For their 30th wedding anniversary, Chantal made an unforgettable journey through Peru with Impactful Travel with the whole family. In this blog, she is taking you along on the adventure! Giving the floor to Chantal:

From the dry coast to the high mountains and from ancient temples to the vibrant city streets, the question as to what makes Peru feels so unique stayed with us throughout the trip. Little by little, the answer revealed itself: the rich nature, unbelievable cultural treasures, amazing cuisine and the ever-friendly and colourful people! With the thoughtful planning of Impactful’s Guido, our journey became a beautiful blend of adventure, comfort and meaningful encounters.

Lima & the Coast

Our introduction to Peru began in lively Lima, where the dry desert meets the cool Pacific Ocean. The city pulses with energy and creativity! Our stay in the artistic district of Barranco immediately set the tone. The next day, we explored the city by bike and visited the impressive temple of Pucllana and the Larco museum of beautiful pre-Columbian art.

Wildlife Encounters

Not far from the capital, lie the Ballestas Islands where we discovered a completely different world. We found ourselves surrounded by penguins, sea lions, dolphins, pelicans and countless other special animals. Later, we arrived in the silent, endless desert. And suddenly we slid off the desert slope on our boards! We ended the day at a wine vineyard, having a delicious dinner at the warm fireplace, with of course a wine to pair.

After some time together, we each explored different parts of Peru. Our daughter and her partner ventured deep into the Amazon and excitedly told us about monkeys, caimans, parrots and even tarantulas they saw! The other side of the family set off for Huaraz where they hiked in beautiful mountain landscapes. The variety within the country became even more evident when sharing our stories in the evening!

And then I have not even talked about the Colca Canyon and the volcanoes yet. We were very impressed by the canyon, which is one of the deepest in the world. Enormous Andean condors flew over us, which was absolutely spectacular.

Cultures & Civilizations

But Peru is not only nature. It carries one of the richest cultural histories on the continent and is a true tapestry of ancient civilizations. Of course there is Machu Picchu, but we also encountered even older civilizations (pre-Inca). Just seeing the Nazca-lines in the desert with our own eyes made our whole trip worthwhile. How these figures were ever created is beyond imagination.

Mountains & Adventure

For us, Peru is an adventurer’s paradise. We cycled, hiked, explored sand dunes and wandered through beautiful cultural towns. One of the highlights of our trip was the Salkantay trek, which was fantastic and a special experience diving into this adventure as a family. On the mountainbike, we explored volcanoes and salt flats close to Arequipa.

Cuisine

During our trip, we quickly discovered Peru as a culinary destination too. Influences from Spain, France, African and Asian blend with indigenous ingredients. Thousands of varieties of potatoes, quinoa, maize and countless fruits create an enormous palette for the chefs. With this diversity of ingredients they know how to make mouthwatering meals. Without a doubt, it became our favourite cuisine of South America.

Warmth of the People

An unforgettable element of Peru is the warmth of its people. Whether we were in remote mountain villages or busy city neighbourhoods; we encountered kindness, humor and pride in local traditions. The guides we had generously explained their culture, making the stories truly come to life and at the end of the day, we shared several delicious meals together.

Reflecting on an Unforgettable Journey with Impactful Travel

After our trip, we were finally able to answer the question of what made Peru so special. Thanks to the thoughtful planning and local insight of Impactful Travel, we were able to see and do a lot and stay at the most beautiful places. Peru is such a beautiful destination to visit, we can only recommend visiting and planning your trip with Impactful Travel!

Questions You Might Have

What do I need to do to plan a trip similar to Chantal’s? Can I do it with children?

– Tell us a bit about the duration and budget, and then contact us, we will be happy to help!

What other destinations can I visit in combination with Chantal’s itinerary?

– Almost any combination is possible as long as it’s logical and responsible. We will gladly suggest destinations based on the original trip.