Family teenager holiday in Peru
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Machu Picchu |
| departures: | 2010: 26 Mar, 23 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug 2011: 8 Apr, 22 Jul, 29 Jul, 5 Aug, 12 Aug |
| price: | From £2319 - £2749 (15 days) including flights from the UK. From £1489 - £1559 excluding flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Family teenager holiday in Peru
An active itinerary in an ideal location, taking advantage of Peru’s varied terrain
Cusco
The ancient Inca Capital and one of the biggest pre-hispanic settlements in America. Here, you'll discover the impressive temple fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
Valley Activities
See colourful Pisac market and stay in the Valle Sagrado, a lovely fertile valley which produces maize and fruit for the Cusco region. From your base you walk, bike, raft and if you would like, horse ride all around this beautiful region.
Start Trek
Staying in a local village house en route, you descend into Ollantaytambo by bicycle for the night before your trek. Well rested, you rise early and start the magical walk to Machu Picchu.
The Inca Trail
You'll spend four days you will walk along the famous Inca Trail, enjoying fabulous views as you go. You'll trek beside rivers, explore ancient ruins and walk through cloud forest, before arriving at the culmination of your trek - Machu Picchu.
Cusco
The ancient Inca Capital and one of the biggest pre-hispanic settlements in America. Here, you'll discover the impressive temple fortress of Sacsayhuaman.
Valley Activities
See colourful Pisac market and stay in the Valle Sagrado, a lovely fertile valley which produces maize and fruit for the Cusco region. From your base you walk, bike, raft and if you would like, horse ride all around this beautiful region.
Start Trek
Staying in a local village house en route, you descend into Ollantaytambo by bicycle for the night before your trek. Well rested, you rise early and start the magical walk to Machu Picchu.
The Inca Trail
You'll spend four days you will walk along the famous Inca Trail, enjoying fabulous views as you go. You'll trek beside rivers, explore ancient ruins and walk through cloud forest, before arriving at the culmination of your trek - Machu Picchu.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London / Arrive Lima After your flight, you transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. Discovered in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, Lima was the principal city of Spanish South America for 300 years until the wave of independence swept the continent. You stay in the pleasant coastal suburb of Miraflores where shady parks, bustling cafes and the South Pacific coastline all lie within easy reach. Hotel - 1 night |
| Day 2: | Puno Transferring back to the airport you fly up to Juliaca in the Andes. From here there is a relatively short drive through the high plains, or ‘altiplano’ to the eerie ruins of Sillustani where you stop to explore. The site comprises several curious stone burial towers built by the 15th century Colla tribe which overlook the primeval landscape in a brooding, sinister fashion. After exploring this site you reach the town of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca at 3800m. At this altitude the sun is very hot in the daytime but temperatures at night can drop below freezing in the winter months of June, July and August. The rest of the day has been left free to allow you the chance to take things easy and help your body acclimatise as much as possible. Hotel - 2 nights (B) |
| Day 3: | Puno: Uros Islands Today you take a boat to the floating reed islands of the Uros Indians. The life of the Uros is based on the totora reed, which grows in the lake and is used to construct their houses and boats, thereby fostering the theory which led to Thor Heyerdahl’s Pacific journey with Ra. It is said that the Uros began their floating existence by constructing the islands to isolate themselves from the belligerent Collas and Incas. On reaching Lake Titicaca it’s clear that they are no longer as secluded as they once were, but they are still a unique sight. Once back in Puno you have a relaxing afternoon either shopping for handicrafts or visiting the town’s fine colonial cathedral. You can visit the iron ship the Yaviri moored close to the city. It was built in Scotland by James Watt & Co in 1862 and was shipped in boxes to the coast of Chile, where it then took seven years to carry it on llamas and mules to its current home at Lake Titicaca. (B) |
| Day 4: | Cusco An early start today as your bus takes you across the dusty altiplano, dotted with llama, alpaca and the simple adobe dwellings of local herders. Once over the pass at La Raya (4321m) the scenery changes. The fertile valleys are still worked by beast or groups of industrious villagers - their timeless methods prove the value of the knowledge of long ago. You have the opportunity to stop at several places of interest along the way including La Raya pass and the Inca ruins of Racchi and Pucara (about 6 hours drive). In the evening you arrive in Cusco (3360m), the seat of Inca rule for some 500 years. Hotel - 2 nights (B) |
| Day 5: | Cusco Cusco, once the imperial capital, was laid out in the rough shape of a puma. Today, its orderly streets bear witness to the extraordinary skill of Inca stonemasons; many are still lined with precisely interlocked stonework, which serves as the foundation for later buildings from the colonial era, creating an atmospheric pastiche of contrasting architectural styles. This morning you visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman lying just outside Cusco city. The skilfully constructed outer walls consist of massive blocks of stone (the largest weighing over 350 tonnes) which must have been difficult to manoeuvre, let alone to cut and dress with such precision. The tour continues on foot in the city centre and reveals more of Cusco’s historical and archaeological treasures. The rest of the day is free to relax or further explore Cusco. (B) |
| Day 6: | Sacred Valley (Yucay) In the morning you transfer to the Sacred Valley. With its warm climate and fertile soil, the Sacred Valley was considered the greenhouse of the Incas, who built many towns and agricultural terraces along its length. Small farming hamlets dot a landscape of patchwork fields; many are still ploughed by oxen and other beasts of burden. En route you reach the village of Pisac (2950m), where you can stop and explore the traditional market and the Inca ruins overlooking the town. This is your first taste of Inca architecture - the ruins stick out on a pinnacle overlooking the valley whilst steep terraces sweep around the hillside. Your hotel is located in the heart of the beautiful Sacred Valley (2800m), in a quiet farming village. Hotel - 1 night (BD) |
| Day 7: | Chinchero Today you will start to prepare for the Inca trail, with a walk up to the village of Chinchero. Leaving the fertile Sacred Valley behind, you follow a newly reopened section of Inca road up the Urquillos Valley, climbing 900m in about four hours to reach the high altitude plains of Chinchero (3760m). This route is rarely walked by tourists and offers great views of the Vilcanota range and hopefully a chance to spot some birdlife such as parrots and hummingbirds. At Chinchero the villagers are famous for their skills in weaving and they can be seen in traditional dress tending their fields. In the afternoon, you can explore the village, where the people of Chinchero offer their textiles in a colourful local market, visit the painted church and investigate the Inca ruins. Tonight you will sleep in a village house and stay with a local family. Local house – 1 night (B) |
| Day 8: | Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) You leave Chinchero by bike on a one day mountain biking adventure which offers five hours in the saddle to experience great views of the Urubamba Mountains. You ride through the quiet countryside of the high Andes, visit the enigmatic circular terraces of Moray before an exciting descent past the ancient salt pans at ‘Salineras’. You finally reach the Sacred Valley at its northern end, where you finish your day cycling along the banks of the Urubamba River reaching the Inca town of Ollantaytambo (2760m), a traditional Inca village laid out on a grid plan (one of only four surviving examples) overlooked by the magnificent fortress of Ollantay. Hotel - 1 night (B) |
| Day 9: | Inca Trail Today you visit the ruins of Ollantay, the only Inca stronghold ever to have resisted persistent Spanish attacks. The steep terraces cling to the mountainside, supposedly in the shape of a llama with a large rock outcrop forming the pack baggage. Right on the ridge with commanding views of the valley, the temple area appears to have never been completed and it is possible to gain a fantastic insight into how these incredible structures were built. This is good preparation for the trail which you will start after your visit to the ruins. You set off to Chilca, where the Urubamba gorge narrows, forcing us to abandon motor transport. Here you meet your trail crew and begin the trek. Heading away from the river, a gentle climb soon brings you to a pleasant campsite at Llactapata (2850m), overlooked by ruins. This is camping made easy: as you walk, you carry only a daypack whilst an experienced team of porters carries all other equipment for you. You camp in spacious tents; porters, with the assistance of a cook and helper, do all camp chores. A toilet tent is provided at camp and at each lunch stop. Approx. 4-5 hours easy walking today. Camp - 1 night (BLD) |
| Day 10: | Inca Trail You are woken with a hot drink and a bowl of warm water at your tent. Getting into a good walking rhythm, you follow the course of the Cusichaca River, ascending a broad valley to the village of Wayllabamba (‘Grassy Plain’ - 3000m), the last human habitation on the trail. Your porters go ahead and prepare your lunch. After pausing to rest, you climb steadily and steeply to Llulluchupampa (3680 m) - a beautiful flat area of pasture. Approx. 5-6 hours moderate uphill walking today. Camp – 1 night (BLD) |
| Day 11: | Inca Trail The tough day! An initial steep climb takes you across the highest point on the trail at Warmiwanusca (Dead Woman’s Pass - 4200m), before you descend to the Pacamayo River. You are rewarded with a spectacular view from the top. A second ascent leads past a fine set of ruins to Runkuracay Pass (3998m); from here the trail is largely downhill! The vegetation changes as you walk through areas of cloud forest that mark the outer edges of the Amazon Jungle. You cross the Aobamba River below the Sayacmarca ruins, which overlooks it from a rocky spur. A final easy ascent over a lower pass, with spectacular views over the Urubamba Valley far below, takes you to the campsite, perched above Phuyupatamarca ruins. About 7 hours moderate walking today. Camp – 1 night (BLD) |
| Day 12: | Machu Picchu You awake to a spectacular vista and set off this morning on one of the most beautiful parts of the trail. Excitement mounts as you conquer a steep flight of steps and arrive at Inti Punku, the Gateway of the Sun where you aim to stop for a well deserved packed lunch. The toil of the day is forgotten at a stroke as you are treated to a spectacular view of Machu Picchu below. After lingering to admire the panorama, you walk through the site and catch a bus down the narrow access road to rejoin the Urubamba River in the village of Aguas Calientes where you check in to your accommodation and enjoy a well-earned, long shower. About 5 hours walking today, mostly downhill. Hostal - 1 night (BL) |
| Day 13: | Cusco Rising early this morning, you return to the Machu Picchu ruins which you will have largely to yourself before the train brings in day-visitors from Cusco. The magnificent lost city rediscovered by American archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911, stands on a high saddle dominated by the jungle-clad peak of Wayna Picchu. You have time to explore the citadel and enjoy nearby walks before catching the late afternoon train back to Cusco. Hotel – 1 night (B) |
| Day 14: | Lima/ Fly To London You catch a morning flight back down to Lima on the South Pacific coast. This afternoon your local guide will show you something of the bustling old city, with its impressive colonial architecture. The Presidential Palace stands, like the cathedral, on the great central square of the Plaza de Armas, on the site of Pizarro’s house. Peru’s conqueror was assassinated here; it is said that he drew a cross in his own blood and kissed it before he died. Later you visit the archaeological museum for a fascinating overview of the cultures that flourished in Peru long before the arrival of the Spanish. In the evening the trip ends for Land Only clients whilst those on group flights to the UK return to the airport for the flight back to London. Hotel (day use only) (B) |
| Day 15: | Arrive in London Arrive in London |
| Day 16-18: | Optional Amazon Extension Day 1-13 As per main itinerary Day 14 A short flight brings you to Puerto Maldonado, in the jungle on a tributary of the Amazon. You transfer to motorised launch for the hour long trip up the Tambopata River to your lodge. There is a short introductory jungle walk of about 50 minutes to reach an ox-bow lake before crossing it to arrive at the lodge. After sunset you board your canoe once again for a short night ride to spot cayman by torchlight. Lodge - 3 nights (BLD) Please note: Due to availability we may use alternative Amazon lodges, whilst the nature of activities will be roughly the same the journey times may vary. Day 15/16 Over the next two days you are accompanied by resident naturalist guides on a number of fascinating excursions. Exploring by foot and in canoes you quickly become aware of how extraordinarily diverse the rainforest ecosystem is - well over 500 birds and 1000 butterflies have been recorded, in addition to the rich plant and mammalian life. A network of well-marked trails extend from the lodge and the oxbow lake itself, home to giant otters, gives the opportunity to paddle its tranquil waters by canoe in order to quietly observe wildlife on the shore. The lodge itself comprises several thatched roof bungalows around a central dining area. Each room has en suite facilities. (Bx2, Lx2, Dx2) Day 17 Bidding farewell to the jungle, you return to Puerto Maldonado by riverboat in the early morning to catch a flight back to Lima. On arrival you transfer to your hotel, after which the remainder of the day is free. The trip ends for Land Only clients. Those with our onward flights will transfer to the airport to catch your late evening flight. Hotel (day use only) (B) Day 18 Arrive London |
this holiday is designed for teenagers
The itinerary on this trip has been specifically designed with the needs of teenagers in mind. It features more adventurous activities that are only suitable for older children and adults. Under 18s must be accompanied by at least one adult. Minimum age is 12 years.how this holiday makes a difference
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We stay in locally owned hotels and camps and eat in local restaurants. We travel in small groups and we use a local Peruvian agent, local drivers and a Local Group Leader. This fulfils part of our commitment to make a positive contribution to the local economy and is the best way of ensuring that our money reaches as many people as possible. Local overseas leaders offer a great way to find out more about the local culture, speak the language, understand the day-to-day life around them and help to ‘open doors’ to a fuller experience.
Our agent in Peru operates in a responsible manner and is committed to preserving the area in which they work. For every client travelling on any of our trips to Peru we donate £5 to Plan International, a humanitarian charity that helps children in developing countries to realise their full potential. Plan will use the donations to help fund their project to support under-privileged children in Lima. We will also match any donation made to Plan International by clients travelling with us to Peru (up to a maximum of £10 per person).Whilst in Chinchero we include a village homestay, putting money and mutual understanding into rural Peru. Our responsible travel code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity partnerships: The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity that helps animals in need around the world through animal rescues, anti-poaching, support for animal sanctuaries, endangered species conservation, education and public awareness. We ask clients to use their Travellers’ Alert function to which you can report cruelty to animals worldwide and also we visit Ngamba Island, a Born Free supported Chimpanzee Sanctuary, on our Uganda trips. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems.  Carbon balancing: We offset all of our staff travel, both for commuting to work and overseas trips. We also pay £2 per person to partially offset the carbon used in the destination that they are travelling to. We think that offsetting carbon should be a choice made by the individual traveller therefore we ask clients if they would like to augment this £2 with a further contribution. Similarly we ask if you would like to offset your flights – we have set bandings given to us by our Carbon balancing partners - Blue Ventures Carbon Offset and Climate Care. Our foundation: We ask our clients if they would like to donate to our Foundation. Small donations of £1 per person build up quickly and we are able to give one off donations to various small-scale projects worldwide. Recently these have included installing heating in a school in the High Atlas, Morocco, providing school equipment for a new school building in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon and providing playground equipment for children at a community centre in northern Tanzania. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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