Peru: A Family Journey

Arrive in Lima, the capital of Peru, where you are met and transferred to your hotel.

Fly to Cusco and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant offering Novo Andino cuisine, before driving to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visit members of the camelid family (llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas) and learn about the fabrics made from their shaggy coats using ancient weaving techniques. Meet with locals wearing their colorful traditional clothing and learn from your guide how it differs between communities. Receive a lesson in the Quechuan Language. Tonight, dine at your hotel.

Prepare for a unique Sacred Valley adventure on the drive to Huaypo, a beautiful lagoon perched in the Andes. Admire the view of the mountains as you paddle around the lagoon in sea kayaks — a ride that reveals the natural beauty of Peru. On the banks of Huaypo, your chef greets you with an outdoor picnic. Enjoy leisure time at the hotel and a fun family pizza night with star gazing (weather permitting).

View the massive stone fortress of Ollantaytambo, site of the Incas’ greatest victory over the invading Spanish, before boarding the Vistadome train for a scenic ascent to Machu Picchu. Explore this breathtaking Incan citadel, following an expert guide who paces the trek for young explorers. Imagine those who once dwelled here and marvel at their stonework.

Rise early to see Machu Picchu at sunrise or choose from guided hikes to the Inti Punku (Sun Gate) or to Huayna Picchu. After lunch, return to Cusco.

Journey to Sacsayhuaman — its monumental stones precisely cut and fitted together without mortar. Next, tour Cusco, visiting the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and the Santo Domingo Temple. Meet locals at the market of San Pedro to better understand the fusion of the Spanish and Incan cultures, and continue to a produce market to learn about Peru’s 3,800 potato varieties. Later, hear an Andean music presentation by Tito Leon, and dine at a local restaurant, one of the city’s finest, where you receive a lesson in making traditional Peruvian appetizers.

Fly to Lima and check in to your hotel. Tour the city, starting with the grid-like Plaza Mayor. View the marvelous, historic Cathedral and the colorful guards before the Presidential Palace, followed by a visit to the Church of San Francisco. Later, drive to modern Lima to see pre-Incan ceramics at the Larco Herrera Museum.

Experience a half-day excursion to Palomino Island, a huge sea lion rookery. Wearing wetsuits, jump into the water and share the ocean with these friendly animals. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before a special farewell dinner at a Peruvian restaurant.

This morning, transfer to the airport and depart.