Machu Picchu with kids:our journey through Cusco and the Sacred Valley

We visited Machu Picchu in January 2025 with Niko, who was five, and Kai, who was three. We'd got up incredibly early to enter at six in the morning and watch the sun rise over the mountains. Instead, we were greeted by rain and fog that hid everything.

We waited almost two hours. When the clouds finally lifted, everyone applauded. The view had kept us waiting, and it became one of the loveliest moments of the trip.

If you're thinking about visiting Machu Picchu with kids, here's what it was like for us, which choices helped and what we'd do differently. Our trip also took us through Cusco and the Sacred Valley: the experience began long before we climbed up to the Inca citadel.

Four days within a much longer trip

We spent four days exploring this area. We'd come from Atacama and the Bolivian highlands, so we were already acclimatised to the altitude. That's important context for our pace: this isn't an itinerary to copy straight after flying into Cusco from sea level.

Children can get altitude sickness, too. When planning your arrival, read the CDC's guidance on altitude and acclimatisation. The fact that we had no difficulties doesn't guarantee another family the same experience.

Day 1 was in Cusco. Day 2 took us through the Sacred Valley. Day 3 was our train journey to Machu Picchu. Day 4 was our visit to the site itself. That's the outline of our trip; giving each part its own time was what helped us most.

In Cusco, we were struck by the stones at Sacsayhuamán. A short explanation from a guide helped us see beyond the enormous blocks and imagine the work behind them. Later, the streets, squares and San Blas showed us another side of the city.

The Sacred Valley made for a long day. Between visits, we stopped to take in the landscape and let the kids move around. We enjoyed those moments as much as many of the sites. Not every stop needed a guided explanation or another place to visit.

Ollantaytambo deserved more time

We'd expected a practical stop before catching the train and found one of our favourite places: stone streets, water channels, mountains all around and a lively square.

We walked around, had coffee and explored the market. We'd have liked longer there. If we went back, we'd give it another morning rather than treating it simply as the place where the train leaves from.

It's something we'd consider more carefully when planning another trip: does a transfer leave us time to enjoy where we are, or make us leave just as we're starting to get to know it?

Planning it felt harder than being there

When we started planning Machu Picchu, we compared too many options at once. It took a while to stop looking at every possibility and focus on the trip we actually wanted to make with the kids. We remember those earlier doubts as clearly as some moments of the visit itself.

We chose a visit without adding any mountain climbs. That suited what we wanted from this trip. For the current routes and conditions, check the information from Peru's Ministry of Culture.

We cover bookings and transfers in our Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley guide. Here, we want to focus on what it was like to experience it together.

The train window and the night before

We took the train from Ollantaytambo. Niko and Kai loved watching the valley through the window, and so did we. We thought the tickets were expensive, but the train ride became part of the experience.

We travelled with fewer bags and left our large suitcase in Cusco. It made the transfers easier—a small decision that worked well for us.

We stayed in Machu Picchu Pueblo the night before our visit. We liked it more than we'd expected: we walked by the river, around the squares and through the market, watched trains pass and called it an early night.

Staying the night before gave us time to explore the town before our early start. The next morning we went up by bus. We didn't walk up, so we can't say how that would have gone with the kids.

An early start didn't guarantee the view

We'd booked the earliest entry time with sunrise in mind. When we arrived, the mountains were completely hidden, and for quite a while it looked as though we might not see anything at all.

Waiting became part of our morning. The time we spent waiting isn't a recommendation to follow or a guarantee that the clouds will lift. Once inside, you need to follow your designated route and the staff's instructions.

When the view appeared, that early start felt different. It was a very special morning, but it began with rain, fog and a fair amount of patience. That's why we wouldn't choose the first slot solely for the promise of a clear photograph.

What we'd keep and what we'd change

We'd keep the overnight stay in town, the lighter luggage and the breaks in the Sacred Valley. We'd give Ollantaytambo more time, and we'd have liked a short explanation of Machu Picchu while we were there.

Yes, we'd make this trip with the kids again. We remember the train window, the walks and that moment when the fog revealed the mountains. We also learnt that a family itinerary needs breathing room between one thing and the next.