Please tell me about your holidays to Peru...

[Crumpetsnottoast]

Planning a trip in August 2025 and would love to hear advice, tips, any less obvious places to see and things to do from anyone who has been. Also who you flew with/ which route would be great!

Especially interested if you organised it independently or used Peru based tour operators (any recommendations gratefully received!), how easy did you find it? I've got some quotes from a UK Peru specialist and also Trailfinders but it's coming in as very expensive.

Four of us travelling - two older teens

Thank you 😊

As PP said - in that case you need very (!) good Spanish. And stock up on food poisoning meds (you can get Diarrhoea kit from Nomad travel that includes an antibiotic for the most common bugs). And of course, take all the usual precautions as in the rest of Latin America (no ice in your drinks, no lettuce, no "street-made" juices/food, etc.) but I presume you already know all that.

If you're going to Cusco/high altitude, check out the altitude sickness and any potential health issues that your family might have and that can be exacerbated by it.

Thanks @BananaPalm - I missed the deleted post - was it helpful?!

Don't get pissed in the tent on the last night of the trek to Machu Picchu, and oversleep, hence missing the once-in-a-lifetime wonder of seeing the ruins appear, majestic at dawn, before all the crowds rock up.

Ohhhh that's weird! It only said you'll need a good Spanish. Why on earth would that be banned?! 😯 Maybe a genuine mistake...

I went on a group tour with Explore back in 2001, really liked Peru, though these days my jaw does drop in horror when I add up the cost paying for 4 people on one of those trips. We did Lima, Puno, Arequipa and Cusco. The islands on Lake Titicaca were great and Cusco and Macchu Picchu are obvious highlights. I missed out on the nazca lines and rue that a bit. I need to take my kids and husband at some point.

Also to add I didn't get any food poisoning/gastro issues, but did struggle with the altitude, it was my first time at altitude and I have struggled with it repeatedly since. You can get diamox for it on private prescription, not sure if it really helps.

Thanks @BananaPalm - was wondering how I might have offended someone but as my Spanish is non-existent that's a good prompt to start learning some! Thanks for the other tips too.

@NeedToKnow101 great advice!!

@TeamGeriatric yes it's eye-watering basically paying for 4 adults but probably not many family holidays left hence trying to organise it myself as I definitely can't afford it using a tour operator. I am worried about the altitude - many years ago as a couple we hiked at a similar height to Cusco in a very cavalier fashion (so no prep or acclimatisation or even understanding it could be a problem!) and we were lucky but 25 years later, I wonder if this will have changed for us. Good tip on the private prescription. I don't think we can include the Nazca lines but considering Lake Titicaca - what did you like about it?

We went independently in 2002 and even back then we didn’t need more than some basic Spanish phrases! You’ll be fine…

Doing the 1 day hike to Machu Pichu was amazing. Def worth the walk.

We also did a homestay in Lake T which was fab. We caught the train and that was great.

The sights in the Amazon were also spectacular.

Peru is big and flights add to the cost. Worth it though.

The best holiday I have ever been on with DC. We did it with G Adventures.

Any tips for altitude sickness?

Drink drink drink (water!)

Coca tea

I travelled around Peru in 2007 pre-kids for a few weeks and loved it.

The altitude sickness in Cusco can be rough but eases after a few days - do what the locals do and chew coca leaves to help.

We liked Cusco and spent a few days exploring inca ruins nearby and the restaurants and bars are good. We went from there to do the 2 day hike to Machu Piccu which was amazing (but tough!).

Lake Tititcaca and a home stay is fascinating.

We spent 3 days at an eco lodge in the Amazon rainforest near Puerto Maldonados called the Posado Amazonas Lodge kayaking on the Amazon, looking for giant river otters and piranhas and hiking through the jungle. Really amazing - leaning out of the cafe to pick star fruit and avocados out of the trees for breakfast.

Lima was a bit disappointing- it didn't have the buzz of buenos aires where we flew from but we stayed in Miroflores which was nice enough!

Have a fantastic trip!

My husband went this summer for 2 weeks.
Flew plus ultra from Madrid which was cheaper even with 2 connecting flights. Very budget airline. Old plane and no frills but clean and functional.
Did a tour to rainbow mountain and Machu Picchu. Included hotels, most food and camping on MP trip. He booked independently and it was considerably cheaper than a package through a travel agent. All done on internet.
Needed high altitude travel insurance as standard doesn't cover high enough.
Food was interesting but no food poisoning as he took measures such as no ice and no street food. Especially when toilets are few and far between on the trips.
Basic English in small towns but managed with google translate.
He spent months planning the trip so let me know if you need more info and I can ask him.

Disappointed that a quick skim has not shown up any Paddington jokes. Come on Mumsnet, I expected more from you.

We did a homestay on Taquile island Lake Titicaca, that's was the best part of that section of the trip, the reed islands were very touristy but cool. I also enjoyed wandering the ruins around Cusco, it was such a long time ago, but due to unrest and flight changes we somehow ended up with 3 extra days in Peru, and one of those we took a taxi to what I think was Tambomachay (it was 23 years ago) and walked back down to Cusco via a number of smaller Inca sites from there.

Ooh following as I’d love to do this with my DSs when they are slightly older

re altitude sickness, a friend went this summer on honeymoon. Anyway her (v fit 40 yo) new dh was quite ill with the altitude at Cusco and he ended up flying to Santiago and waiting for df there who went up to MP alone with a guide on her honeymoon! So you need to consider the fact that one or more of you could be ill with it.

A really good moisturiser - face and body. Fantastic trip but my skin dried out so much with the altitude.