Lima’s Local Communities Tour

Unique and authentic Lima
FromUSD$70
Unique and authentic Lima
FromUSD$70
Full Name*
Email Address*
Your Enquiry*
* I agree with Terms of Service and Privacy Statement.
Please agree to all the terms and conditions before proceeding to the next step
Save To Wish List

Adding item to wishlist requires an account

2293

Build a Custom Tour



Looking for something a little different? At Impactful Travel, we specialize in crafting custom itineraries tailored to your unique travel desires and ethical values.

Build Your Trip

  • 5 HoursStarts at 10:00 am
  • Starting pointYour hotel in Lima
  • Group Size1 - 10 (for bigger groups, please contact us)
  • All year roundSuggested: October - May (best climate)
  • BookingsAt least 48h in advance
  • Sustainability Score: 44

The highlight of Lima’s Local Communities Tour is the visit to one of Lima’s outskirt 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.

Please know that we also offer a very similar tour to this one, which is two hours longer. It is called Full-Day Authentic Lima Tour and offers the same activities plus a visit to a local fish market (with potentially a boat ride) and to Lima’s Christ, from where you can get spectacular views of the city. So, if you want to engage even more with local communities and don’t get tired of too many visits, you might want to opt for the longer version of the tour.

If none of these both tours are exactly what you’re looking for, you might want to scroll through our other Lima Tours and Activities, where you might eventually find the perfect experience for you. 

What to expect on this Half Day Lima’s Local Communities Tour 

We start this day by picking you up at your hotel if located in a central area. We can also pick you up from a cruise shuttle stop or the airport for an additional fee. The scheduled time is usually 10 am but please know that you are flexible to adapt the time, as this is a private tour. 

Once we are all set to go, we will head to the second largest cemetery in the world. This is probably very different to any other cemetery you’ve ever seen before!

Then, we continue towards the human settlement where we’ll learn more about fair trade and a typical aspect of Lima life: its small informal businesses. On most days, we visit the workshop of a group of ladies who organised themselves into a small business of handicrafts. On some days, we can also see the so-called ‘wall of shame’ that separates one of the poorest neighborhoods of Lima from one of the richest.

In the afternoon, a local guide will show you around the neighborhood and you’ll also learn more about a local project set up and run by locals. But first, you will enjoy a delicious lunch at a local family’s house. The local cook/mom also loves to learn more about where you come from and will in return share some stories about herself.

Daily life

The local guide will tell you more about daily life in this harsh environment but at the same time point out some of the efforts carried out to improve the situation. He will tell you more about a local organization, its aims and its projects. You’ll also get to meet and talk to some of the families who participate in the projects. On most days, you will meet the local kids and teenagers participating in the activities of the local NGO.

The tour ends at around 3 pm and we will drop you off at your hotel. Again, the end time can be adjusted according to your personal needs. 

Why is this experience Impactful?

Your visit provides an (additional) income to several community, and part of your money paid for this experience will also go into different projects, such as cleaning campaigns, reforestation and social inclusion of vulnerable kids and women. 

In addition to financial benefits, the interest and attention of people who come from all over the world increase the pride of the local people in their communities. The local people you will meet 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, as too often, they are looked down upon by fellow Peruvians from more affluent neighborhoods.

You will visit different local communities of Lima, learning about their craftwork and food traditions. Sometimes, in the cemetery, music is played, and people are dancing (a cemetery here is a more colorful and positive place than in other parts of the world). All of these experiences will bring you closer to Peruvian culture and contribute to its valorization. 

Sometimes, real friendships and long term engagements have resulted from our tours. We’d love to see more of this happening!

Read here how the Sustainability Score was elaborated

Details

Price Includes

  • Lunch at local family's house
  • Bilingual tour leader
  • Local guide in the community
  • Private transportationPick-up from hotels in central areas. Pick-up at cruise shuttle stop or airport available for an additional fee.
  • All activities
  • Donation to the project visited
  • Private tour

Price Excludes

What to Bring

Frequently Asked Questions

About Lima’s Local Communities Tour

Is this tour physically demanding?

Not really. But, of course, you´ll be out and about for 5 hours potentially in the heat, so we don´t recommend this tour for people with serious physical restrictions.

What kind of weather should we expect during this route?

Lima weather can vary from relatively cold to relatively hot depending on the time of the year, but normally it is manageable when checking the forecast in advance. What makes the weather a little bit annoying is the high humidity that makes the cold days colder and the hot ones hotter.

Is Lima safe?

Moving across Lima certainly requires a certain level of caution, but don’t let this to discourage you from experiencing this very particular destination, as with the right attitude you won’t be bothered by the thought of not feeling safe. Tourists attract attention, that is a fact, so it is wise to travel ‘low profile’ and avoid showing valuable items (big cameras, flashy cellphones, bulky wallets, expensive watches). Also, keep an eye over your personal belongings at all times during this Lima’s Local Communities Tour.

General questions

For questions about booking a tour, prices, preparation for your trip, health and safety or other themes, please check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you can’t find your question & answer, email us and we’ll add it!

Reviews
Your host
Alfredo Bendezu is our partner for alternative experiences in Lima | Responsible Travel Peru

Alfredo Bendezú

I’m an expert tour leader and founder of Social Andean Expedition, an initiative that provides solar energy to schools in vulnerable communities, through sustainable tourism programs. I graduated in Communications in Peru, and lived and studied in different Asian countries, where I worked as an advertiser, journalist and chef.

My long stay in other culturally rich countries encouraged me to take a deeper look into my own people, embrace my own culture, and return home to work for the less privileged in Peru.

I firmly believe in the transformative power of responsible tourism to strengthen the economies and dignity of the most vulnerable peoples of Peru, and I see the same values in Impactful Travel.

Map