This educational Lima tour takes you off the beaten path to a different and authentic side of Lima, where locals live and work. A day full of responsible cultural immersion, local culture, social impact and learning. 

The highlight of this social tour is the visit to one of Lima’s human settlements, where you visit a local artisan, a social project, have lunch at a local family’s house and learn about daily life in this harsh environment. You will not only learn interesting historical, political and cultural facts but most importantly, your day will be filled with responsible and meaningful encounters with locals who work very hard to improve their community. The general focus of the tour is positive initiatives and hope.

There are so many things that we want to show you that we can’t fit them into one day! That is why this Lima tour is a bit different every day.

On different days, we visit various families and places according to availability and your specific interests. If you have a special request, please let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate it.

You can choose between two morning programs:

• OPTION 1:
  Start the day with a visit to alternative sights such as an artisanal fish market with a picturesque pier, where we might even go on a short boat ride along the coast (with life vests) on some days, a visit to Lima’s version of the Christ and the Morro Solar with its great views of Lima, before heading to the amazing second largest cemetery in the world, which is very different to any other cemetery you’ve seen before! This morning program is especially popular from October and May, because of the weather.
• OPTION 2:
  This alternative morning program begins with a visit to the cemetery, skipping the coastal areas of Lima to allow extended time and deeper insight into the city’s human settlements. The experience includes a more in-depth walk through the neighborhoods, where we explore fair trade practices, community projects developed through faena or minka, a pre-Hispanic tradition of reciprocal work for the common good; and a distinctive aspect of daily life in Lima: small, informal family-run businesses.

In the afternoon, for both options, a local guide will warmly introduce you to the neighborhoods and the people who call them home. On most days, you’ll visit the workshop of a group of women who have joined forces to build a small handicrafts enterprise, an inspiring example of creativity, resilience, and community spirit. When conditions allow, the experience may also include the so-called “Wall of Shame,” a powerful symbol of the sharp contrasts that exist within the city.

You’ll then be welcomed into a local family’s home for a delicious homemade lunch. Your host, often the family’s cook and mother, enjoys learning about where you come from and, in return, shares personal stories about her life, family, and community. After lunch, you’ll visit a locally led community project that you help support through your participation, adding deeper meaning and lasting impact to your experience.

Our local guide will share insight into daily life in this challenging environment, while also highlighting the many efforts being made to improve living conditions. She will introduce you to the local organization, explain its mission, and walk you through the projects it leads within the community. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and speak with families involved in these initiatives. On some days, you may also meet local children and teenagers as they take part in the activities of the community NGO, offering a genuine and hopeful glimpse into the future being built here.

We can adapt the tour to your specific requests and interests so please don’t hesitate to point those out to us!

When you book, please let us know which option you prefer for the morning program.

Your visit benefits the local community in different ways:

• First of all, it provides an (additional) income to several community members, including the cook and the local guide.
• Secondly, your visit supports the local project of Jugando Aprendo, which works especially with minors who do domestic work and their families as well as other local children and teens. The tour price includes a donation to this great local organisation, ran by our local community guides.
• In addition to financial benefits, the interest and attention of people who came from all over the world increases the pride of the local people in their communities. The local people on the tour are all in a way community leaders who work hard to improve their environment and community. The admiration of visitors from across the world reinforces their engagement. Too often, they are looked down on by fellow Peruvians from more affluent neighborhoods. 
• At times, these encounters grow into lasting friendships and long-term commitments. In one inspiring story, a child went on to become a professional chef and now works abroad, thanks to the support of people who met him on our tour. Seeing connections like this is what truly inspires us.

Prices are in USD and per person.

Prices include: Pick-up and dropoff from Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco hotels (or close by), local lunch, private transport, bilingual tour leader, local guide, all activities, contribution to NGO or project.

Pick-up and drop-off can be added from the airport or Callao port for an additional fee.