Half-Day Local Communities and Social Tour in Lima
Overview
You will visit a local artisan, a social project, have lunch at a local family’s house and learn about daily life in Lima’s human settlements. You will not only learn interesting historical, political and cultural facts but most importantly, you will meet many amazing locals who work very hard to improve their community. Importantly, this tour focuses on positive initiatives and hope. In addition, your visit supports the local project that you will visit and learn more about.
Inclusions
- Lunch
- Local guide
- Private transportation
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Contribution to the social project visited on tour
- Entry/Admission - Cementerio de Nueva Esperanza
What to expect
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Cementerio de Nueva Esperanza, San Pedro SN, Lima Peru
After a 50-minute drive, you will reach the first stop, which is the second-largest cemetery in the world. It's a very impressive and colorful place, different than any other cemetery you have visited before. It is located amidst the hills and human settlements and represents the interesting Andean burial traditions. The view is amazing and, if you're into photography, you will surely take a bunch of artistic photos.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: San Juan De Miraflores, San Juan De Miraflores, Lima Region
After the visit to the cemetery, you'll head towards the human settlement where you will first visit a local lady who has started her own small business and artisan workshop in her house. She will tell you more about herself and her business.
The bilingual guide teams up with a local guide who will show you around the neighborhood and take you to meet several local families and community leaders. The first stop is the house of the local cook who has prepared a delicious homemade lunch for you.
After lunch, the local guide will show you around and tell you more about daily life with its many challenges but also its many positive initiatives. The people who live there have worked hard to build a real community and you'll get to meet some of these community leaders. The guide will also tell you more about the local project your visit supports. On some days you'll even be able to see their activities with the participating kids in action.
Duration: 3 hours
Additional information
- Tour can be canceled or altered due to extremely poor weather, political situation or other unexpected events. In case of cancellation, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- Not wheelchair accessible. Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for participants with medical conditions such as serious back or neck problems
- A small amount of walking on uneven terrain is involved. It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes or sneakers (no sandals)
- Most of the year, the sun is very strong (even if it's cloudy) and especially from December to April. it is highly recommended to bring sunscreen, water and a hat.
- Please advise any specific food or physical restrictions at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Transfer time can vary quite a bit because of traffic. Please let us know if you have to be back on time.
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
I took my 10 year old daughter and her 13 year old friend on this tour. My initial purpose for arranging this tour was to meet people in Lima who were not connected with the tourist industry. I also wanted to show the children what real poverty is so that they might not complain every time t...
I took my 10 year old daughter and her 13 year old friend on this tour. My initial purpose for arranging this tour was to meet people in Lima who were not connected with the tourist industry. I also wanted to show the children what real poverty is so that they might not complain every time they don't get something they want. I wanted them to see that there are people in the world who get by with a lot less than they have. And, I also didn't want them to leave Lima thinking that it is all fancy restaurants and expensive hotels.
Our guide and the driver picked us up at our hotel in San Isidro. The drive to the neighborhood took about 45 minutes. The traffic in Lima is intense. On our way there the kids and I counted the number of free roaming dogs on the streets. Our guide laughed at this, but we explained that we don't see dogs like this in our small Floridian town. By the time we arrived at our destination we had counted more than 350. We stopped after 350.
The area is spread out on the side of a large hill. We walked up the hill to our first stop. On the way, my 13 year old was throwing stones for fun. I pointed out to him that he was throwing stones on someone's roof. The roof consisted of a sheet of plywood. Our feet were level with the roof. He looked at that roof and I could see it took him a few moments to understand that that could be a house. Our first stop was at a woman's house. Actually, it had a dirt floor and roof and walls made of rock. So I guess it was more like a cave. She stood behind a long table covered with handmade items. She delivered a rehearsed speech about the items and a little bit about her life. I asked more questions about her life, and one of the children bought a pretty necklace made of purple seeds from the Amazon.
We got back in the vehicle and drove to another woman's house who had made us a lunch of chicken and rice. We drank a sweet red beverage made out of corn. I liked it. She also had a prepared speech. I didn't mind the rehearsed narrative because it was informative and she was happy to answer any question I had. Her house was made of boards put together so that they did not fully come together. I could see daylight through the cracks and there were a lot of flies in the house. I asked her if it ever snowed there and she said no. I asked her if she had a backyard or any yard at all. She said no. They have no running water. They are given two jugs about 4 feet tall and 1 foot wide full of water once a week per family. But, you can only get the water if you can prove that you own the house. Lima is in a desert with a coating of dust on everything. Living with little water is a hardship right there.
We then went to a sort of after-school meeting place for the kids in the area. They play games there and there are adults who they can talk to if they are having problems. Unfortunately, there were no kids there when we got there. I would've liked to have met them and have my kids meet them.
After our tour of this area, we drove to the second largest cemetery in the world. The largest is in Iraq. It was not far at all from where we just were. There are approximately one million people buried there. A fascinating aspect of this cemetery is the combination of Catholicism and witchcraft. For example, there are crosses over every grave with various objects and herbs hung on the crosses that are associated with witchcraft. Witchcraft is apparently common in South America. I didn't know that. There is even an underground store in Lima that sells everything you need to practice witchcraft. Our guide told us that on November 1st, the Day of the Dead, families visit there loved ones and bring food and drink and generally have a party. I think it's a wonderful custom.
I would recommend this tour to everyone. The guide was well informed, I felt perfectly safe and both of the children said it was the highlight of our trip to Lima. Well, the boy said sandboarding and offroading in the desert was number one, but he loves sports so I'm not surprised.
La ciudad. que iba a aterrizar puerta Mauricio Burga Vergani La ciudad La ciudad está un poco alejada.
La ciudad. que iba a aterrizar puerta Mauricio Burga Vergani La ciudad La ciudad está un poco alejada.Ha sido una excursión de medio día fantástica. La otra cara de Lima que no podemos olvidar que existe. Además, nuestro guía Alberto nos ha ido explicando la historia de peru y de las comunidades durante todo el trayecto. Ha sido realmente enriquecedor compartir este día con él. La experiencia ha...
Ha sido una excursión de medio día fantástica. La otra cara de Lima que no podemos olvidar que existe. Además, nuestro guía Alberto nos ha ido explicando la historia de peru y de las comunidades durante todo el trayecto. Ha sido realmente enriquecedor compartir este día con él. La experiencia ha sido muy muy buena! La próxima vez que venga repito!!After an Amazon visit we had an extra day in Lima before traveling home. This social tour gave us real insights into the lives of the people living in the settlements outside of Lima. I highly recommend this tour with Alfredo as it provides the human side of Peruvians who work together facing ch...
After an Amazon visit we had an extra day in Lima before traveling home. This social tour gave us real insights into the lives of the people living in the settlements outside of Lima. I highly recommend this tour with Alfredo as it provides the human side of Peruvians who work together facing challenges foreign to many of us visiting their countryAfter such a go-go-go three weeks in Peru with multiple tours and long travel times, I wasn't sure I'd have enough energy to go on a final tour the day before our flight departure. That said, I'm so glad we went on this tour with Alternative Peru. We were picked up at our hostel in a super comfy ...
After such a go-go-go three weeks in Peru with multiple tours and long travel times, I wasn't sure I'd have enough energy to go on a final tour the day before our flight departure. That said, I'm so glad we went on this tour with Alternative Peru. We were picked up at our hostel in a super comfy minivan that we were surprised to have all to ourselves (there were three of us). Alfredo, our guide, was so open in sharing his knowledge, insights, and thoughts on Lima along with info on Peru's history, social conditions, and political climate. Interesting coincidence that he lived in the Philippines for a year and watches Turkish dramas (I'm from the Phils. and one of my friends in our group is from Turkey!). My friends and I took the Half-Day Local Communities Tour in the afternoon (about 4.5-5 hours including driving time), driving about an hour southeast to learn more about Lima's human settlements. It was very interesting to know more about the districts and barrios work and to know exactly which district we were driving to as we headed to Cementerio Virgen de Lourdes, the world's second largest cemetery, located in the district of of Villa María del Triunfo. I was really surprised to learn that 2 out of 11 million people in Lima live in human settlements, which are not government planned and basically invaded by people who need a place to live - therefore, they have no running water, electricity, and other basic infrastructure (although some, over time, have become recognized by the government and eventually get basic utilities or become well-developed). Having stayed and toured mainly Miraflores, Baranco, and Downtown Lima, this tour really gives a glimpse into the daily experiences of many people in the city that are invisible to most visitors. As someone who took a Death & Dying class in my last year of university many years ago, I'm admittedly fascinated with how other cultures view death and dying. Visiting Cementerio de Virgen de Lourdes was a great place to learn more about this. First of all, the place is massive and could be its own city (I was immediately reminded of the Land of the Dead in the movie "Coco)! There are apartment style tombs housing families and loved ones as well as underground burials with plants planted on top, Spanish and Incan style respectively. While we were there, there was a funeral procession with musicians. Alfredo shared that the month of November is especially busy and especially on November 1st, where it is one giant party for people to visit their loved ones. At this cemetery, there is also a 200-year old church that might have been placed on ancient burial ground. After the cemetery visit, we drove to another nearby district, San Juan de Miraflores (in the sector Nueva Rinconada, which is in the zona of Pamplona Alta), which is also a human settlement. We visited Señora Tomasa's house and also met her lively and smart four-year old daughter. Señora Tomasa was kind enough to serve us a delicious meal of ulluco with chicken (this was our first time coming across ulluco, which reminded me of potatoes, on our trip). It was really inspiring to hear more about Señora Tomasa's story - from what I remember, she is originally from a village in the Amazon and came to Lima with her three children. She sells food at the market in Lima and also does volunteer work as a leader in her community to advocate for services to the government. Her other two older children are in school and it was enlightening to learn a bit of what the opportunities are for kids who go to public school vs. private school. Like many other human settlements, the home we visited had no running water and no toilet - in fact, Señora Tomasa was in the process of digging up her own toil (through thick rock)! Next, we accompanied local guide Eveli to visit a nearby non-profit Group Jugando Aprendo (Playing, I Learn Group) to learn more about the amazing work they do in supporting local child domestic workers and their mothers with things like after-school tutoring, leadership programming, and activities to build better relationships between kids and their parents. We got to meet some of the kids and the workers there. Despite the fact that the building has not been fully developed, you can really see the community's support for each other, their appreciation for the small things, and their resilience. I've come across similar responsible tours in the Philippines and while I took other tours that gave the opportunity to try a local activity or visit a local artisan, I haven't yet taken one like this. It was very eye-opening and if anything, gave a much more well-rounded perspective of the city. Alfredo also suggested a great museum (Museo Larco) we could catch after the Alt Peru tour and before our early morning flight and got the driver to drive us there.Our tour guide, Alfredo was absolutely amazing. He took care of us in every way possible. His English was perfect, he had very detailed and profound knowledge of the history of Lima and Peru as a whole (we asked a lot of questions, and he answered all of them), took us to the greatest restaurants...
Our tour guide, Alfredo was absolutely amazing. He took care of us in every way possible. His English was perfect, he had very detailed and profound knowledge of the history of Lima and Peru as a whole (we asked a lot of questions, and he answered all of them), took us to the greatest restaurants, and made us feel comfortable and at home. If you’re looking for a tour that will take you through the real, authentic Peruvian experience, I 100% recommend you touring with Alternativa Peru. They make sure to cover all of the touristic areas, while at the same time, showing you areas where common Peruvian citizens visit and love. This was the best tour that I have taken in my life.