Peru tours | Blog Magical Cuzco Tours

Travel• Travel Tips• What to do• World travel

8 Tips on How to Travel with Kids

We here at Magical Cusco Tours love to travel with our kids but it can get a little complicated unless you know how to keep them busy and happy. Here are our top 10 tips to travel with kids and teens.

Make sure that daily activities are spread out well: Don’t visit 10 different monuments in one day, let your kids rest and have some downtime.

Bring lots of snacks and water: In our experience, kids and teens often forget to bring their own food and water so when they get annoyed or hungry, you make sure that you have all the options that they might need. It also doesn’t hurt to double-check and make sure that they have water and snacks.

Ask for their opinions when planning the activities: The activities that you do during the trip should be a mix between things that you want to do and things that your kids find interesting

If you’re flying somewhere take an earlier flight: The flights can be less crowded and people are more likely to sleep, your kids included.

Pack lots of activities: Keeping busy is a great way to pass the time and having activities suitable for a kid of any age is always useful. This can include coloring books (of any level), pens, cards, toys for smaller children, and more.

Bring lots of layers and other supplies for any kind of weather: You never know what the day will bring and you want to be prepared for anything to happen. Examples are flashlights, toilet paper, rain jackets, hats, mosquito repellents, sunblocks, comfortable shoes, etc.

Bring a light blanket in case your kid gets cold on the airline.

Be prepared for long flights: Many airlines now offer free entertainment if they have a specific app o check if your airline has one of those. If you have a subscription to a streaming service like Netflix or Disney+, have them download movies and episodes to watch.

Those are just a few of the many tips we have for you. Make sure to check out our blog on how to stay safe while traveling so you know how to keep yourself and your kids safe. We hope that these tips will help you out.

On 19 agosto, 2021 • By magicalblog

Peru• Travel• Travel Tips• What to do

How to stay safe while Traveling

We have many clients who love to travel but have found themselves unsure of how to be safe and stay healthy while doing so, especially with COVID-19 still circling the world. After consulting with them and with our team, we’ve found a couple of tips and tricks for you. Of course, the easier way to stay as safe as possible is to get fully vaccinated. It will help you to have much less stress about the trip.

Now onto the tips!

Essential items

Disinfectants – We would never go anywhere without a disinfectant and CLOROX wipes (we use these to wipe down chairs and tables, they’re especially useful on planes, buses, and other public areas).

Mask – Does this even need an explanation? Carrying more than one surgical mask is better, just in case, and wear them whenever you’re inside to protect yourself and others.

Social Distancing – This is always good to practice, not just while traveling. The farther away from strangers, you are, the safer you are. If you do find yourself in close quarters with others, make sure to wear your mask.

Stay hydrated – Regular advice for when you travel but very important to stay healthy. You should drink about half a gallon or 2 liters of water every day

And finally the most important:

WASH YOUR HANDS! The easiest and most convenient way to stay safe and healthy. Wash your hands whenever you get a chance and especially before eating or doing activities that require the use of your hands.

Those are all of our tips to be safe and healthy while traveling. We hope they’ll help you as much as they’ve helped us. Please check out our post about the requirements to travel to Peru so you can put some of these tips to use. Happy adventuring!

On 5 agosto, 2021 • By magicalblog

Cusco• Peru• Peru Destinations• Travel Tips• What to do

The Best Active Holidays Routes in Peru

Peru is a perfect travel choice for those of you loving active holidays and looking for a grain of adventure in their trip. The country has some of the most attractive trekking routes in the world and it offers the most amazing and exciting activities in South America. From the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to the most off the beaten trekking paths in the central Peruvian highlands, such as Huaraz area, from the exciting zipline experience to the highest dining experience ever in Lima with “Dinner in the Sky”. Here a list of activities you should definitely consider if you are an adventurous trip lover.

Inca Trail: this is the classic trekking experience in Peru that trekking passionates cannot miss. It is quite prosaic saying that the route is amazing and you will enjoy beautiful view of the Sacred Valley with the Andes chain at the background and the magnificence of the Inca ruins all around. That’s an amazing experience that will take you directly to the Machu Picchu ciutadel. We suggest you to book well in advance your permit to do the Inca trail, since this is the most requested activity for Peru trip. We have already talked about the Inca trail and other hiking routes you could consider doing instead of the inca trail in this article (http://www.magicalcuzcotours.com/blog/3-spots-you-should-not-miss-if-you-love-hiking/), so have a look at it!

Ausangate Trek: this is a one-day trek experience that will take you to the Rainbow Mountain, considered nowadays one of the most popular attractions in Peru. You can hike the route by yourself or you can rent a horse to make the experience a bit lighter. This is up to you and your physical state. Once you reach the famous rainbow moutnain you will enjoy an amazing and not-ordinary colourful landscape. Do not forget your camara!

Zip Line and Via Ferrata: This is an exciting activity that you can do in the Sacred Valley. There are several zip lines (they are seven interconnected ziplines), also ideal for people without any previous experience. Via Ferrata is a type of steel ladder and cable system that runs along the Sacred Valley mountains, it has installed a special security system that make it ideal for people with no climbing experience as well. This experience will be absolutely adrenaly pumping for you.

Rafting in the Urubamba River: This is another activity you can be engaged in the Sacred Valley. It is very fun to do as family activity or group activity with your friends for instance. You will raft the rapids of class 2 and 3 of the Urubamba river. During the activity you will have the chance to enjoy beautiful panoramic landscapes on the river shores and you will get to know Peruvian flora as well, enjoying flowers species and plants. There are several companies that will rent you all the necessary equipment for this rafting adventure and there will be a tour guide with you the all time, get ready for an exciting experience in Peru!

ATV Quad Bike tour in Maras and Moray: you will have the chance to visit Maras and Moray by quad bike, which can be authomatic or semi-authomatic; there is no need to have previous riding experience. During the tour you will have the chance to visit the archeological site of Moray, the Salt Mines and Moray village. This will be the adventure you will never forget!

Dinner in the Sky: if you are a food lover and you love to experience foreign food and combine it with adventure and action this is the right experience for you. You will have the chance to enjoy a delicious meal up in the air, up to 45 meters. It is a new experience, arrived in Peru thanks to the Belgium franchise “Dinner in Heaven”at the beginning of 2019, but already popular in more than 70 countries in the world. They have a capacity to serve 22 people and the structure is located nearby Lima, in Lurín. You will enjoy a main course, a dessert and wine. This is definitely a unique dining experience you cannot miss while in Peru.

These are only few of the best adventurous experiences you can live during your Peru trip! Stay tuned for more travel tips and active holidays recommendations.

On 5 agosto, 2019 • By magicalblog

Peru Destinations• Travel• Travel Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Peruvian Slang – Part 2

A couple of weeks ago we posted an article on Peruvian slang, but we have so many other words, sayings and slang expressions often used by Peruvians that we would like to share with you. Just to start from the real beginning the word “jerga” refers to these slang words.

We think about these articles as a guide for you while walking the streets of Lima, Cusco or any other destinations and trying to talk and comunicate with locals. These are words that you will easily heard throughout the country. We tried to select the most useful expressions a traveler could bump into while visiting Peru.

Jama/Jamear: This word is used to refer to “food”, also used as a verb “to go to eat”. So you will listen to the expression “vamos a jamear”, which literally means “let’s go eating”.

Chancha: This word literally refers to a female pig, but it is used by Peruvians to the act of splitting the bill between friends. So you might listen to the expression: “hacemos chancha” or “hacemos chanchita”, which means “let’s split the bill”. Remember this saying if you are invited out for dinner or a drink by locals.

Huevón: The word can be used among friends with the meaning of “dude”, “buddy”, “guy”, but be careful that sometimes can be a bit insulting, especially when used in third person.

Porfa: this is a shorten version of the expression “por favor”. It is extremely common to hear this word. Formality is a very important part of the Peruvian manner of speaking.
Roche: this word means “shame”, you will hear the expression ¡Qué roche! quite often, which means “What a shame!”. If a couple is arguing in the street for instance or if someone is totally drunk, you can use this expression.
Bamba: this means that something is fake, so if you are at the street market and your Peruvian friend says “Esto es bamba!” means that “the item is fake”, so do not buy it. Keep an ear open for this word when you are shopping at local street markets!
Jato: the word means “house”, so you will listen to “te veo en mi jato”, which literally means “I’ll see you at my house” or “estoy en mi jato”, which means “I’m at home”.

Grifo: the word litterally means tap, but in Peruvian slang means gas station. So, if you listen to the expression “Encuentras la tienda pasando el grifo”, means “You’ll find the store after the gas station”.

Huasca: the expression “Estás huasca” means “You’ re wasted”, so if you or someone else drink too much it is very common to say that.

¡Ya fuiste!: if you listen to this saying is because you miss your shot, you miss an opportunity. If you are late for a tour for example, or for the bus you can listen a local saying ¡Ya fuiste!.

If you are traveling to Peru for a month or more or even if you are spending here just few days, learning a bit of local lingo will definitely help you out! If you are a person who loves getting in touch with locals is even better to have a sense of what these words mean and probably learning these words will open the door to new experiences during your stay in Peru.

On 1 julio, 2019 • By magicalblog

Nazca• Peru Destinations• Travel Tips

Top Things to do in Paracas and Nazca

Paracas and Nazca are often in touristic itineraries, they are two beautiful towns located in Ica region, approximately 3 hours south of Lima. If you are planning to visit just Paracas you can even embark in a day trip. You can reach Paracas by bus or by private transportation from Lima in about 3 hours. There are plenty of things you can do there, many different adventurous activities and beautiful landscapes to enjoy. Here a list of things you must see once there:

Ballestas Island: Early in the morning motor boat leave to Ballestas Islands, in Paracas National Reserve, to observe sea lions, boobies, pelicans, penguins and other marine birds, among the many other species which converge there looking for shelter. On the boat trip tourists can see the famous «Candelabro», an enigmatic form that many people believe is related to the Nazca lines.

Paracas Reserve: Paracas National Reserve has been declared World Heritage Natural Side by UNESCO. You can visit the Julio C. Tello Museum, the Cathedral and “la Boyeda”, where you can have a short walk around the sea going in to the cave. You can also enjoy the beautiful landscapes from several viewpoints, such as the Wolves and Lagunillas beach. Due to its geographical location the area has the strangest and richest ecosystems in the world.

Chauchilla Cemetery: the Chauchilla Cemetery, 30 km south of Nazca, consists of several tombs containing remarkably well-preserved mummies from the Nazca culture. This is also a very mysterious and spiritual spot.

Nazca Lines: Located on the plains of San Jose and on an extension of 50 km, the geoglyphs represent figures of animals and plants, some of these figures may reach up to 984,3 feet in length and cover an area of 1000 m². These lines constitute one of humankind’s enduring mysteries, as for some recent studies these lines were made by UFOs. So there is a lot of mystery on their existence.

Cahuachi: This immense ceremonial and pilgrimage centre stands in the middle of the desert, and consists of more than 40 mounds, topped with the remains of adobe constructions, with several intact pyramids, cemeteries and elaborate underground tombs –only partially excavated. A wealth of pottery has been discovered here, as well as graves containing only trophy heads. The sands around the area are eerily littered with ancient pottery fragments as well as human femurs and skulls. Cahuachi is reached via a rough 25 km dirt-and-gravel road from Nazca.

Cerro Blanco: Located east of the city of Nazca, the largest sand dune in Peru; ideal for adventure sports such as sand boarding, boogie and paragliding. Here you will have plenty of fun and you will definitely enjoy wonderful landscapes and sunny days! So bring your sun block and a hat.

Ica region is a very nice place to visit in Peru, where you can embark in many different activities and you can enjoy the Pacific Ocean breeze and the sun.

On 3 noviembre, 2017 • By magicalblog

Cusco• Peru• Sacred Valley

Top Sights in the Sacred Valley

Many tourists coming to Peru are definitely more interested in Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu and the majority of the time they skip a visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In my opinion that’s a BIG BIG BIG mistake, since this place is magic, here you can find a very special energy that you are not able to find in any other place in Peru. I believe the name “Sacred Valley” can better define what I actually mean. This is a spiritual place where you can definitely recharge your battery after the tiring excursion to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Here a list of places you should not miss once in the area:

Pisac Ruins: The small town of Pisac is located 32 Kilometers (20 Miles) from Cusco. On the top of the modern town there are the ancient ruins, which consist of a vast amount of agricultural terracing and a small Inca village. Made up of groups of terraces, the outline of the site forms the shape of a giant condor. In ancient times the condor was considered to be the messenger of the sun, and the one who was in charge of carrying the spirits of the dead onto the world beyond. For this reason Pisac was also considered to be a place of great spiritual worship.

Pisac Market: Peru’s most famous crafts market takes place in Pisac on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday. This ancient Inca village is nestled in the shadow of an imposing Inca fortress and temple and it is famous for its beautiful and colorful market where tourists can shop for traditional handicrafts and every kind of handmade Peruvian products.

Awanakancha: AwanaKancha provides an opportunity to see products made from South America’s four camelids (alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco) from the first steps of the production process to its end: the animal, the shearing, the textile weaving and dyeing, and the finished products, which you can purchase in the showroom. It makes a great stop for the whole family, as kids usually have lots of fun feeding the camelids on-site.

Ollantaytambo Temple: Second in importance only to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo includes some of the Inca’s best stonework, including a series of ceremonial baths, elegant trapezoidal doorways, and a sun temple that faces the rising sun.

Maras: It was home to the descendents of the Incas of the Hurin Cusco Clan. In Colonial times, it was the first salt producing center of the central – Sierra. This picturesque town is located 53 km northwest of Cusco (1hour drive) by a paved road. The town has a large church and several colonial houses with code-of-arms of noble families on their facades. Close to Maras, at the Peasant community of Pichingoto, there are salt mines, known locally as “salineras”. Landscape is awesome in this area.

Moray: Located 9 km west of the town of Maras, along an unpaved road, his archeological site is perhaps one of the most mysterious of the pre-Hispanic Cusco area. The site consists of a large irrigation system and a series of concentric agricultural terraces, constructed by means of stone retaining walls. The location is believed to have been an enormous agricultural laboratory in which the Incas purposefully created several microclimates in which they grew a variety of crops.

Chincheros: Known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow, this typical Andean village combines Inca ruins with a colonial church, some wonderful mountain views and a colorful Sunday market. On a high plain with sweeping views to snow-laden peaks, it’s quite beautiful. Since it is very high, it’s unwise to spend the night until you’re somewhat acclimated.

So remember once in Peru do not forget to visit the Sacred Valley. If you have already traveled there and you have more suggestion feel free to add tips and recommendations in the comments.

On 17 octubre, 2017 • By magicalblog