Peru has been on our family bucket list for years — and this past fall, we finally went for it with our two-year-old and four-year-old in tow. I’m here to tell you: it was magical, surprisingly kid-friendly, and one of the most rewarding trips we’ve ever taken as a family.

In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how we structured our itinerary to make the trip smooth, enjoyable, and manageable for little kids — including where we stayed, how we handled altitude, how we got to Machu Picchu, and what we’d do differently next time.

I saved our entire trip on my Instagram Stories in the highlight bubble called “Peru”. Watch now!

Days 1–2: Lima

We flew into Lima and based ourselves in the Miraflores district — which is one of the best areas to stay in Lima with kids. It’s safe, walkable, full of parks, and close to the coast.

We stayed at Libre Hotel, BW Signature Collection in Miraflores and loved the location. From our hotel, we were able to walk almost everywhere (besides the airport).

What We Did in Lima

• Visited Kennedy Park, which is famously full of friendly cats (aka “Cat Park”) — my kids were obsessed.
• Tried the Peruvian donuts (picaronés!) from the park vendor that was featured in a Netflix show — a must!
• Walked the coastal pathway down to Larcomar, an open-air shopping and restaurant center built into the cliffs.
• Ate SO much good Peruvian food — fresh ceviche for Steve and the kids loved pollo a la brasa and inka cola.

Tip: Lima is a great way to ease into Peru before heading to the high elevations.

Days 3–5: Sacred Valley (Instead of Staying in Cusco Right Away!)

Most travelers fly to Cusco and immediately stay in Cusco, but the elevation there can be tough — especially for toddlers.

Instead, we flew Lima → Cusco (highly recommend booking LATAM, not JetSmart), and then had our hotel pick us up and drive us straight to the Sacred Valley, which sits at a lower and easier-to-adjust elevation.

We stayed at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa — and WOW. If you’re traveling with kids, this is the place to acclimate.

Things We Loved About Tambo del Inka

• Indoor heated pool — huge win for kids.
• Private movie theater (yes, really!).
• Multiple on-site restaurants so we didn’t have to leave during nap windows.
• Playground & large outdoor spaces for kids to run.
• Easy walk into Urubamba to visit markets and explore the town quietly.

We spent two slow days here letting our bodies adjust, swimming, eating, and just being together.

Day Trip to Machu Picchu (One-Day Itinerary With Kids)

After acclimating, we did a day trip to Machu Picchu — and this was the highlight of the entire trip.

Here’s exactly how we did it:

1. Our hotel ordered a taxi to take us to the Ollantaytambo train station (about 30 minutes).
2. We took the Inka Rail train to Aguas Calientes — about a 2 hour, beautiful ride through the mountains.
3. We intentionally did NOT take the sunrise tour.
   Instead, we took a midday train and had 3:00 PM entrance tickets to Machu Picchu, which meant:
   • Fewer crowds
   • Warmer weather/ Less chance of clouds
   • Kids were fed and rested (we took a nap on the train)

We booked our entrance tickets about 2 months in advance on the official government site.

Getting to the Top

When we arrived in Aguas Calientes, we bought bus tickets to the top. Because we had young kids, we were allowed to skip ahead in the line. (Huge lifesaver — my toddler was asleep in the baby carrier at this point.)

The bus takes about 20 minutes up the mountain.

We spent around 2 hours exploring Machu Picchu — enough time to enjoy it without pushing the kids too far. The walk isn’t overly strenuous, but I did stop a few times to catch my breath while baby-wearing.

Afterward, we rode the bus back into town, grabbed dinner, and took the 7 PM train back.

We slept SO well that night.

Night in the Andes: Mountain View Experience

Next, we wanted a night in nature — so we stayed at Mountain View Experience and it was such a dream!

We stayed in a modern glass-front cabin overlooking the Andes. The view was unreal.

Highlights

• Llamas walked right up to our cabin (the kids will talk about this forever).
• We had a hot tub on our deck — watching the mountains change colors at sunset was unreal.
• We joined a painting picnic experience where we ate outside and painted while surrounded by mountains.
• Their on-site restaurant was amazing — one of my favorite meals of the entire trip.

We only stayed one night here and felt like 1–2 nights is the perfect amount.

Final Stop: Cusco (1–2 Nights)

After Mountain View Experience, we headed into Cusco to finish our trip.

We stayed at the Abittare Hotel near the historic center. It was affordable, in a great location, and walkable to restaurants and shops. The only downside? The beds were a little firm, but we’d still stay again for the convenience.

We spent our time simply wandering the streets, stopping for snacks, watching local performers, and soaking up the atmosphere. Cusco is beautiful and full of energy — the perfect ending to our trip.

Final Thoughts: Is Peru Worth It With Toddlers?

YES.
This trip was incredible, meaningful, cultural, and surprisingly laid-back once we structured it with altitude and kid-friendly pacing in mind.

My Biggest Tips

• Spend your first nights in the Sacred Valley, not Cusco.
• Book Machu Picchu tickets early and consider an afternoon entry.
• Bring a baby carrier — essential.
• Slow down. The magic is in the moments between the big sights.

Peru gave our kids a sense of wonder they’re still talking about — the mountains, the trains, the llamas, the colors, the people. And as a mom, that’s everything.

What About Altitude Sickness in Peru?

This is one of the biggest questions I get when traveling to Peru with little kids — how did your family handle the altitude?

We personally did not stay in Cusco right away (which sits at around 11,000 ft) and instead went straight to the Sacred Valley to acclimate at a more gentle elevation first. This made a huge difference, especially for the kids — neither of them experienced any symptoms, and I felt totally fine as well.

However, my husband did experience some altitude sickness during the first days after landing in Cusco.

What Helped

• Our hotel, Tambo del Inka, had oxygen available for guests who needed it. He used it and it did slightly help him.
• We were able to purchase altitude sickness medication at a local pharmacy in town — pharmacies in Peru are used to travelers needing this, and you can talk to the pharmacy staff about dosage.
• They also sold small oxygen canisters you can carry with you — really helpful for peace of mind when exploring or hiking.
• Drinking lots of water and avoiding heavy meals in the first 24 hours helped too.

Tips for Preventing Altitude Sickness

• Ascend slowly (Sacred Valley first → Cusco later).
• Hydrate more than usual.
• Take breaks, especially if baby-wearing or hiking.
• Avoid alcohol for the first night or two (your body is adjusting).
• If symptoms appear, rest. Don’t push through.

Good News for Parents

Kids actually tend to bounce back faster and show fewer symptoms than adults. Of course, every child is different — but in our experience, and that of many families who visit, altitude challenges tend to affect adults long before kids.