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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. 

Travel Travel Tips What to do World travel

Requirements to Travel to Peru

It has finally come time to start traveling again. The world is opening up and there are more and more adventures to be had. And what better place to start with than Peru! If you want to travel to Peru but have no idea what the requirements are, let me help you out. 

To be able to visit Peru you must have: 

A negative RT-PCR test that was done less than 72 hours in advance. OR An Antigen Test from less than 24 hours before your trip. Usually, a PCR is more expensive and hard to find. In the US, a major pharmacy chain (like CVS or Walgreen’s) provides the Antigen test for free. 

A signed “Health Electronic Sworn Statement, and commitment to carry out the traveler’s isolation or quarantine”. Here’s the link to the statement: http://e-notificacion.migraciones.gob.pe/dj-salud/

Both the Test and Statement must be kept on hand because they’ll probably be requested once you’re in Peru 

If you are an international passenger and you have any symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days of your arrival to Peru, you have to contact the health authorities of your country. 

If you don’t wear a mask and/or comply with the rules that the airline/airport/etc have, your boarding to Peru could be rejected.

Those are all the things that you need to have in order to travel to Peru. Make sure to check out my blog about safety tips while traveling.Stay safe and have happy travels! 

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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). 

Foto de Anna Shvets en Pexels 

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.


Foto de Anna Shvets en Pexels 

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. 


Foto de Kate Trifo en Pexels 

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! 

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PHOTO VIDEO MEMORIES PROJECT

Do you want to cherish memories and support Peruvian tourism at the same time?  

Call us: 1-866-217-1542 / 703-822-5311 or 703-8225312 /+51 997 593 818 (also Whatsapp) 

Email us: info@magicalcuzcotours.com

WE WILL MAKE YOUR MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!

The current global crisis due to Coronavirus pandemic opened our eyes on the importance of the work made by our tour guides and local drivers who are on the front lines of tourism industry and they do not have the financial ability to survive in this time of crisis. They are now basically unemployed and they have no income to support their families. That is why we decided to work on a way to help Peruvian tourism and especially our people stay afloat during this difficult time.  

We launch a brand-new memories video project; for each video sold we will make a donation to our knowledgeable and reliable tour guides and drivers. The price for the video is US$150.00 total and 100% of our profit will go directly to them

We can produce memories videos to share it with your friends and family or simply to have lifetime memories of a special occasion. Our videos are ideal to celebrate a special occasion, a special trip anywhere else or just to celebrate the life of a loved ones as tribute. An anniversary, a birthday, a wedding, a vow renewal, the arrival of a new-born are all special occasions that deserve to remain engraved in our memory. We will help you make it special with a commemorative video made of unedited video shots, photos, visual effects, soundtrack and a customized script. They are also a great gift idea for a dear friend or family member! 

HOW IT WORKS 

  • Send us meaningful photos and video shots 
  • Tell us your story or highlights to be able to create a script 
  • Choose up to 4 music tracks to use for your video 
  • Give us a week to work on it! 
  • Your video will be delivered to your email. 

VIDEO FEATURES 

  • Duration: up to 7 minutes  
  • Customized script based on your story 
  • Linear edition  
  • Visual effects
  • Colorization (the quality depends on photos and video shots provided)
  • Photo editing
  • Soundtrack (up to 4 music track)
  • Sound quality 
  • Voice over (optional) 
  • The video can be delivered in the following formats: full HD; MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV. This is totally up to you! 

THE VALUE OF WORKING WITH US 

  • Commitment to local suppliers: we are committed to support Peruvian tourism and to value the work of those guides who are working on the field with our passengers.  
  • Competitive prices: we offer best value prices for our services compared to other suppliers. Please consider that part of the revenues will be donated to our tour guide. 
  • Flexibility: we are flexible with changes to the video and soundtrack (considering the options you sent at the beginning). As for the script, we will work on it and send it to you for approval, before finalizing the video. Once the video, the soundtrack and the script are approved, you cannot make any change.
  • Reliability: we are reliable supplier and if we offer you to have a video ready for a specific date, we will keep the promise. We always meet deadlines! 
  • Communication standard: we are always an email or a call away from you. We proud ourselves to be very quick in replying to our clients for any requests or issues they might have. 

Peru Travel Tips What to do World travel

Best Museums to Visit While in lockdown

Coronovirus pandemic is definitely affecting our lives, but there are still tons of activities you can do virtually, such as visiting museums. This activity is particularly fun and can help you fulfil your desire of being in another place (even if it’s a virtual visit), but this is the time to adjust to the situation and find things to do that can help us cope with this unique and peculiar moment of our history. Also, if you were planning a visit to Peru in this list we also included some of the best Peruvian museums so that you can have a little taste of what you will experience during your future trip to Peru. We know it is going to be soon! 😊 

So here a list of museums and art collections that we compile for your use. We got to help each other to overcome these difficult times. We chose to list them in alphabetical order, there is no order of importance or preference here! 😊

  • Art Institute, Chicago, US: https://www.artic.edu/collection. The museum has a wide collection with art pieces from different ages. Apart from the collection you can also find other interesting writing and reading resources on their website.
  • Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy: https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks Here you can find a collection of Renaissance, and you can enjoy paintings by Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto among others…let’s say the greatest Italian painters of all times. There is also a sculpture section with Greek and Roman arts pieces.
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, US: https://www.metmuseum.org/ The MET has three locations, all temporary closed and here you can enjoy 5000 years of art in one place.
  • Museé du Louvre, Paris, France: https://www.louvre.fr/ On the website of the most famous and largest museum in the world you can take several virtual tours and learn about specific artwork of your interest. 
  • Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain: https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection Here you can enjoy works from Titian, El Greco, Goya, Ruben, van Dyck among others. The collection is quite monumental and you can choose to navigate it by artist or by theme such as saints, social realism, portrait, trades and professions.
  • Museo de Sitio Pachacamac, Lima, Perú: https://visitavirtual.cultura.pe/recorridos/MSPAC/museo-sitio-pachacamac/index.html this museum is located at 32 km south of Lima and it is one of the largest archeological complex in the country. Pachacamac was a sacred site named after the Goda Pacha Kamaq. In the museum you can enjoy several artworks, pottery and textiles from several cultures, among them Wari and Chimu.
  • Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, Italy: https://pinacotecabrera.org/en/collezioni/filter-collection/ On the Pinacoteca’s website you can find the collection divided by historic phases, from 4000 B.C. to 2000. Every painting is in hype definition, so that you can enjoy them at the most, especially if you are an art expert.
  • Tate Gallery, London, England: https://www.tate.org.uk/art On their website you can find the British collection from 1500 to contemporary art, and learn about artists and the meaning of their works. There are also interesting resources for creative people and creative activities for kids. It is definitely worth a virtual visit!
  • Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en Here you can find information on the famous painter, tips and interesting resources for creative people and also activities to make with kids during this lockdown time. 

So no excuses then, let’s take this opportunity we have to stay home to do something productive, and learn about artists and their artwork. 

Machu Picchu Peru Destinations Travel Tips What to do World travel

Top 5 Movies to watch before your Peru Trip

Do you prefer to gather information on your next destination? Do you buy travel guides before your trip? Do you love watching documentary and learn more about your next travel destination? This article is for you then! We tried to make a list of movies and documentaries featuring Peru, where you can appreciate Peruvian landscapes and cultural idiosyncrasy before your trip here.


Peru: Hidden Treasure: that’s a documentary now available on Netflix, it was released on 2017 and it has been directed and written by Luis Ara. This documentary focused on Peruvian secretes from the culture of the ancestors to the contemporary days, showing beautiful landscapes from several regions of the country, tourist sites and places which are still unknown. Watching this documentary movie, you will get a sense of Peruvian culture, from the culinary to the artistic and historical sides of it. You will discover our delicious and unique food, the best archeological sites, our icons and stunning landscapes, from the desert of the Paracas area to the charming Amazon jungle and of course the Andes mountains chain.
Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Py_6_TwDI

The Motorcycle Diaries: this is a movie released on 2004, directed by Walter Salles, with the famous actor Gael García Bernal. The script is mainly based on “Che” Guevara’s trip diary. The movie relates the introspective journey which brought Ernesto “Che” Guevara, a medical student, and Alberto Granado, a biochemist, to discover the real side of Latin American continent. They also visit Peru during the road trip and Machu Picchu. This is an extremely important moment in Guevara’s life, considering that he starts reflecting on how an indigenous civilization that built something so unique and marvelous as Machu Picchu could be destroyed by the modern civilization. In this movie you can enjoy some truly amazing Peruvian landscapes.
Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWBsQArUkQY

Anaconda: If you are into adventure and you are planning a few days in the Amazon rainforest you got to watch this movie, which was a quite box-office success. The movie, directed by the Peruvian director Luis Llosa, was released in 1997. It is set in the Amazon jungle where a National Geographic crew is taken hostage by an insane hunter. In the movie you can enjoy beautiful landscapes and views of the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon rainforest, especially during their boat trips.
Trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkX5t5ZJLEk

When two worlds collide: This is a documentary on the constant clash between indigenous communities living in the Amazon region and Peruvian Government on the use of Amazon resources. It focuses on the Bagua massacre which took place in 2009 in that area reporting both points of views: indigenous communities and Peruvian ministers and other authorities. The documentary movie has been released in 2016 and it has been directed by Heidi Brandenburg and Mathew Orzel.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe9ZybqKOLg

Daughter of the Lake: this movie, directed by Ernesto Cabellos and released in 2015, also addresses the issue of the conflict between indigenous communities and corporations who wants to use local resources. It tells the story of a Peruvian woman who communicates with the spirits of the lake that provides water to her village. But a mining corporation discovered a treasure of a big value beneath the water of the lake and they are planning, with the government’s support, to drying out the lake.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54D1TxLpi4M

As you can see Peru, its culture, its history and traditions, its beautiful landscapes have been a source of inspiration for directors, among others. 

Sin categoría Travel Tips What to do World travel

Top Things to do during the Coronavirus Quarantine

Most of all is experiencing a quite long period of quarantine and social distance due to the Coronavirus outbreak which is affecting the entire globe. As you might imagine travel industry is strongly affected by the current situation, people are scared to travel and many countries are shut down, which menas you cannot get in or out of the country. So international and domestic flights, trains, fluvial transportation are completely paralyzed. Many countries, including Peru, have adopted restrictive measures to face the coronavirus situation; basically, people must remain home, work from home, keep social distances and avoid going out for leisure activities, shopping, clubbing, going to the gym, etc. You can definitely go out for groceries, remedies and other basic needs you should have, but still could be a stressful moment for many people.


The New York Times

Below a constantly updated map of COVID-19 cases worldwide
https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Considering the situation, we felt it could have been useful to write down a list of things you can do at home to make your quarantine better and funnier.

  • Plan a Trip: this is a very nice thing to do which can help you healing the frustration to be forced to stay home. Pick a country, obviously you should pick Peru 😊 , see the main destinations and consider your specific travel interests. Make up with a tentative itinerary and start looking for flights! Booking a flight is the first step, one you get that you’re nearly set. Your mind will feel better knowing that once all of this will be ended you have a beautiful trip planned.

  • Spend time with your family: if you get to spend the quarantine with your family, try to use this time to make things with them that you never had the time to do. Yes, I know it could be tricky to stay home so many days with the family, but still try to have some quality time with them: play cards, play board games, read a book to your kids, make up creative activities for your kids, etc.

  • Cook: we are fun of cooking activities, so why not? Pick a receipt that you have always tried to make and you never did, make sure you have the necessary ingredients at home or do some online grocery shopping. Cooking is a very relaxing activity and could help you overcome this stressful moment. If you have kids you can try to cook them…yes it could get a bit messy, but it is worth a try.

  • Read a book: read that classic novel that you have always wanted to read, or that saga or trilogy that you never had the constancy and courage to read or that book that you started several times and you never end. You have plenty of time now! Reading is also a very relaxing activity that could make your mind flying away from the current situation we are experiencing.

  • Watch a TV series: Netflix, Amazon prime offers several TV series, there are also other streaming services you can check. A useful tip: select the one with more seasons, you will have time to finish them. Warning: the majority of these TV series are addictive!

  • Fix stuff at home, but not only: take the opportunity to fic that kitchen cabinet that has been broken since 2010 😊 …fix stuff at home that you have never had time to do. This is the time to fix relationships as well, make that call that you have always tought about but you never had the courage to do. That’s time!
  • Upgrade your hi-tech skills: that’s the time to start using facetime, whatsapp calls, skype, zoom or other tech tools to be able to talk to your friends, share the latest updates, photos, videos, and keep in touch with a videocall to feel less lonely during this period.

  • Help people in need: if you are able to do so, this is the right time to do it. You have elderly people living in your building? Help them doing the grocery shopping online, make a donation if you can to hospitals in need, etc.

We hope these tips and suggestions will be useful to make your “stay at home” moment more pleasant and entertaining.

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Mara Salt Mines: All you need to know before going there

Mara Salt Mines, known in Spanish language as “Las Salineras de Maras” are one of Peruvian’s main attractions for tourists going to the Sacred Valley. If you decide to head to the Sacred Valley on your way to Machu Picchu or on your way back to Cusco, you usually visit PisacOllantaytambo, Maras and Moray which are in the touristic circuit. You should definitely pay a visit to the famous Maras salt mines, located in the Urubamba province, approximately an hour and half from the popular city of Cusco. The salt mines have been fully operational from the pre-Incan times, it’s believed that they were constructed by the Wari civilization. Actually, we should call them salt pans since mines is not a proper word to describe them. They are thousands of pans filled with salt water which evaporates and leaves the crystallized salt in beautiful shapes. The members of the community in the area carefully scrape the salt crystals from the surface. Once all the crystals are scraped, the pans is once again filled with salt water. There are approximately 6000 pans in the area and they are managed by local families. 

As for June 15, 2019 Peruvian MaraSal S.A., which owns the salt mines, has issued a letter to tour operators and Peruvian tourism authorities, about the access restrictions for tourists, that can no longer reach the salty water pools for preservation and health reasons. Contaminants, such as disposable plastic, paper, hair, cigarette stubs have been found in the ponds due to the increasing number of visitors and this could be extremely dangerous since the salt from the mines is consumed and sold in Peru and abroad. So if you are planning to visit this charming site, your tour will end at the viewpoint where you can take beautiful pictures of the mines but you can no longer have a walk through the salty pools. 

Apart from the restrictions we can ensure that the visit is one of a kind, you will enjoy a charming scenery, you can stll see the salt ponds from the top and a have the opportunity to take stunning pictures. Before leaving, pay a visit to the souvenir shops where you can by Maras salt and bring it back home as souvenir, perhaps for your foodie friends. This salt is great for cooking, but it also has medical properties, it contains zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium and it is great to treat skin conditions and swelling.  

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Machu Picchu for Disabled People

Reaching Machu Picchu is not so challenging as it was in the past for disabled people, and this is something important and essential in the XXI century. Machu Picchu has been considered one of the less accessible place in the world for yearsWe all know that visiting this special archeological site is once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travelers and now this wonderful place is finally accessibile to people with reduced mobility. So if you are a person with motor disability you can now enjoy Machu Picchu like anyone else.

As for the beginning of 2018 most of the spots in the ancient ciutadel were accessibile to people with disabilities, obviously not all the areas are accessibile, due to Machu Picchu’s geography and mountainous nature. However, you will be able to visit the site, to feel Machu Picchu special Energy,  to take great pictures and to enjoy stunning views of this world’s wonder. 

But let’s start from the beginning. To reach Macchu Picchu you have to do several stopsalong the way. First of all you need to get to Cusco from Lima, we suggest you to fly into Cusco, it is faster and easier. Lima’s airport is fully equipped for people with disabilities, as well as Cusco’s. Once you get there you have two options: spend the night in Cusco or be transferred to the Sacred Valley. This is actually a recommended choice if you prefer to avoid altitude sickness, which could bea n issue. Sacred Valley is placed at a lower altitude compared to Cusco, so you might prefer to spend the night there and relax before doing any tour or experience. There are several bus companies equipped for disabled travelers, or you can just take a private taxi to reach the Sacred Valley. Once you are in Ollantaytambo, you need to take the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Inca Train’s personnel can assist you getting on and up the train. Once you are there you have to make the last leg of the trip: the bus ride to Machu Picchu ciutadel. The bus is equipped for people with reduced mobility.

It would be advisable to travel with a support group or a travel buddy. Also, there are travel agencies specialized in customized travel packages for disabled people, in case you prefer to travel on your own. They are able to ensure all the assistance you might need.

In any case we suggest you to book in advance your train ticket and your Macchu Picchu entry ticket, at least three months before your trip. Also, try to book in advance your accommodation, especially if you are planning to travel in high season. Thease are the reccommendations we usually give to all of our travellers.

We can say that Peru is becoming a more inclusive tourism destination, and we couldn’t be happier and more proud for it.

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Huacachina: A Unique Oasis in the Middle of the Desert

Peru has many arqueological sites to visit and it has become in the last decades a great spot for culinary tours as well, but the country also offers some unique places where you can relax and have fun, such as Huacachina, a tiny town in central Peru. This is a unique oasis in the middle of Peruvian desert, located in the province of Ica. You can reach Huacachina with a 5-hour bus ride from Lima capital city to Ica and then a short 10-minute bus or taxi ride from Ica to Huacachina. The desert oasis is located south of Lima and is considered a paradisiac place with palms and a blue-green lagoon where you can engaged in multiple activities and also relax. This testify the variety of landscapes you can find in Peru. The town is very small, so you can just easily walk from a side to the other, with no traffic stress. It is a very relaxing place!

Huacachina developed around a little blue-green lagoon, whose water are considered very powerful to heel medical problems such as asma. Around the lagoon several resorts, low-budget hostels and restaurants have popped up since 15 years. Everything is sorrounded by huge sand dunes, ideal for sport activities, such as buggies and sand boarding.

Here a list of things you can do once in Huacachina:

Sand-Boarding tour: The huge sand dunes are the main attraction of the oasis, especially for people who love to engage in active holidays. You can just rent a board in the street of you have previous experience or you are a surf or snowboarding fan or you can take a tour with a professional instructor that will explain how to surf the dunes and you also have the possibility to choose the right sand board for you. It is very common to see tourists riding the sandboarding on their stomach or like a sled, since it is not very easy to do it on your feet. But we can ensure that it’s a lot of fun, especially if you go with your family or a group of friends.

Buggies: Another tour option is to rent four-wheel-drive dune buggies and go up and down the dunes with a professional driver. This tour is offered by the majority of hotels and hostels in Huacachina. We suggest you to take the afternoon tour, since the sun is not so strong as in the morning and the risk of sunburn is definitely lower. Also it is a great way to stop on the dunes and enjoy the beautiful sunset on the desert.

Winery Tour: As I said before Huacachina is only a short bus or taxi ride from Ica, a town very famous for its wineyards. So do not miss the opportunity to do a winery tour before heading back to Lima or visiting another Peru’s destination. In Ica you will find many wine “bodegas” that produce a sweet red wine and also the famous national Peruvian spirit: Pisco. There are traditional linerie that use old production methods and more industrial wineries in the area which use more modern machinery to process their wine and Pisco. During the tour you will learn about the production process and have the chance to taste several types of wine and Pisco varities. Among the most famous wine and Pisco “bodegas” that you can visit in Ica there are Tacama (https://www.tacama.com/), Vista Alegre (https://www.vistaalegre.com.pe/), Ocucaje (http://ocucaje.com) and El Catador (https://www.elcatador.pe/). Obviously you will also have the opportunity to buy wines and Piscos directly in the “bodega” if you want to do so.

Paddle in the lagoon: another activity you can do is to rent paddle boat and go around the little lagoon or swim in the lagoon, but take in account that the water is not particulary clean, so we actually suggest to avoid swimming in there.

Sunset on the desert: this activity is perfect if you love travel photography and you want to take amazing snapshots of the sun descending on the sand dunes. So just have a late afternoon walk and be prepared with your camara equipment to take amazing pic of the sunset.

Regional Museum of Ica: if you are into a more cultural kind of holiday you can visit the Regional Museum of Ica where you will find a collection of pre-hispanic pottery, mummies, textiles, wooden instruments and soft metals from the Paracas and Nazca civilizations.

Just Relax: almost every resort and hostel in Huacachina has private pools, so if you want to relax in the pool and enjoy the sunlight during the day, Huacachina is the perfect spot for you.

For more information on the best Peruvian destinations and the best travel tips just stay tuned!