Peru Family Journey: The Amazon & Machu Picchu - 9 Days

Welcome to Lima – your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travellers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

Today, set out to discover a wilder side of Peru. Catch a morning flight to Puerto Maldonado, then continue by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River to your jungle lodge in the Amazon rainforest. Have lunch on board and keep an eye out for wildlife and birds along the way. Upon arrival, settle into your thatched roof lodging, near Tambopata National Reserve, one of the most biodiverse corners of the Amazon. In the afternoon, join a naturalist guide to seek out the rainforest's wildlife, from colourful butterflies to huge spiders, and learn the uses of medicinal and other forest plants through traditional techniques. En route, spot bird species typical of the local river and forest edge. The Tambopata Rainforest area holds the world record for the most bird sightings in one area.

Local community members make up the majority of lodge staff, including multilingual naturalist guides. Take the opportunity to learn about the area’s rich flora and fauna and locals' extensive use of medicinal plants and other forest plant resources.

The lodge itself combines local architectural style and materials with low-impact, eco-friendly technology. Rooms are simple but comfortable, with mosquito netting for individual beds, flush toilets, and showers (with solar-heated hot water). Please bring a small battery powered lantern or flashlight.

Grab your binoculars and head out with a naturalist guide to explore the rainforest's complex ecosystems. Search the forest canopy where colourful toucans, boisterous howler monkeys, and sloths may be spotted. Hike to an oxbow lake, then paddle dugout canoes to glimpse river otters, turtles, and, with any luck, an anaconda or two. This evening, venture out in a motorized canoe to spot the jungle's elusive nocturnal species, caimans–the smaller cousins of alligators, hiding along the muddy banks.

Board a motorized canoe in the early light, skimming along the river to Puerto Maldonado before taking a flight to Cusco. Continue by road into the Sacred Valley, where towering mountain slopes line the path to a cozy restaurant for a lunch of fresh local flavours. Arrive at your hotel with plenty of time to unpack, relax, and breathe in the cool mountain air. As night falls, gather the kids around a crackling campfire for a warm evening of storytelling, listening to local legends that bring the valley to life.

After breakfast, head to the Cuyo Chico Community, a the tour operator-supported project, where local artisans welcome your family into their workshop. Learn traditional ceramic-painting techniques and paint your own clay torito de Pukara bull to take home. Next, visit the Pisac market, where colourful textiles and handicrafts fill every corner. Head to the community-run Parwa restaurant for a farm-to-table lunch prepared with fresh regional ingredients. Return to the hotel for a free evening to relax.

Early this morning, head to Ollantaytambo station to board a scenic train winding through the mountain valley toward Aguas Calientes. Catch the bus up the zig-zagging mountain road to Machu Picchu, perched high above the valley floor. Explore the site alongside a local guide who brings the citadel's history to life for young travellers. Afterwards, descend back to Aguas Calientes by bus and board the return train to Ollantaytambo before settling into your hotel for a peaceful evening after a day of adventure.

Leave the Sacred Valley behind and travel toward Piuray Lagoon, stopping along the peaceful shores to share lunch. Continue to Cusco as the afternoon unfolds. Tonight, set off for the Cusco Planetarium in the nearby hills. Step inside to explore Incan constellations and the Southern Sky through dynamic projections and stories, then head outside to look through telescopes at the starry Andean sky before returning to the hotel.

Set off on a morning walking tour through Cusco's historic centre to see Koricancha, the Twelve Angle Stone, the Cathedral, and the main square. Next, get hands-on at a chocolate workshop, molding your own sweet treats with over a dozen toppings while learning how cacao beans become chocolate. Spend a free afternoon browsing market stalls or resting up. Tonight, gather with your group for dinner to share moments from your adventure.

Depart at any time.