Skylodge Adventure Suites

Our 8 days in Peru were everything we had hoped it would be and more!  Peru has so much to offer every traveler whether you are a family, adventure seeker, history buff, or nature lover.  We toured the idyllic town of Cusco, explored the surrounding area by ATVs, and hiked the classic 4-day Inca Trail ending in Machu Picchu. 

However, maybe the highlight of the entire trip was a two-day package with Naturavive at their Skylodge Adventure Suites.  These overnight capsules are anchored into the Sacred Valley cliffs 400 meters in the air!  Here are our top tips for this adventure and for visiting Cusco and the Sacred Valley. 

Know what the total price includes

Skylodge Adventure Suites may seem like a splurge.  At the time of writing this, their current prices are $425 per person.  We can comfortably say it is completely worth it, especially because this price includes so much!  We loved that Naturavive takes care of your transportation, equipment, Via Ferrata, overnight stay, dinner and breakfast, and ziplining down. 

There are very few additional things to consider money-wise.  You have the option of purchasing a photo package that has amazing snapshots throughout the tour including unique shots from inside the capsule.  Ours was roughly $75 for a party of 2 and $50 if you are traveling solo.  We were on the fence about adding this as we were with another couple that could take pictures for us.  However, the photos we received were worth every penny and show how incredible our adventure was!  You can see some examples here, here, here, and here.  Make sure to budget and plan enough cash for tip money as your guides definitely earn it.  After finishing the zip line descent, there is the option to purchase shirts, hats, and other small souvenirs.  These were very reasonably priced if you want a memento from your amazing experience.

The Experience

The transportation alone takes over an hour so it’s great that Naturavive arranges it.  Once we arrived at Skylodge, the process was seamless.  We received our safety demonstration and began our Via Ferrata climb up.  Via Ferrata means “iron way” or “iron path” and includes climbing the cliff face with iron rebar hand and footholds.  The safety system is easy to manage.  This route is easy enough to make it doable for most but also had some challenging transfers and exciting moments (including a tightrope bridge)!  The climb happens around sunset making the views especially amazing from every angle.  

Once at the top you get a briefing about your individual capsule (they even have a bathroom) and meet for a delicious dinner in the bigger pod.  We had time to play cards after dinner before heading back out into the pitch-black to Via Ferrata over to our individual pods (thankfully they include headlamps with your helmet)!  The pods include curtains throughout so you have the option of opening everything to have 360 views of the stars, cliffs, and valley, or you can close some or all of them for privacy.  

The next morning starts with another amazing meal and a photo shoot in your capsule (if you purchased the photo package).  Once you are packed up, everyone meets together for the climb and zipline down! 

There are 6 zip lines in all and each gave incredible views of the area.  Transportation is included back to Cusco.  However, if you are beginning the Inca Trail the following day (like we were), consider just staying in the area overnight.  This will save you 2-3 hours of drive time back and forth to Cusco since you go directly through the Sacred Valley to begin the trek.   

Extra tips:

• Only bring a small backpack. You will carry it yourself during the climb
• The dining area has USB charging abilities, but bring a power bank (here’s what we use) if want to charge a Go-Pro, camera, or phone.
• If you aren’t a regular exerciser, start before the trip.  The climb is not exhausting, but it is a physical exertion to reach the top.
• If you are too afraid of the climb, there is a hiking route to the top.  However, it’s very long and out of the way to ascend and reach the destination, so definitely plan to climb!
• The dinner was multiple courses and plenty of food, including dessert.  Dinner included the option of water or wine, and the hot breakfast included both juice and coffee.

Look at all the options so you don’t miss out!

Since there are only a few capsules available to stay in, availability is extremely limited.  The small group atmosphere makes the whole experience wonderfully intimate, but this also means you should reserve your spot months in advance if possible.  If there isn’t availability for your dates, consider a few alternatives. 

Naturavive also has a sister property down the road, Starlodge.  These capsules are closer to the ground and you hike /climb up vs. Via Ferrata.  The added bonus of this option is that there is a hot tub on top!  

If no overnight options are available, Naturavive offers day trip options as well.  These tours include Via Ferrata, lunch at the top, and ziplining down (pretty much everything but the overnight stay).  This is a great option for families with kids since the age requirement is lower for this than the overnight.  

** This post contains affiliate links.  All opinions are our own.

To see all our travel adventures during a year-long trip around the world, head over to our Instagram page.

If you have questions or tips for traveling to Peru, let us know!  Happy Travels!