The Instagram pictures of Peru often fail to show the crowds behind it! Anyone who has visited the country would confess that a peaceful trip to Peru is practically impossible.
Probably, you also dread dealing with a toddler’s tantrum or a teenager’s mood-wrath at one of the world’s busiest tourist destinations.
But what if we told you, you can avoid crowds at many sites with some planning and tweaks to the standard Peru itinerary?
This might mean skipping one or two hotspots, but you will also be saved from getting pushed or shoved by random people!
Let us look at a family traveler’s guide to visiting Peru without the crowds.
Timing Is Everything
Visiting Peru during peak tourist months like June or August will not help you avoid the bustling crowds.
Schedule your trip well in advance for off-season or shoulder season, before June and after August.
Choosing the right time will help you even further.
If you are visiting popular sites or hiking trails, start very early, at five in the morning. Skip the elaborate breakfast (you know how terrible it is to rush a kid through it).
Just pack some fresh fruits and nuts, a pound cake for the kids. Let them enjoy their meal en route, so you can make it to the sights before the crowd gathers.
If early mornings are unachievable, you can visit in the late afternoon to avoid long queues.
This will help you soak in everything a bit more without the annoying crowd noises!
Arrange For Transportation
Arranging transportation in advance will help you stick to your scheduled timings. This includes your journey from the airport.
Airport Transportation service can help you reach your destination on time without the added stress of haggling or hidden fees.
Pre-book your premium vehicle if you are with a large family group and have a lot of luggage.
Investing in comfortable and reliable transportation should be one of your priorities, especially while visiting popular destinations like Peru.
Travel With A Private Tour Guide
A seasoned tour guide will help you pick the best and least busy time slots for your site visits.
They will be familiar with how the crowds move and can help you with issues like long lines and crowded routes.
If things don’t go as planned, they will even adjust the itinerary without compromising on the quality of your site visits.
Private tour guides are also good at engaging kids and will tackle their curious enquiries with good information.
Visit Underrated Spots
There are so many hidden gems in Peru that tourists often miss.
This is either because of poor research or tight itineraries, which only accommodate hotspots.
Let us take a look at some of them,
Chachapoyas
Chachapoyas, one of Peru’s least explored hikes, was discovered recently.
It is not easy to travel to this spot, but you will get to explore some of Peru’s natural beauties like the Gocta waterfalls and the Laguna De los Condores.
Younger kids may want to avoid the trek, so take a cable car instead.
Cordillera Blanca
If your family loves the mountains, you can spend a few days circuiting peaks on this trek.
With many challenging trekking routes, older kids will enjoy an adventure culminating in views of high peaks and glacial lakes.
The trail guides have horses and donkeys to carry your camping essentials, and also give a ride to children when the trek gets tough.
Caral
Caral, an ancient archaeological site in northern Peru, is one of the oldest cities on the continent.
It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if your family is into archaeology, don’t miss this place.
You can be guaranteed to find almost no tourists here.
Avoid Popular Traveling Routes & Trails
For popular tourist spots like Machu Picchu, take the less-populated trails.
For example, the Quarry trail is less crowded than the popular Inca trail, and you can still experience sights like the Intipunku Sungate.
Final Thoughts
While traveling with family, consider what each person wants to see and experience.
This will help you create an itinerary that accommodates everyone’s choices.
