ONCE UPON A TIME A CHRISTMAS FAMILY HOLIDAY GUIDE TO PERU

Taking a family holiday during Christmas break in Peru is one you won’t soon forget.

Peru is a mystical country to visit. From its sandy beaches on the Pacific coast, through rainbow mountains to luscious valleys below the Andes mountains, there is definitely worth something visiting.

Peru is know for its battle with the Conquistadors from Spain and the end of the Inca Empire.  Remnants of this glorious past from which ever point of view you choose to stand from can be seen across the country, culminating with Machu Picchu, the most visited site in Peru.

(…) an empire that extended along the Pacific coast and Andean highlands from the northern border of modern Ecuador to the Maule River in central Chile. 

Britannica.com

You don’t travel to Peru to relax, you go there to explore and discover.  It’s the type of place that everywhere you go, you’ll feel you have taken a step back in time whether it’s through the architecture or the simplicity of life.

Peru is not just about Inca ruins but also about colonial towns, large plazas that are the pulse of the town, people wrapped in bright coloured textiles and of course the Alpacas and Llamas.

I travelled to Peru over the Christmas holidays with my brother and his wife and our 5 kids. Here is our Christmas travel guide to help you plan a memorable trip through Peru.

Note: When we met up with my brother and his family in Peru, it was during their 15 month trip around the world. They wrote a book about it which you can discover HERE.

Money Money Money

It’s really expensive to fly to Peru from Montreal during the Christmas Holidays.  I bought our tickets 2 months prior to our trip.  I had checked a few months back for the cost and it wasn’t really cheaper.  It didn’t make much difference.  In total, the plane tickets for myself and my two kids cost a little over $5,000 CAD!

However, even though Peru might be one of the most expensive South-American country to visit, it’s still doable on a budget.

• Eating in local restaurants, the small ones with usually plastic chairs, or chicken soup which is very popular will save you money.
• Sleep in a hostel.  A private room but with a shared bathroom, will probably cost you less than staying in a hotel.
• Public transit (short and long distance) is affordable compared to back home.  Even airfare within Peru costs less.
• Most of the cultural sites are inexpensive to visit with the exception of at least Machu Picchu.  Since we didn’t visit everything in Peru, we can’t say if there are other expensive sites to visit.  Machu Picchu was by far the most expensive place we visited.

You can find ATM machines in most major cities and can also pay by credit card.  However, you’ll need to have some Peruvian money with you Sol(es) especially when you are visiting little places where more often than not credit cards aren’t accepted.  For $3, it’s best to pay by cash than by credit card.  Also, when shopping for souvenirs at the local market, you’ll need cash.

Safety

We never felt unsafe while visiting Peru. People were courteous and kind.

It doesn’t mean it’s completely safe but we mostly stayed and visited places where there were  tourists, so a lot of police around.

When using an ATM, try to use one in a bank or have someone stand next to you looking around while you do your thing.

Carry your small backpack in front of you when walking on busy streets or plazas or while at the ATM.  It’s harder for thieves to steal that way.  Petty theft is not uncommon and it’s really better to be safe than sorry.

Keep you valuables with you unless you have a hotel safe or a lock for your hostel’s locker. 

Avoid wearing expensive jewelry and visible high-end brands. Don’t be Gucci.

Always, keep an eye on your luggage when you take a bus ride.  Wait for them to close the trunk’s doors before getting on board.

Altitude sickness

It’s recommended to take it easy the first day or so when you arrive in a place with high altitude, especially if you come from a place where the altitude was really low.

Your body needs to adjust and create more red blood cells for oxygen. Therefore, don’t over exercise and avoid alcohol and smoking if possible the first few days.

Our experience: The altitude didn’t seem to have an affect on our kids.  They ran around and played as usual and were perfectly fine despite our best efforts to keep them still. My sister-in-law who is diabetic was fine as well. Only my brother and I experience altitude sickness during this trip. 

If you do experience altitude sickness and it doesn’t go away, you need to go down to a lower altitude.  That should do the trick.  Most hostels and hotels will have oxygen tanks to help travellers in case they get sick.

Drinking coca tea or chewing on some coca leaves can help reducing the symptoms of altitude sickness.

Common symptoms of altitude sickness are:

• Strong headache (you can use Ibuprofen or paracetamol to help);
• Tiredness;
• Shortness of breath;
• Dizziness 

What to bring and wear

It’s fairly cold in Peru at the end of December, especially when you start visiting places like Cuzco, Machu Picchu and Puno due to their altitude.  In comparison, Arequipa and Lima, you’ll be walking around in T-shirts if its a sunny day.

Depending on where you are, you might experience rain as it’s the start of the rain season in time places.

Due to the change in altitude and climate, it makes it a little hard to decide on what to pack, especially of you are going around Peru and not just staying in one place.

Packing list for a tour of Peru during the Christmas Holidays

• Bathing suit and travel towel.

A Travel towel is always a necessity, no matter where you go unless you are sleeping in a hotel.  But even so, it will come in handy at the beach or if you check out the hot springs of Aguas Calientes.

• Stroller or baby carrier.

A stroller will not be practical when visiting old towns because of the cobbled stone streets, the hills and narrow sidewalks.  If you need to bring a stroller, bring the smallest one you can.  Otherwise, a baby carrier is a much suitable travel option.

• A small backpack.

Don’t travel with a purse, bring a small backpack to use as a daypack instead.  Inside, you can put in all your valuables and it’s much more convenient to walk around with.

• Reusable water bottle.

You’re not meant to drink tap water while in Peru.  Instead, you’ll have to buy your water.  Buy big ones that you can just fill your reusable bottles with.  If you’re lucky, your hostel might have a water fountain where you can fill your bottle with.

For more eco-friendly packing ideas, read our Eco-Travel Guide.

Clothing

• Hiking boots or shoes, closed toe walking sandals.

You need comfortable walking shoes since you’ll be walking around a lot.  A lot of the old towns of Peru have cobbled stones that do get slippery when wet. Twisting your ankle is a common problem.  So unless you are staying in Lima, high heels or fancy sneakers won’t really cut it.

• A warm waterproof jacket with a hood.

When you are high up in the mountains, it gets cold, windy and you might have rain.  Dress warm.

• Warm sweater, long sleeve shirt, t-shirt, pants.

In Lima you could get away with shorts.  Other than by the ocean, you’ll need to wear pants.  Dress in layers as early morning or later afternoon, it’s cold.  Think late fall weather if you are from Canada.

• A hat and scarf.

Again, when visiting high altitude places such as Cuzco or Puno, you’ll need to wear a hat.  Peruvian hats are warm, comfortable to wear and make for a great trip souvenir.  Also, they are affordable to buy.  You can buy them at the local market for $5 (approximately), there is room for negotiation.

Getting to and around Peru during Christmas

There aren’t really any direct flights from Montreal to Peru. Some do exist for Lima, but only on certain days.  Your options are limited. Chances are, you’ll have to do a layover in the United States or possibly Mexico.

To Lima and back we had a layover in New York City. On our way to Peru, our layover was only a few hours but it did give us enough time to head over to the city to grab a bite to eat and meet up with some of my friends.  Unfortunately, Blondie Bear got sick in the cab on the way back to the airport.  That was not fun.  I did my best to get things cleaned up in the airport’s bathroom. As a single parent traveling with kids, always plan for the unexpected.

For the return flight, our layover was a full day in New York City, 12 hours in total.  We barely made our corresponding flight because of a snow storm in New York City.  It’s to be expected when you travel during the Christmas Holidays in North America. Our flight from Lima left 4 hours later than planned.  Then, we landed in Miami because the weather was too bad up North. We ended up arriving in New York City at the time our flight for Montreal was supposed to take off.  Luckily for us, our connecting flight hadn’t left and was running late due to the storm.

Travel tip for Christmas Holidays if traveling by air

When traveling during the Christmas holidays or Winter to and from Canada and through the northern United States, there are more chances of your flights being delayed or canceled due to a winter storm.  It’s happened to us quite a few times.  If possible, try to get a direct flight or only bring carryon luggage. 

On our return flight from Lima we had checked a bag.  When we landed in New York City, we had to retrieve our bag before hopping on our connecting flight to Montreal.  It was a nightmare.  To do so, we (me and my two kids) had to dash across the terminal to pick our bag, go through security and dash back to our gate which by that time had just closed.  Luckily the flight attendant was still there and recognized us from before as we had already gone to the gate and let us on board.

Traveling around Peru during Christmas

Late December in Peru is not considered high touristic season.  Booking internal flights or buying bus tickets last minute is not a problem. 

We mostly travelled by bus to get around and it was inexpensive and comfortable. 

• A 6h30 bus ride from Puno to Arequipa cost us $20CAD per person.  It was a small bus with large semili-leather seating.

• A 1hr flight from Arequipa to Lima last minute cost me and my two kids $100 CAD through Orbitz. We booked our tickets the 30th of December to next day travel.

However, if you want to visit Machu Picchu, you need to book your train ticket through Perurail as early as you can.  Even if Christmas time is not considered high season in Peru, Machu Picchu is still a crowd pleaser. To be safe, buy your tickets once you have your plane tickets. 

• Train tickets to Machu Picchu are expensive, around $140USD roundtrip in the Vistadome train.

Taxi are really inexpensive as well, but before you hop in one, just ask how much the ride will cost so as not get stiffed.  Sometimes, there is room to negotiate.

• A cab from Cuzco Airport to the city center costs around 15 soles.

Lodging in Peru

During the Christmas holidays in Peru, lodging isn’t too expensive, especially if you stay in hostels where a lot accommodate families. Small dorms exist, so if you are a family of 4, you’ll probably get a whole dorm to yourself.

Aside from booking our first few nights in Cuzco, we ended up staying an extra night, we did not book any lodging prior to our trip.  We booked as we went along.

Staying in youth hostels is the least expensive option, you can probably find a bed for around 15$-20$CAD per night and per person. Hostels are also great because more often than not, they have a kitchen you can use.  Otherwise, eating out in local restaurants won’t break the bank either.

We often had Chicken soup for dinner during our trip.  I’m not talking Campbell soup here.  As the saying goes, don’t knock it before you try it.  The chicken soup in Peru is nutritious and filling and will help you warm up after spending a day in the cold.

12 day Christmas Itinerary through Peru

We wanted to be in Cuzco and Machu Picchu for Christmas which was at the beginning of our journey. If you do and come from a place that is below 5000 feet (1,500m) you might experience altitude sickness.

We landed in Lima but flew right away to Cuzco which is over 11,000 feet.  Both my brother and I suffered from altitude sickness our first night.  However, the very next day, we went to Machu Picchu which is lower in altitude and we started feeling a lot better.

Perhaps, if we had ascended gradually to Cuzco we would have been better off.  But since the bus from Lima to Cuzco is 12 hours long, we took the quicker way.

4 nights in Cuzco

We didn’t spend 4 nights straight in Cuzco. After our first night, we left the next day for Aguas Calientes to visit Machu Picchu and spent one night there. Then we came back to Cuzco.

In Cuzco, we took it easy to adjust to the altitude, visit some sites and enjoy a Christmas dinner at our hostel. Read about Cuzco HERE.

1 night in Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the most visited site in Peru.  High season is during the summer months.  Although during the Christmas holidays it doesn’t get as crowded, you need to book your train ticket to get there and possibly lodging ahead of time.  It makes things easier if you spend a night there so that you won’t have to rush to visit.

Read about Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes HERE.

2 nights in Puno

We took a scenic bus from Cuzco to Puno so that we could then visit the floating islands of Lake Titicaca.  Read about it HERE.

2 nights in Arequipa

Nicknamed the white city of Peru, Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru and should be part of your Christmas itinerary.

Discover this enchanting city HERE.

3 nights in Lima

We flew into Lima from Arequipa, it’s only a 1hr flight and then took a cab to our hostel located by the ocean.

Since we were crunched with time, we didn’t do anything else.  Given a few extra days, we probably would have travelled by bus from Arequipa to Lima along the coast line where there are lots of different sites to visit along with great beaches.  The trip takes about 13 hours without the stops but HERE you’ll find a list and ideas of some of the stops you could make and add them to your itinerary.

Visiting and staying in Lima

We didn’t see much of Lima. My brother and wife who had already visited it a few years back, weren’t too keen in having all 8 of us stroll Peru’s capital streets.

The last 3 nights of our trip were spent in the very lively neighbourhood of Lima called Barranco. It’s close to the beach which is great if you are travelling with kids.  There are also tons of restaurants, bars and night clubs in that area. If you are looking for a lead back vibe but with an authentic night life, it’s the place to stay.

Barranco

We stayed at The Point Hostel, another party hostel (see article on Cuzco) and it wasn’t done on purpose either.  When the 8 of us showed up (3 adults and 5 kids) on New Year’s Eve day they were a taken off guard.  They almost cancelled our reservation because of the kids.  Since we told them that we survived Loki Hostel in Cuzco, they let us stay just as long as the kids didn’t go into the bar at night. Not a problem.

The Point Hostel is a neat and cozy place with an inner-outdoor garden. It’s conveniently located close to the beach, about a 10-15 minute walk, bars, restaurants and plazas.

They have a bar and kitchen that open onto the outdoor garden.  The TV room is big enough for everybody to relax in.  

We had to book 2 rooms.  One dorm room for 6 where my brother and kids slept and a private room where my sister-in-law and I slept, since we were the ones staying up late the most.  The dorm room was pretty small but it’s fine if you just need to sleep in.  You can relax in the garden instead. The bedroom was spacious enough for two people.

We didn’t mind skipping out on the cultural sightseeing in Lima as the kids and grownups alike already had their fair share of it during our trip.  Enjoying some down time at the hostel playing pool, lounging in the hammock or playing in the sand at the beach was good enough for us.

New Year’s Eve with kids

New Year’s Eve there was a blast.  The kids had a lot of fun, even if they couldn’t enter the bar.  We played ping-pong, giant Jenga in the garden and even danced with them outside. At Midnight, we were all out in the street in front of the hostel admiring the fireworks. It was a great way to bring in the New Year.

Visiting Peru over the Christmas Holidays is such a wonderful experience.  It’s all about going with the flow, taking the time to appreciate the sites.  If you don’t, well your body will force you to take it easy.  Two weeks just wasn’t enough but we did have a whole lot of fun.