Machu Picchu (Part 7): Kids

Not bad going down, but imagine climbing those steps up.

I'll let you know right up front, Machu Picchu is not a kid-friendly place.  Unless a child is very interested in archaeology, there isn't much to do but climb, climb, climb.   It is a mountaintop with steep, stone steps (photo on right).  No modern construction is allowed at the ruins, so there are no railings, no benches, and most importantly, no bathrooms.  An adult might no mind so much, but kids tend to need their bathrooms close by.

Nonetheless, the entire family can have a great time if you prepare well. Having brought my kids there twice, I would recommend the following.

1.  Bathroom.  The only bathrooms are outside the entry gate to the ruins.  They cost 1 sole per person.  A mom can go in with several kids on one ticket. Make sure they all go before going into the ruins.  Once you're at the ruins, it is about a 10-15 minute walk to go back out to the gate, if you need to use the bathroom again.  Small children might want to wear pull-ups, just in case.

2.  1:1 adult to kid ratio.  Machu Picchu is all about rigorous mountain hiking.  I strongly advise bringing one adult for every child visiting, so every child is holding the hand of an adult.  Some places are so narrow that only one person with one child can fit on the path.  An adult would be hard-pressed to guide two children on both sides.  Also, younger children would need a lot of rest.  An adult can stay with them to move at their own pace while the older kids are free to explore faster.

Inca Bridge Trail at Machu Picchu.

3.  Inca Bridge Trail (on left).  The Incans built a trail onto the side of a cliff.  The 40 minute trail (20 minutes one way)  is one of the must-see marvels of Machu Picchu, but it is precipitous.  You have to sign in a guestbook before starting the trail, so that if you fall off the cliff and don't show back up to sign out, they at least know who you were.  There is no age restrictions, but children are asked to hold hands with an adult at all times.  Once you see the trail, and the cliff, you won't need to be asked.



4.  Altitude.  At 2200 meters, Machu Picchu can be quite a strain on the young ones or those who are not in good shape.  It might be worth one's while to acclimate for 2-3 days in Cusco before attempting hiking at that altitude.

5.  Food/Drink.  You're not allowed to bring food into the ruins, but they don't check your backpack.  You should bring fruit, drinks, or other snacks for the kids.  Trust me, after climbing for a few hours, they will be hungry and thirsty.  Security might ask you to put the food away, so look for a place that is not highly trafficked to pull out your snack and drink.  Bring food that won't leave crumbs; banana is good, potato chips is bad.   For a lunch, walking all the way outside the gates to eat is a good idea.

6.  Short trip.  It is so expensive to go to Machu Picchu that it is tempting for adults to want to stay there all day to get their money's worth.  When going with kids though, they will get bored and/or tired after a few hours.  Consider only taking a short trip to MP when visiting with kids, say 4 or 5 hours instead of 10.  They'll have more fun and better memories.

7.  Playing cards or light toys.  It is a good idea to have something to play with when they are resting.

8.  Parque Urpicha in Cusco.  With the exception of Pompeii, Italy, I've found that while my kids like ancient ruins well enough, but they don't usually love them.  So it is nice to combine the trip with something they do love to do.  When in Cusco, you can take them to a park with giant slides called Parque Urpicha.  Entry fees are only 50 centimos per kid, and 1 or 2 soles per adult.  They also have manual carnival-style rides, where an adult can spin them around endlessly in helicopters and such.

Parque Urpicha.  Water slide without the water at the bottom.

Parque Urpicha.  Hand-powered carnival rides.  Ingenious.

This concludes the Machu Picchu series.  Happy, cheap traveling!