Travel Info

HOW TO GET THERE

Flying to Peru

The most prestigious international airlines offer many weekly and daily frequencies from Europe and North America to Peru as well as efficient intraregional connections from Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and other South American countries.

All the flights arrive and leave from the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima. Arrival times are usually during the afternoon and night, because of which is recommended to spend the first night in Lima. This also allows you to have a good sleep at sea level before starting your trip around Peru. Note that Lima is starting to be distinguished around the world as an important culinary center. If you are allowed by your schedule, it is highly recommended to try the local cuisine at one of the fabulous restaurants in the City.

Within Peru

Among the airlines covering the different routes within Peru, you will find the following ones: LAN, Taca and Star Peru. Definitely the most recommended one is LAN, basically due to the fact that their planes are all new and in optimum conditions. They also offer many international flights and are a member of the One World Alliance (together with American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia & Quantas amongst others).

Daily departures are offered by LAN from Lima to the following destinations and back:

• Cusco (1hour): When the traveler’s itinerary starts in Cusco and Machu Picchu
• Arequipa (1hour): When starting in Arequipa and the Colca Canyon
• Juliaca (1 and a half hour): When starting in the Titicaca Lake
• Puerto Maldonado (1 and a half hour): When starting in the Tambopata Jungle (the flight stops shortly in Cusco)

CLIMATE

The Andes (Cusco, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca)

The Southern Andes have, in general, well-defined seasons. From June to August, while winter days are typically sunny and warm, the temperature can drop to below freezing (27°F/-3°C) at night. Rain seldom falls during winter. From January to March, the summer months offer daytime temperatures to 85°F/30°C, milder nights (typically to 45°F/8°C) and plenty of rain. Despite some rain, December and April are nice months for traveling, since the mountains are lush with summer flowers and you enjoy plenty of sunshine. But definitely our favorite month is May, when the rainy season just finished, the temperature is mild and the mountains are still green. Departures during Andean spring and fall offer weather patterns intermediate between these seasonal extremes.

The Coast (Lima, Paracas, Nazca)

The Southern Peruvian Coast offers two well defined seasons. From December to April is summertime, when the weather is warm and even hot (February). Although the ocean is still cold compared to other spots around the world, it’s still nice for swimming and getting a tan, especially for travelers who enjoy surfing. Temperatures on average range from 25–33°C / 77-91°F. There is little or no rain during these months. The beaches around Lima and the North can be packed during the months of January and February which coincide with school holidays. From May to November the temperature drops a bit and the traveler will find blankets of sea mist engulfing the coast from the south right up to about 600km / 325mls north of Lima. At this time of the year only the northern beaches such as Mancora and Punta Sal are warm enough to provide pleasant swimming.

The Jungle (Tambopata, Manu)

The so called “dry season” goes from April to October, with daily temperatures averaging 30–35°C / 86-95°F. However cold fronts from the South Atlantic are common. When this happens, the temperatures can drop to 15°C / 59°F during the day and 13°C / 55°F at night. The dry season is the best time to visit the jungle regions, since mosquitoes are not so abundant and the rivers are low, exposing the beaches. It’s also a good time to spot animals, especially birds which usually hide during the rain falls. From November to March what we find is the wet season, hot and humid, when the traveler can expect heavy rain at anytime. It only rains for a few hours at a time, so it shouldn’t be bad enough to spoil your trip.

HEALTH CARE

Before you travel make sure that you hire a good medical insurance. If you plan to undertake “adventurous activities” such as Rafting or Mountain Biking, make sure that your policy covers you. You may have to pay a small surcharge for this.

If sensible precautions are taken by the visitor to Peru, there is no reason why you shouldn't remain as healthy as at home.

Although no inoculations are currently required for Peru, it is advisable to consider immunization against Typhoid, Polio, Tetanus and Hepatitis A. A Yellow fever vaccination is also recommended, considering that there are still occasional outbreaks and it is frequently obligatory to show a vaccination certificate when entering the jungle regions.

Tips on staying healthy whilst traveling

The most common problems encountered by the traveler in Peru are stomach related problems (between 30% and 40% of travelers in a 2 week stay experience this to some extent) but the majority of these upsets will be relatively minor. Please don't become paranoid, just be precautious with some items:

• Tap water in Peru is unsafe to drink. Bottled mineral water is readily available everywhere. Drinking tap water is not a problem when it has been previously boiled.
• In most good restaurants, purified water is used to wash fruit, vegetables and salads. If you want to be extra careful stick to salads made from boiled veggies (carrots, beans, beetroot, boiled eggs etc) and avoid the lettuce leaves which are often washed at source in contaminated river water.
• Fruit in Peru is plentiful and delicious, but ensure that you wash it or peel it yourself.

Altitude Sickness

On reaching heights above 3000m, heart pounding and shortness of breath are a normal response to the lack of oxygen in the air. However, for some visitors these symptoms can deteriorate into a condition known as Soroche (or acute mountain sickness) when you can start to experience headaches, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, sleeplessness and often nausea. Symptoms usually develop within the first day or two at altitude. To prevent Soroche, first of all try not to rush and take it easy on arrival. Once settled in your hotel room, try to rest a little bit and more important, drink plenty of fluids. It is always a good idea after a short rest, to walk around the city in order to start getting used to the altitude. Try to avoid alcohol, cigarettes and heavy food (at least during the first day or two). Drinking coca tea (an infusion of coca leaves - and perfectly legal in Peru) may help. The drug Diamox is often used by many visitors to speed the acclimatization process and counter the symptoms of Soroche.

MONEY

The Nuevo Sol (New Sol) is the official currency, written S/. It is divided into cents. There are notes from S/.10, upwards to S/.200. Sometimes change is hard to find, so break notes whenever possible.

Lima and Cuzco are the most expensive places in the country. Prices are often quoted in US dollars, and dollars are by far the easiest currency to exchange. Other currencies attract a high commission.

Travelers' cheques

For safety's sake is sometimes advisable to carry the bulk of your money as travelers' cheques. By far the best and most easily changed are American Express, although Thomas Cook, Citibank, and Visa are usually fairly easy to change in the major cities. To make replacement quicker in case of theft, keep a record of cheque numbers and the original bill of sale in a safe place. Even with proper records, replacement may not always be as quick as the companies promise.

In Peru you will find that the exchange rate for traveler’s cheques is 1.5% to 2% lower than for cash - a small price to pay for the added security.

Cash

For smaller villages and towns, traveler’s cheques may be hard to cash or the rate of exchange is very poor. For these places bring along cash US dollars. Make sure that the notes that you bring from home or accept are in excellent condition. Even the slightest rip will make exchange almost impossible.

Credit cards & ATM machines

Of the major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diner's Club, you'll find Visa the most widely accepted in Peru. All of the major cities have numerous ATMs (automatic teller machines), so withdrawing cash is easy. Remember that when withdrawing cash using a credit cards you'll start paying interest on the amount from the moment you make the transaction. Credit cards can also be used to pay shop, hotel and restaurant billsbut users should note that they will be charged between 5% and 10% commission, so ask first.

Direct debit cards

By far the best wayto withdraw money from an ATM is by using a direct-debit card such as Visa. On withdrawal, the money is immediately deducted from your bank account and no interest is charged so long as you have sufficient funds back home. The exchange rate is excellent. You may find, however, that like credit cards you may be limited to the amount that you can withdraw each day.

Casas de Cambio

These “exchange houses” can be found in just about any town or city on the tourist circuit. They are often open all day and late into the night, are rarely crowded and the exchange rate is nearly always better than the banks.

Street Changers

Changing money on the street is perfectly legal in Peru. Unlike other South American countries, Peru does not have a Black Market exchange rate. In fact the rate on the street differs very little from the Casas de Cambio, which are safer.

SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS

Visas

Although the citizens of most Western European countries, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand only require a valid passport to enter Peru, it is always advisable to consult the Peruvian consulate (in the traveler’s own country) in order to find out whether they need a visa to enter Peru or not.

Clothing

Expect a wide range of temperature and precipitation during your visit to Peru. In high mountain environments, you must be prepared for inclement weather at any time. Even at mid-day, if clouds obscure the sun the apparent temperature cools dramatically. By packing a system of thin, independent layers, you can easily add or remove layers to remain comfortable as conditions change throughout the day.

Basic clothing list: Underwear, socks, light hiking boots, sneakers, loose-fitting long pants or wind-pants, shorts, T-shirts, Polar fleece jacket, full rain gear, sun hat, bathing suit, gloves and ski-type hat. For the jungle, light long sleeved shirts and pants are especially useful to protect you from the mosquitoes and keep you fresh at the same time.

Other useful gear (especially when camping or entering the jungle): Day pack, water bottle, flashlight, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip salve, insect repellent, pocket knife, camera and films, small towel, binoculars.

Other than that, it may be useful to consider a saying that goes “bring twice as much money and half as many clothes as you think you'll need”

Vegetarians and food allergies

If you have food allergies or are a strict vegetarian, it is advisable to detail these when you register for your trip.In the cities you will find sufficient vegetarian options in most restaurants.