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Peru is a stunning country in South America, with big modern cities and the Inca era (and older) cities, a piece of the Amazon forest, and the Andes. We’ve visited it with our kids for a month between Cusco, Lima, and the Sacred Valley. So below is our guide with All About Peru for families with kids.
Peru facts for kids and parents
It’s a country by the West of South America. Besides Machu Picchu, high in the mountains of the Andes, it also contains a piece of the Amazon forest and the sea on the West side of the country.
They’re a very important archeologically full country with the Mayas, Incas, and even older civilizations and their pyramids and towns. And let’s not forget the Nazca lines!
The food in Peru is delicious, and they have many famous traditional foods served around the world, like ceviche, but they also have some strange and unique ones, like a roasted guinea pig (it’s called cuy and it’s EVERYWHERE!). By the way, it’s served whole.
Tips for traveling to Peru with kids
- In Lima, it’s all fine, but at the Sacred Valley, you may want to leave your stroller home. The cobblestone streets aren’t made for strollers AT ALL.
- Try every food you find – we haven’t found one bad food in Peru, ever.
- Taxis and Uber are very affordable and widely available everywhere BUT note that they never ever have car seats and sometimes not even seat belts. And most taxis don’t even have anything to show they are taxis – in Cusco, especially. Ah, they don’t have meters, of course, so you need to set a price BEFORE you enter the car!!!
- Take it easy in Cusco and Machu Picchu because of the altitude: have a day or so to get used to it, at least!
- There’s the presence of Zika virus, so invest in anti-mosquito protection.
- If you’re planning on something more off-beat, you should check the OMS site to see if there’s risk of malaria, yellow fever, and others.
- The water is not safe for drinking, so you’ll need either something to sterilize the water or buy bottled water.
- If you’re visiting multiple sites, know that you’ll need clothing for every season: it’s eternally chilly in Cusco, warm all year long in Lima, rainy and extremely hot in the forest, and so on.
And that’s basically it. We found Peru extremely easy to be in!
To and from Peru
This is how we arrived in and left the country.
Cusco
We had 10 days in the stunning city of Cusco. It’s honestly one of the most beautiful cities we’ve ever visited, and the food there must be one of the best foods in the world!
We couldn’t visit Peru and miss Machu Picchu, right? Even though it seems scary and not a place for kids, I assure you: from the 5 year-old to the 12-year-old, they LOVED it! Not my oldest, she hated it. A bunch of rocks, according to her.
Sacred Valley
During our trip to Machu Picchu, we had a stop in Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes too. It’s amazing and I have no words to describe it!
Lima
We had 2 weeks in the capital of Peru. It’s a big city, but it still has many archeological sites, some from a period even before the Incas. It was 2 weeks full of learning!
Peruvian food for families and kids
Peru is a country with excellent food and even picky eaters will enjoy it!
The water circuit in Lima was so pretty – way better than what we expected!
Altitude Sickness
Because the Sacred Valley is high in the mountains, you may feel it.
To finish it…
We’d go back in a blink! What a stunning place that is!
- Country
- Minimun Stay
- $ ~ $$$
- Child-friendlyness
- Best local transport option
- Safety
- Do we recommend it?
- Peru
- A week
- $$
- Perfectly child friendly!
- Taxis! Cheap and anywhere!
- Safe enough
- Oh yes!
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