10 Days in Peru - 5 Family-Friendly Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Classic Family-Friendly Tour of Peru: Lima, Cusco & Machu Picchu

This classic family itinerary is perfect for first-time visitors to Peru and features overnights in Lima, the Sacred Valley, and Cusco. You'll sample island activities like boating, wildlife spotting, and sandboarding with a day trip to the "Peruvian Galápagos" (Ballestas Islands), city life with a guided food tour in Lima, and experiences like chocolate-making and painting classes in the Sacred Valley with free time in Lima and Cusco to explore at a more relaxed pace. Conclude with a scenic train ride to Machu Picchu for a private tour of the famous Inca citadel.

Welcome to Peru! Beginning in Lima, you'll have three days to let the kids stretch their legs at Parque del Amor and the Marine Lighthouse (an excellent backdrop for family photos), introduce them to exotic fruits on a food tour, marvel at the Paracas desert on a day trip, and boat around the Ballestas Islands, spotting penguins and sea lions. Next, adults can enjoy a winery tour before gathering the gang and heading to Huacachina for a dune buggy ride and sandboarding. On Day 4, discover the Sacred Valley, where you and the kids will learn about Chinchero's famous textile production and say hello to the vendors at the lively Urubamba Market. 

Explore Pisac's burial grounds and ancient irrigation systems and the Maras' Salt Flats, ending the day with a fun painting session. While touring Machu Picchu on Day 6, your guide's stories will surely captivate everyone's imagination. In Cusco, sightsee the Sun Temple, the stones at Sacsayhuamán, and the rock formation at Qenqo, and learn about Peruvian cuisine during a family-friendly culinary class. On your free day, let the kids choose where to visit: the San Blas neighborhood or the Chocolate Museum, before allowing the little ones to pick souvenirs at Cusco's Mercado Central de San Pedro. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Family-Friendly Peru Adventure: Lima, Sacred Valley & Cusco

Embark on this Peru adventure, crafted for families who like to stay active in nature. Start from Lima to swim with sea lions around a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean. You'll spend less time in the cities and more time on unique experiences like meeting llamas on a farm in the Sacred Valley. More adventures abound with a hike from Ollantaytambo to Wiñaywayna, a shorter version of the Inca trail, and up the vibrant slopes of the lesser-known "Rainbow Mountain" of Palcoyo near Cusco.

In Peru's capital, snap some photos with the kids at Plaza Mayor de Lima, view the Magic Water Circuit, with sound and light shows, and stroll around the Pueblo Libre district to get to the Larco Museum. Next, you and your older children can swim with sea lions on a tour of the Palomino Islands. Then, from Cusco, visit the Awanacancha, a hillside farm in the Sacred Valley, where the family can interact with llamas. In Maras, take the clan to walk among salt mines and see the village of Ollantaytambo. Then it's all aboard the train on Day 6 from Ollantaytambo to begin the family-friendly walk to the Chachabamba archaeological site.

Visit the Inca sites of Wiñaywayna and Machu Picchu and spend a whole day exploring Machu Picchu. Older kids will love learning about the Inca civilization, while younger ones will still be impressed by the dramatic scenery and the furry llamas. On Day 8, discover the sights around Cusco on a family-friendly hike. Afterward, kids will love posing for photos on a walking tour of Cusco's historic center, including Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), local markets, and old neighborhoods. Next, hike to the "Rainbow Mountain" of Palcoyo to marvel at the colorful landscapes and snap family pics before your return flight to Lima. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Peru Amazon Cruise & Sacred Valley Family Adventure

This exciting and fast-paced trip best suits families with older kids who seek thrilling experiences and cultural immersion. On this jungle-focused adventure, you'll head deep into the Peruvian Amazon for a three-day cruise in the rainforest surrounded by pristine nature to kayak and hike in the rainforest while looking for sloths. Next, visit the high-altitude Peruvian Andes, where you'll reach your Skylodge hotel room via zipline or via ferrata. Finish the trip by exploring famous Inca sites in Cusco, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu.

Tuck the kids in early on your first night to rest up for the flight to Iquitos, the Amazon's gateway, first thing in the morning. You'll then transfer to the riverside town of Nauta to board your cruise boat, where your first adventure is to ride a skiff to Marayali to see native wildlife. On Day 3, older kids can kayak into the jungle via the Río Yarapa and point out sloths along the Fundo Casual jungle trail. Cruise to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, where the kids can paddleboard and swim and enjoy more kayaking and piranha fishing in Nauta Caño Creek—an experience your family won't forget.

For more wildlife encounters, enjoy family time feeding docile manatee calves at the Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre before catching a flight south to Cusco. Transfer to the Skylodge hotel in Pachar and relish its location anchored on a mountainside and only accessible by zipline or via ferrata! After touring Ollantaytambo, have fun riding the train to Aguas Calientes, where you and the gang will experience Machu Picchu for a full day. Kids interested in history can let their imaginations run wild. Returning to Cusco, artistic kids might want to explore San Blas, an old bohemian quarter, and anyone needing a souvenir will want to explore the Mercado Central de San Pedro. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Active Family Peru Adventure: Ica, Cusco & Machu Picchu

This active itinerary is best for families with kids ages eight and up, as it's full of activities to keep family members busy and happily exhausted. In Lima, you'll watch penguins and sea lions on a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands and take the kids sandboarding and dune buggy riding in Ica. In the Sacred Valley, paddleboard with a backdrop of the high-altitude Andes and experience ziplining in Pachar. The adventure continues with riding ATVs to remote Inca villages and hiking the steep trail to Humantay Lake, surrounded by snowcapped mountains. 

Upon arrival in Lima, stroll the scenic Malecón or let the kids run loose in Kennedy Park; then, on Day 2, enjoy a full-day tour to Ica, stopping at Paracas and the Ballestas Islands. The kids will love seeing the wildlife! Tour a winery in the Ica Valley and ride a dune buggy around Laguna de Huacachina Ica. Once in Cusco, you and the kids will enjoy learning about Peruvian cuisine during a hands-on cooking class before it's time to explore the Inca Sun Temple or Qoricancha and the immense stones of Sacsayhuaman, where kids will enjoy posing for photos next to the enormous structure.

On Day 5, help the kids gear up for a couple of hours paddleboarding on Huaypo Lake with the Andes as a backdrop. Then have fun painting Maras' vibrant landscapes during an art lesson before heading to Pachar to climb up the cliff along the via ferrata for lunch with beautiful views. Day 7 takes you on an off-roading ATV excursion route to check out Moray's archaeological site, followed by a full-day tour of Machu Picchu on Day 8. You'll then gather the kids for a train ride to Poroy, where you'll transfer back to Cusco in time for Day 9's family hike to stunning Humantay Lake. Let the kids swim and/or give thanks to Pachamama. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Epic Family Tour of Peru: Amazon, Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca

Families with nature-loving older kids (eight and up) will enjoy this epic family tour. Experience Peru's natural landscapes with the whole family as you walk through the Amazon's rainforest canopy and hike the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Immerse yourself in Peruvian culture by staying in unique locations, like in a lodge at Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon, on the shores of Lake Titicaca in Puno, and with a Uros family on the island of Amantani.

Your family adventure begins with a boat ride on the Río Madre de Dios and a trail walk, an excellent introduction to the colorful jungle setting for the whole family. Explore the Amazon further the following day and canoe across Lago Sandoval into the Tambopata National Reserve, followed by a stroll on the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. After acclimating in Cusco on Day 3, hike the Qhapac Ñan to Urquillos—a downhill trail perfect for the kids. End the day with paddleboarding in Huaypo before enjoying a Peruvian lunch in Mountainview the next day and boarding a train to Aguas Calientes, where you and the kids can visit a butterfly farm.

Your full-day experience at Machu Picchu will leave the kids happily exhausted. Then from Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the family will learn about the Uros people. Afterward, kids can burn off some energy climbing 500 steps to the central part of Taquile Island, and intrepid kids will satisfy their curiosity as they discover island life when they stay with a host family on Amantani. Next, you and the kids can choose a hands-on activity such as weaving, boating with a local fisherman, or a cooking class. At night, join the community in traditional music and dance, sure to be a treasured family memory. Learn more

More Great 10-Day Peru Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Peru? Check out these other 10-day Peru itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.