt terraces have been used since Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt-laden water that the Incas diverted into shallow pools to produce salt, and they're still used today! Later, we'll head back to Cuzco for dinner.
ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Prisma, Cuzco (B,L,D)

Friday - Explore Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu
After an early breakfast, we'll take a scenic train journey to the ancient city of Machu Picchu. Today you can walk for a couple of hours or much longer if you like. We have all day to explore the many passageways and stone structures of this mysterious place. If you're keen to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, we'll hike up for spectacular views of the site and the valley below. After plenty of time to explore, we'll head down to Aguas Calientes & a small town deep in the Urubamba river valley. We'll soak in the hot springs that give the town its name and take some time to look around the local market before spending the evening in this quaint sub-tropical town.
ACCOMMODATION: Character hotel, Aguas Calientes (B,L,D)

Saturday - Explore Pisac Market, hike Pisac ruins, visit llama farm
This morning we'll take a short train ride back to Ollantaytambo then continue to Pisac, where we'll have a chance to check out Pisac's colourful mercado artesanal, one of the most vibrant markets in South America. From here we'll begin a spectacular hike up to the Pisac ruins. These Inca terraces rise 2,000 feet up from the river below. It's a heart-pumping hike up the ancient agricultural terraces, but you will never forget the views of Pisac and the Urubamba valley! After exploring the ancient complex, we'll head back down to the valley below us at 9,500 feet. This is the largest existing fortress-city complex of the Incas, and a testament to their ingenuity. Later, we'll visit a camelid farm where you can pat llamas, alpacas, and lovable vicuñas (the cutest of all the llama family!), before returning to Cuzco.
ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Prisma, Cuzco (B,L,D)

Sunday - Soak in hot springs, journey to Puno
Today we'll cross La Raya Pass on our way to Puno, the capital of the Altiplano area and gateway to Lake Titicaca. This is one of Peru's great highland areas, where herds of alpaca and llama graze and mountains rise steeply from the valley. It's the longest drive on the trip, so on the way we'll stop at some hot springs for a soothing soak in the thermal pools before arriving at Puno. Known as the folklore capital of Peru, Puno's narrow streets are filled with the sounds of the typical Andean music called saylla, the hustle and bustle of the local market, and the bell-ring of the triciclos, local bicycle taxis!
ACCOMMODATION: Puno hotel, Puno (B,L,D)

Monday - Sea kayak Lake Titicaca, home stay with local Quechua people
Lake Titicaca is the world's highest commercially navigable body of water. The Incas believed it was the cradle of civilisation, the place where all life began. It's a very special place and this morning we'll paddle across it in sea kayaks. The kayaking is spectacular and do-able for both young and old, but if you prefer, you can take our boat across instead. Our hosts on Amantani Island, members of the indigenous Quechua community, will meet us at the lake's edge and take us home for lunch. Afterwards they're always up for a game of high-altitude soccer. Aside from being a great workout (we are at over 12,000 feet now!), it's good fun and a unique way to get to know your hosts. When the game is over, we'll hike to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) temple at the summit of Amantani Island for breathtaking views of the sun setting over Lake Titicaca. Later we'll return to the family homes for a home-cooked meal. The Quechua people have maintained their traditional way of life for centuries, weaving wool, keeping cuy (guinea pigs), and farming their smallholdings. After dinner, we head down to the community hall to learn a few traditional dances with the locals. It's very quiet here & no streetlights, no cars, no dogs even! & and we're sure you'll enjoy the tranquillity.
ACCOMMODATION: Local family home, Amantani Island (B,L,D)

Tuesday - Explore Taquile Island
After breakfast we'll take a short boat ride across to Taquile Island. The views across Lake Titicaca as we hike up to an isolated village are spectacular & have your camera ready! The customs of this tiny community are totally unique to this island. We'll have the chance to hang out with local people in the Plaza de Armas and learn about their famous textiles and fascinating way of life, before enjoying a traditional lunch of sopa de quinua. After lunch we'll return to Puno by boat for our final dinner together.
ACCOMMODATION: Puno hotel, Puno (B,L,D)

Wednesday - Return to Lima, depart for home
This the last day of your 11-day family trip to Peru. We have a short drive to the nearby town of Juliaca before jumping on a plane back to Lima. If you have extra time after your trip, join us for an optional Lima city tour or we're happy to make suggestions on how to make the most of it. If you're on your way home today, we'll send you and your kids back refreshed and invigorated from the great food, exercise, rest and adventures you'll have had with us in Peru! (B)

Other Details

Accommodation Details

The Capybara family trip is a family-friendly, adventure-oriented trip around Peru. As with all ACTIVE trips, we´ve chosen accommodations for their comfort and cleanliness – not the number of channels available on the television! In addition to this, we have carefully selected accommodations that are appropriate for families with children, and we try, wherever possible to stay in locally owned and operated premises. On the nights where we stay in towns such as Cuzco and Puno, we have chosen good hotels, ideally situated close to the main attractions without being too central, in order to avoid the most touristy and noisy areas. It´s worth keeping in mind that Peru is a noisy place – people here have a festive way of looking at life and often enjoy beeping their horns and playing loud music! We have chosen the quietest areas practical in order for people to get the best sleep possible (although with all the fresh air you´ll get, most people find they have no trouble sleeping!), but earplugs are recommended in this energetic and lively part of the world. In contrast, the jungle lodges in the Amazon and the local family homes on Amantani Island are very tranquil and quiet.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS:
You can arrive in Lima any time on the first day – if you land by 5pm you can meet with your trip leader for dinner, but many flights arrive later and that´s fine too. Our representative will meet you at the airport no matter what flight you arrive on. We recommend arriving a day or so early so everyone is well rested before the trip starts, and we´re happy to book your pre-trip accommodation for you. On the last day of the trip, we recommend booking your flight to depart out of Lima any time after 3pm. If you are considering other flight times, let us know and we´ll see what we can do to help your trip run smoothly. If you have extra time before or after your trip, join us for an optional Lima city tour.

TRIP START:
If you arrive on the first day of your trip, we´ll be there to pick you up from the Lima international airport whenever your flight gets in and take you to your apartments in Miraflores. This airport transfer is included in your trip fare.

TRIP END:
On the last day of the trip, we´ll fly you back to Lima. Your trip ends here at Lima airport.

FITNESS:
You and your kids need to have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself on the Capybara, but no more than the average family. This trip is all about family fun so the activities are suitable even for people with short legs! If you´re concerned about your fitness level, or whether your kids are up to it, have a chat with us so we can help you decide whether the Capybara family trip is the right trip for your family.

EXPERIENCE:
You don´t have to have any outdoor experience. We offer trips that enable you and your family to make the most of South America´s awesome outdoor environment, culture and history. Our trip leaders are highly trained and experienced outdoor guides, and they´ll look after your whole family! All you need is to be is ready for an exciting adventure and you´ll have a wonderful time in Peru with us. If you like a challenge we will certainly give you one! For example, at Machu Picchu, if you´re keen we´ll hike up Huayna Picchu mountain. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience, can easily accommodate various ability levels and we have an impeccable safety record.

FLEXIBILITY:
Peru is a developing nation and we won´t tell you that everything in South America runs like clockwork. What we can tell you is that we are experienced adventure travel leaders, and we know how to keep things operating as smoothly as possible, even when conditions are challenging. That´s why we are here! But you´ll find your trip even more enjoyable if you remember to bring flexibility, an open mind and a sense of humour with you.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Adult Fare: US$2799
Child Fare (15 and under): US$2499

Check with us for dates and availability!