12 Days in Peru

Highlights

• Ollantaytambo Inca fortress — massive stone terraces and temple complex, the only place the Incas defeated the Spanish. Walk the steep terraces, explore the old town ($10 with Boleto Turístico)
• Maras salt mines (Salineras) — 3,000+ cascading salt pools carved into a hillside, still harvested by families today. Stunning pink-and-white terraces ($4/person). Best in morning light
• Moray agricultural terraces — concentric circular Inca terraces used as an agricultural laboratory. Temperature varies 15°C between top and bottom rings ($10 with Boleto Turístico)
• Chinchero textile market — Quechua women demonstrate traditional weaving and natural dyeing techniques, then sell directly. Authentic, not tourist-trap. Sunday market is biggest
• Alpaca farm visit — meet and feed alpacas and llamas, learn about wool processing ($10-15/person). Kids love the baby alpacas (crias)
• Pisac ruins + market — hilltop Inca citadel with terraces and a temple of the sun, plus a famous artisan market in the town below (ruins $10 with Boleto Turístico, market free)

Local tips

• Go to the Sacred Valley BEFORE Cusco — it''s 600m lower (2,800m vs 3,400m) and the altitude adjustment is gentler. Spend 3 nights here, then ascend to Machu Picchu (2,430m) and finally Cusco (3,400m). This order prevents altitude sickness in kids.
• Buy the Boleto Turístico ($40/adult, $20/student) — it covers 16 sites across the Sacred Valley and Cusco including Ollantaytambo, Moray, Pisac, and Sacsayhuamán. Individual tickets aren''t available for most sites.
• Drink coca tea (mate de coca) from Day 1 — every hotel offers it free. It genuinely helps with altitude adjustment. Kids can drink it too (it tastes like green tea, not cocaine — that requires chemical processing).

Highlights

• Machu Picchu citadel — the Lost City of the Incas at 2,430m, cloud-shrouded stone terraces and temples. One of the world''s great sights. Entry $50/adult, $25/child. Hire a guide ($60-80 for the group, 2.5h) — the context transforms the experience
• Sunrise arrival — the 6:30am bus gets you there as morning mist lifts off the ruins. The most atmospheric time, smallest crowds. Book the earliest bus slot
• Inti Punku (Sun Gate) — 1-hour uphill walk from the citadel for the classic postcard view of Machu Picchu. Moderate difficulty, age 8+. Free with citadel entry
• Aguas Calientes hot springs — thermal pools at the top of town ($6/person). Basic but relaxing after a day of hiking the ruins
• Aguas Calientes market — artisan crafts, alpaca wool products, souvenir shopping along the river. Prices are negotiable and cheaper than Cusco
• Vistadome train experience — the panoramic glass-ceiling train ride through the Urubamba gorge is an attraction in itself. Live music and fashion show on board

Local tips

• Book Machu Picchu tickets 2-3 months ahead at machupicchu.gob.pe — daily visitor cap of 4,044 people, and popular months (June-August) sell out. You must choose a timed entry slot (Circuit 1, 2, or 3). Circuit 2 is the classic route with the best viewpoints.
• Two nights in Aguas Calientes gives a buffer day — if Day 1 is cloudy, you can return on Day 2 for clear skies. Your ticket is for one entry only, but having the second day as backup is worth the extra hotel night.
• The Vistadome train is worth the premium over Expedition class ($75 vs $60/pp one-way) — panoramic windows, higher ceiling, and kids love the on-board entertainment. Book 4+ weeks ahead for morning departure slots.

Highlights

• Sacsayhuamán fortress — enormous Inca stone walls above Cusco, stones weighing up to 200 tonnes fitted without mortar. The precision is staggering ($10 with Boleto Turístico). Walk up from Cusco (30 min uphill) or taxi ($3)
• Plaza de Armas — Cusco''s central square, flanked by the Cathedral (Inca foundations visible) and Jesuit church. Free to wander, buskers, cafés with balcony views. Lit up at night
• San Pedro Market — Cusco''s daily market, fresh juices ($1), empanadas ($0.50), cheese, grains, and a food court where you can eat a full family lunch for $10-15
• San Blas neighbourhood — artisan quarter above the main square, steep cobbled streets, hidden plazas, workshop visits. The best boutique shops and cafés in Cusco
• Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun) — the most important Inca temple, now with a Spanish church built on top. The juxtaposition of Inca stonework and colonial architecture is powerful ($4/adult)
• Cusco cooking class — learn to make aji de gallina, quinoa soup, and pisco sour. Many classes include a San Pedro Market ingredient-shopping tour ($35-50/person, 3-4h)

Local tips

• By Day 9 you''ve been at altitude for a week — you should be fully acclimatized. Cusco at 3,400m is the highest point on the trip, but arriving last (after Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu) means you''ll barely notice.
• San Pedro Market is the best budget meal in Peru — family of 4 can eat a full lunch (soup + main + juice) for $10-15. Point at what looks good, sit at the counter, and eat what the locals eat.
• Four nights in Cusco allows 1 day for the city highlights, 1 day for a cooking class or workshop, and 2 flex days for rest, shopping, or a day trip to the Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca, age 10+, strenuous, 5,200m — only for fit, acclimatized families).