When Henry Thompson and his family left their home in Boise, they had no idea how much they would love Peru. But between the hikes, market visit, cooking class, and llama blessing ceremony that they experienced, this family vacation was a dream come true.

After Henry returned, we asked him to tell us more about what made this trip so special. Here’s what he had to say.

We chose this trip because it had a nice mix of hiking and cultural activities. It didn’t disappoint in any way. I loved hiking the Inca Trail, touring the Sacred Valley (Moray and Ollantaytambo), and seeing the salt ponds.

For my children, the highlight was the llama blessing ceremony. We had no idea what to expect when we saw this on the itinerary. In fact, I thought it might be a low point. But it was real and really cool.

During that ceremony, we were in the middle of nowhere, on a dirt road a ways outside of Ollantaytambo. We felt the cool mountain breeze, smelled burning grass and llama/alpaca dung, and saw open mountainsides filled with llamas, alpacas, and shepherds. I couldn’t stop saying to myself, “Wow, we lucked out.”

I couldn’t stop saying to myself, “Wow, we lucked out.”

The cooking class and Cusco market tour were also high points, and so was seeing the incredible engineering and rock work in the Sacred Valley. There were crazy tight joints between huge rocks, and I couldn’t help feeling impressed.

To anyone who’s considering traveling to Peru with Acanela, I’d say: do the hikes! Walk the towns! Eat the food! The trip was smooth and well organized, and our guide was outstanding. Take it from the Thompsons — this is a great family vacation.

Eager to visit Peru and fall for this stunning South American destination, just like Henry and his family did? You’re in luck! Acanela Expeditions operates several tours in Peru, including Peru & Machu Picchu and Inca Trail & Machu Picchu. Book your next family vacation — or solo getaway or friend trip — today!