Do I need a visa to travel to Peru?
Visas are not necessary for citizens from most countries in the Americas and Western Europe. Citizens of Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile do not need either a passport or a visa to enter certain regions of Peru. Check with the Peruvian consulate in your country for further information. Addresses and telephone numbers are included in the website of the Peruvian Foreign Ministry: www.rree.gob.pe
Visitors entering Peru for tourism are granted a 90-day stay, which can be extended by the Immigration Office..
Travelers must bear a valid passport or safe-conduct pass issued by Peruvian immigration authorities.
Is it safe to travel around Peru?
Of course, we would say yes, but with an eye on the reality.
Visitors will probably have seen on the news, read on websites or in the newspapers about terrorism, crime and political and economic instability in Peru in recent years. But we also know that several years ago Peru managed to put down terrorism, and today the country is at peace. The country is now working hard to build a stable democracy.
All travelers have to do is to take the same normal precautions as when traveling to any tourist destination.
In the cities:
- Take the normal precautions to guard against purse snatchers.
- Carry a copy of identification documents. Keep originals and your valuables in the safety deposit box of your hotel.
- Carry valuables discreetly. Do not carry large amounts of cash. Keep an eye on your bags and luggage.
- Do not exchange money out in the street.
- We recommend using taxi companies (telephone calls) or those authorized by municipalities (in Lima they are painted yellow and have a bright cap on the roof).
Tourism by Road:
- Always carry your driver\’s license, a copy of your passport and if the vehicle is rented, the rental contract. International drivers\’ licenses are valid in Peru for a year, while a license from country of origin is valid for 30 days.
- If a traffic policeman signals you to stop, do so. He must be wearing a proper uniform and his ID (his last name must appear on a badge over his chest). Police may not enter your vehicle.
- Bear in mind that neither your documents nor your vehicle may be taken, and under no circumstance give money.
- In case of an accident or a crash, call a traffic policeman. If the vehicle is rented, also call a representative of the insurance company at the car rental company. Wait at the site. Keep windows closed and doors locked.
Prohibitions:
It is terminally prohibited to photograph airports, military bases, areas near electricity pylons and police stations.
What is the climate like year-round?
Peru is a vast country split from north to south by the Andes, and is covered by the Amazon jungle to the east. Temperatures can vary from one city to another, depending on the time of year.
It almost never rains on the Peruvian coast, and in general, there are two marked seasons: hot and cold.
The hot season runs from around mid-November to end-March. The cold weather generally lasts from late April to mid-November, with high humidity.
In the highlands and the jungle, unlike the coast, the rain season is the warmest time of year, lasting from mid-November to end-March. Temperatures are cooler from April to mid-November.
How much money should I budget for the trip?
This is a difficult question to answer as it depends on tastes and the comforts the visitor requires.
Peruvians tend to haggle prices, and accept that others haggle also, except in major stores and restaurants. In the bigger cities, prices can be higher, especially in Lima; in addition, prices can rise in the high season, such as the Independence Day holidays (late July), Easter Week (April) or Christmas, due to heavy demand, especially in bus and plane tickets.
Below you can see a list of prices of products and services that yo can take as a reference to prepare you budget.
|
Product or service |
Referential prices in US$ equivalent |
|
1.5 liter bottle of mineral water |
1.40 |
|
Medium-sized soft drink |
0.50 |
|
Hamburger |
1.40 |
|
Apple |
0.30 |
|
Bottle of shampoo |
2.00 |
|
Toothpaste |
1.40 |
|
Lunch |
3.00 (simple) |
|
Roll of film |
4.00 |
|
VHS video cassette |
8.50 |
|
Pair of sneakers |
30.00 |
|
Newspaper |
0.50 |
|
An hour surfing the Internet in Internet cafés |
1.5 |
|
Cuzco-Machu Picchu train (return trip) |
30.00 (backpackers) |
|
Bus (one-way) |
5.00 |
|
Plane flight to Cuzco (return trip) |
140.00 |
|
Lodging per night |
5 – 10 (very simple) |
How far is Peru from my home town?
In order to provide a useful reference, we have put together a chart of approximate flight duration for each destination.
Nonstop Flights
|
Country |
City |
Approximate flight time |
|
Estados Unidos |
Dallas |
7 hours 12 minutes |
|
Houston |
6 h 45 m |
|
|
Los Angeles |
8 h 35 m |
|
|
Miami |
5 h 45 m |
|
|
Atlanta |
7 h |
|
|
Argentina |
Buenos Aires |
4 h 15 m |
|
Chile |
Santiago |
3 h 25 m |
|
España |
Madrid |
11 h 30 m |
Flights with Stopovers
|
Country |
City |
Approximate flight time |
|
Estados Unidos |
New York |
8 h 35 m / with a stopover in San José |
|
San Francisco |
10 h / with a stopover in Los Angeles |
|
|
Washington |
9 h / with a stopover in Newark |
|
|
Alemania |
Düsseldorf |
18 h 40 m / with a stopover in Madrid |
|
Frankfurt |
15 h 30 m / with a stopover in Madrid |
|
|
Francia |
París |
14 h 50 m/ with a stopover in Miami |
|
Italia |
Milán |
14 h 50 m / with a stopover in Madrid |
|
Roma |
15 h 10 m / with a stopover in Madrid |
|
|
Reino Unido |
Londres |
15 h 10 m / with a stopover in Madrid |
|
Japón |
Tokio |
20 h 35 m / with a stopover in Los Angeles |
Are there services for handicapped travellers in Peru?
In Peru we believe in the concept \”tourism for everyone\”, and several state and private entities have been working for several years to create services for the handicapped.
There is a pamphlet that contains information on access for the handicapped in the cities of Cuzco, Iquitos, Lima and Trujillo.