Peru with Kids – Top 10 Activities for Families

The headlines of course always concentrate on the Inca ruins at Machu Picchu and these are absolutely worth crossing the world for. But there are so many other places and activities that sometimes get overlooked, whether that is exploring floating islands made from reeds or learning to cook empanadas; perhaps taking a hike with alpacas (yes really), or heading deep into the steamy jungles of the Amazon. With the help of our travel consultants, who know Peru better than a 1990s well-thumbed guidebook, we’ve compiled a list of the top things to do in Peru with kids.

Our Top 10 Peru with Kids activities

Seeing for yourself this 15th-century Inca citadel, perched up on a mountain ridge at 2,430 metres, is one of those WOW experiences you just can’t put into words. With mountains this steep, how on earth was it built? And why was it built? Although archaeologists still grapple with these questions, you can develop your own conclusions as you explore the site.

Choose from three main ways to get to Machu Picchu (a train / bus combo, by foot, or a combination of the two (see activity 8 below)). All three of our Peru itineraries include Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

Surrounded by staggeringly beautiful mountain peaks, the rolling hills and farmland of the Sacred Valley are home to a remarkable range of activities. Try your hand at zip-lining along the edge of the valley for awe-inspiring views, or take a mountain bike for a downhill swoop past an ancient Incan fortress. You can browse markets, learn the difference between an alpacca and a llama, visit a coffee farm and even join in with conservation work in a forest.

Horse-riding, white-water rafting, SUP paddle-boarding and kayaking can all also be arranged. This is the perfect place for families to acclimatise – you’ll feel the altitude but can slowly get used to it before heading to higher pastures in Cusco and Lake Titicaca (our Peru itineraries are planned to take this into account).

Heading even higher into the Andes, on the border with Bolivia, you can find Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water. Said to be the birthplace of the Incas, the shimmering waters of the lake are also home to the bewitching Uros Islands, hand-made by their inhabitants from totora reeds. Visit a local Uros island village, or for a real adventure, spend the night on one, enjoying incredible sunset views.

Perched on a hillside not too far from Cusco, lies a small community which welcomes Stubborn Mule families for a glimpse of traditional Andean mountain life. Our consultant Emma Linnitt visited in 2025 and was bowled over by the warm and genuine welcome. Set against a backdrop of jaw-dropping views, see first hand how the locals weave brightly coloured shawls, walk through the fields to see the farming terraces and join your hosts in preparing and enjoying a meal; Emma fully embraced the option to get kitted out in traditional clothing, but teens will be delighted to hear that dress up is optional!

Trekking around Rainbow Mountain (the Mountain of Seven Colours) in the Andes will bring you into contact with herds of llamas and alpacas, along with quaint villages with adobe-style houses. You’ll also be rewarded with breathtaking views of Ausangate, the highest mountain in the Cusco region, at 6,385 metres. These mountains were formed by the interaction of minerals and sediments over millions of years, and the layers of colour are simply astounding.

This is a great day trip from Cusco, another essential when holidaying with kids in Peru. The city is famous for its gorgeous colonial architecture and fantastic souvenirs; there’s a cute baby alpaca on every street corner, as well as a chocolate museum, and cobbled alleys lined by great restaurants.

The scenery in Peru is out-of-this-world beautiful, and mixing up your modes of transport to include the train is the best way to fully appreciate it. You can see the landscapes better than you would on a bus, and can walk around to enjoy the views on each side, rather than being stuck in your seat . The all-day train ride from Cusco to Lake Titicaca is an absolute corker, as is the train up to Machu Picchu Town (Aguas Calientes), the closest access point to the Inca ruins. Find out more about places to visit in Peru.

Leaving the arid stark beauty of the Andes behind, head deep into the humid, steamy jungle of the Amazon. Accessible primarily by boat, the lodges here are perched on the banks of a tributary of the Amazon. Rise early, as the mist clears from the river, to glide along the still waters, eyes peeled for wildlife. Climb a canopy tower or head to a parrot lick to see squawking macaws. Fish for piranhas in the river and keep watch for capybaras and caiman. You can spend time in the Amazon on our Peru Highlights trips (the two-week itinerary and the three-week itinerary).

The magnificent ruins of Machu Picchu are of course a must on any visit to Peru with kids, but it’s not just the ruins themselves that will take your breath away. The landscape around is spectacular, with impossibly steep sided mountains receding ever higher into the high Andes.

Active families will relish the chance to explore further on foot, and may want to try out the most famous hiking trail in Peru, the Inca Trail. However, this involves four days of trekking and camping which may take up too much of a chunk from a two-week holiday. In this case, opt for the ‘express’ version – take the train partway and then walk the last section (approximately seven hours including stops). For more on iconic hikes, see our family trekking post.

9. Fly over the Nazca Lines to see remarkable geoglyphs

Etched into the desert sands in southern Peru are the engimatic Nazca Lines, a series of vast pre-Columbian geoglyphs of animals and plants spread over 1,000 square kilometres. It’s impossible to appreciate these from the ground, so head to the skies (like travel consultant Emma in our picture) in a small plane for a birds-eye view. The pilots will bank steeply to make sure all passengers get the best views. We can include a visit here on any of our Peru itineraries.

Carved into the side of a mountain in the Sacred Valley, the surreal salt mines of Maras (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are a must-see on your trip to Peru with kids. More than 3,000 salt ‘ponds’ have been painstakingly hewn from the slopes, each connected by an impressive network of underground canals. As the water evaporates, the white salt is left behind, in a visually stunning display. A trip here combines well with Moray, where the mountains are carved into extraordinarly circular terraces. Check out our sample itinerary, Peru Highlights (2 weeks), for more on the Sacred Valley.

Peru with Kids next steps 

All three of our Peru itineraries include Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, plus the Amazon and Cusco. Our three-week Highlights of Peru trip takes you to Lake Titicaca as well. You might also like to read Kelly Perks’ photo blog about her time touring Peru.

Peru is a wonderful family destination, so if this blog post has inspired you, please ring us for a chat with one of our consultants who has been there – tel 01728 752751.  Or get in touch using our website contact form.