PERU TRAVEL INFORMATION

Travel back in time as you visit the cultural centers of the pre-Columbian civilizations, enjoy modern Lima, and ponder the mystery of futuristic Nazca. And, of course, it is always fun to bargain or trade with the natives for an alpaca wool sweater or an exotic blowgun. To make your trip most enjoyable, please read the following information:

Holidays In Peru

• January 1st, New Year
• Easter is Good Friday
• May 1st, Labor day
• June 29th, San Pedro and San Pablo
• July 28 and 29 are Independence Day
• August 30th, Santa Rosa de Lima
• October 8th, Combate de Angamos
• November 1st, All Saints
• December 8th, Inmaculada Concepcion
• December 25th is Christmas day

The Most Popular Museums and Tourist Sites are closed in Lima

• Gold Museum: January 1, May 1, July 28
• Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum: Never closes
• Archaeological and Anthropological Museum: Mondays, January 1, May 1, July 28, July 29, November 1, December 25.
• Museo de la Nación: January 1, May 1, July 28, December 25.
• Pachacamac Ruins: January 1, December 25.

Cusco

Cusco Cathedral: Sundays

Documents:

A valid passport is required to enter Peru. Please see our visa information on the countries whose citizens do not need a visa for Peru. Everybody else should contact the Peruvian consulate for entry requirements.

PERU TOURIST VISA

Valuables:

We suggest that while touring or shopping, you leave your passport and the bulk of your money in the hotel; only take with you the money you intend to spend or exchange at that particular time. It is also helpful to take a copy of the picture page of your passport to carry in your wallet because it is sometimes needed to exchange traveler’s checks. This copy can also be useful in the event your passport is lost or stolen.

Altitude sickness, health, and vaccinations:

To minimize the chances of altitude sickness in Cuzco, we strongly recommend resting for two hours after arrival to allow your lungs to adjust to the altitude; Although upon arrival you may feel energized and anxious to walk around Cuzco, please don’t! Better stay in your room and rest for a couple of hours before exploring this fascinating city. To visit the jungle areas of Peru, a yellow fever vaccination is not required anymore. Nevertheless, if you plan to continue to Brazil, the Brazilian Government does require the yellow fever vaccination for visitors coming from Peru. Some travelers do have gamma globulin before departing and carry their own medications for stomach upset.

Currency and Exchange Rates:

The currency of Peru is the NUEVO SOL. Bills are for 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Nuevos Soles. Coins are for 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents of a Nuevo Sol. And also coins for 1, 2 and 5 Nuevos Soles. Dollars are widely accepted at shops and restaurants. Dollars may also be exchanged at banks and at most hotels. Major credit cards are also accepted at hotels, restaurants, and shops.

Tips and Taxes:

As in most countries, taxes are unavoidable, and tips are given on the basis of the quality of service rendered. The amounts suggested for tips in this section are a guideline for appropriate tips for average to good service. Note: It is helpful to carry a small quantity of US $1 bills for tips and easy change.

Hotels:

A percentage service charge will be added to all room service bills. This percentage varies from location to location but will be stated on the actual bill. Bellboys and maids are generally tipped for their services at an average rate of $1.00 per bag portage and $1.00 per room per night of accommodation as a room tip for the maid.

Restaurants:

As a general rule, there is a percentage sales tax and a percentage gratuity added to all restaurant bills. These taxes and gratuities vary from location to location, but the percentages being charged are always printed on the bill. It is customary to leave an additional tip so that the total percentage of gratuity comes to 15 – 20% for good to excellent service.

Tour guides and drivers:

On group tours, the average tip for a tour guide traveling with the group is $7.00 to $12.00 per day of travel. When the guide is not traveling with you the suggested tip is $3.00 to $5.00 per person for full day tours and $1.00 to $2.00 per person for half day tours. The driver’s tip is usually half of what is given to the guide. For private car tours, guides generally receive $5.00 to $7.00 per full day and $3.00 per half day.

Airport departure taxes:

On international departures, there is an exit tax of $31.00. Within Peru, passengers must pay about $6.82 airport security tax for each domestic flight.

Taxis:

All taxis should have a red and white “Taxi” sign on the windshield. There are no meters, so settle on a price prior to entering the car. Taxis at many hotels and at the airport have higher, set rates than those you may hail on the street, they are better and much more reliable. Taxicab drivers do not expect a tip.

Imported Items:

Items not made in Peru are much more expensive than elsewhere and are often not available for purchase. Some of these commonly needed items include film and camera equipment, insect repellent, sunscreen, contact lens solutions, and binoculars. A word to the wise, if you use these items, bring them from home.

Please see the following link for more details:

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/PE-Peru-customs-currency-airport-tax-regulations-details.htm

Souvenirs And Such

The best buys in Peru are silver and gold jewelry as well as a wide variety of handicrafts such as hand-woven shawls, llama and alpaca furs, sweaters, rugs and blankets, wall hangings, ceramics, woodwork, straw, and leather items. Hint: That extra expandable suitcase comes in handy when it is time to return home with all your bargain purchases.

Photographs:

It is customary in many areas inhabited by indigenous people to give a small tip to the subject of your photographs. These tips can be monetary or souvenir-type items such as a ballpoint pen. In addition, items such as cosmetics, pens, T-shirts, and pocket calculators can often be traded in the Indian markets for native handicrafts.

Climate

(For the climate chart, please click here)

Arid Coastal Areas:

(Most important tourist centers: Lima, Trujillo, Ica, Nazca, and Paracas) In general, the climate is temperate to warm throughout the year with very little rainfall. The highest temperatures in this area are around 85 F and the lowest is around 50 F. June through October are the coolest months in Lima with the weather being somewhat humid and foggy.

Sierra or high-elevation valleys:

(Tourist centers: Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, Huancayo, and Huaraz). Most days are mild and sunny (79 F is the highest temperature), with cool to cold nights (32 F is the coldest temperature). There is a dry season from May through November and a rainy season from December through April. Machu Picchu is the warmest of the tourist centers mentioned above, with the highs averaging 75 F and the lows averaging 55 F while Puno is the coldest (66 F/32 F). Puno often receives light snow during the rainy season.

Jungle:

(Tourist centers: Puerto Maldonado, Iquitos) The climate is hot and humid (100 F/70 F) with frequent rains year round.

Clothing:

Dress informally for destinations outside Lima. For most destinations, you will want to dress in layers for climatic changes. The cosmopolitan city of Lima calls for a bit of dressier clothing: Sports outfits for daywear, dresses, and jackets for dinner in fine restaurants.

Useful items to include in the packing list:

• Medium-weight jacket for cool evenings (all year, higher elevations)
• Lightweight plastic raincoat/umbrella
• Small flashlight (jungle excursions)
• Mosquito repellent (jungle excursions/Machu Picchu)
• Sneakers or hiking boots (jungle walks/Machu Picchu)
• Extra pair of sneakers (jungle excursions; these may get wet)
• Suntan lotion, sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses (Machu Picchu, jungle excursions)
• Warm jacket and heavy socks (Excursions to Puno)
• Binoculars, camera, batteries, and plenty of film
• Windbreaker or sweatshirt style jacket (Machu Picchu)
• Small backpack (Machu Picchu, jungle excursions)

Luggage:

You will want a small bag for excursions to Machu Picchu and the Amazon. Bring a duffle bag to pack for the Amazon; your main suitcase will stay in the city office of the jungle lodge. There is no room for the entire luggage on the jungle boats.

Time Differences:

The hour in Peru is the same as Eastern Standard Time in the United States and minus 5 hours European Standard Time (UTC). Daylight savings time is not observed.

Electric Voltage:

The electric voltage in Peru is 220 volts, 60 cycles, and the electrical outlets require a connector with 2 small round prongs. Although some major hotels also have outlets with 110 volts and others have adapters for use, we recommend bringing your own.

Language:

Peru has two official languages: Spanish and Quechua. English is spoken in most hotels, tourist shops, and major visitor centers.

Business Hours:

Banks: 9:00am/6:00pm Monday – Friday. 9:00am/12:00pm on Saturdays. Shops: 10:00am/1:00pm and 4:00pm/8:00pm Monday – Saturday

Dining:

You will be visiting a country that will by far exceed your dining expectations. Thanks to its diversity of regions, Peru brings together a variety of unique spices, which encourages and inspires the creativity of renowned chefs. Lima is internationally recognized as the “Gastronomic Capital of the Americas,”  and its cuisine is considered among the most diverse and exquisite in the world, on par with French cuisine.

Our clients will receive, upon their arrival in Peru, an up-to-date list of the restaurants we recommend.

Pisco Sour

The iconic Peruvian cocktail is the most widely consumed drink in Peru, made with Pisco, a brandy made in the wine-producing region near the Peruvian town called Pisco.

Ceviche

Freshly caught fish marinated in drops of lemon juice and mixed with purple onions, salt, and a touch of chili pepper. Sweet potatoes and corn accompany the dish. You can request the dish with a touch of chili pepper or without (“sin aji”).

Conchitas a la Parmesana

Lightly seasoned scallops with ground pepper and sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top. Plus some butter on top of each scallop and a couple of drops of olive oil, a true Peruvian delicatessen.

The Lomo Saltado

Small pieces of tender beef fried with onions and tomatoes will make a rich sauce, mixed with Peruvian yellow French fries and served with rice on the side.

Shopping:

For quality alpaca products, we suggest two stores in Lima.

• Alpaca: Av. Larco 859 in Miraflores, Phones 447-7163, 446-1687; and La Casa de la Alpaca: Av. La Paz 665 in Miraflores, Phone 447-6271.
• In Cusco Alpaca Collection Santo Domingo 299, by the Hotel Libertador, phone 23-6581.

  While In Cusco

  Meet your transfer representative in the baggage claim area or outside this area, not all the times they are allowed in the baggage claim area. You will be provided with your “boleto turístico” which allows you to enter all the sites visited on all the tours and some sites you may want to visit on your own. You must always bring this “boleto turístico”.

  Your train ticket to and from Machu Picchu indicates the departure times from Cusco and from Puente Ruinas (Machu Picchu train station) or from Aguas Calientes (the town just before Puente Ruinas). If your transfer representative should be delayed, please take a taxi and go to the train station to Machu Picchu on your own, it is five minutes from all hotels. Do not go to the station for the train to Puno.

  What to bring for the Inca Trail:

  • Personal sleeping bag and mattress.
  • Backpack, trekking shoes.
  • Water bottle, flashlight, hat, sunblock, insect repellent.
  • Personal clothing for trekking.