Peru: Travelling

Entry Requirements

Passport and Visa Service: Visa Information of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
List of Peru's overseas diplomatic representations (in Spanish)

For Further Information

Check IATA Travel Website for visa requirements and health advices.

Organising Your Trip

Transportation From Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Lima - Callao/Chavez Intl (LIM)	16 km / 10 miles	USD 10-18 / 25-30 min	USD 0.25	-	Available

Means of Transport Recommended in the Rest of the Country

Train reservation services: Peru rail

Major airlines

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
Aerocondor	Major	YES
Aerotransporte S.A.	Major	YES
LATAM	Major		Yes
Lc Busre	Major	YES
Avianca	Major		Yes

You Can Consult The EU Air Safety List. Look Also at the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Visiting

Different Forms of Tourism

Historical: - The most important historic city in Peru: Machu Picchu.
- The capital of the Chimu Kingdom, Chan Chan.
- The Nazca lines, famous geoglyphs.
Cultural: The archeological complex of Chavin, one of the most ancient constructions in the Americas, declared a World Heritage Site in 1985.

Arequipa and the Colca canyon, declared a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Cusco, the navel of the world in the Quechua language, an important crossroads on the Inca roads which linked all of South America, declared a World Heritage Site in 1983.
Nature: The National Park of Huascaran, World Natural Heritage Site in 1985. 600 glaciers, 300 lakes and 27 summits which rise to about 6 000 meters.

The National Park of Manu (Puerto Maldonado), World Natural Heritage Site in 1987. A great tropical forest reserve in the world.
Thermal: The hot springs of Colcamayo on the Inca Jungle Trail, near Santa Teresa. Extremely pleasant after a day's trekking.

The hot springs of Aguascalientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu (about 8 km away), ideal after the Inca Trail.
Beach: Cerro Azul: on Peru's central coast. The beach is very popular with surfers.

La Herradura: on Peru's central coast, in the Chorrillos region. A very popular beach.

Mancora: undoubtedly Peru's most beautiful beach, Mancora delights people with its heavenly peacefulness.
Winter Sports: Not practiced very much.
Outdoor Activities: Trekking (the Inca Trail, the Llama Trek: Olleros-Chavin, the Valley of the Colca, the walk around the Alpamayo, the Trail to Choquerirao, the Valley of the Cotahuasi, the heights of Taraco, Quebrada Santa Cruz).

Mountain climbing in the Andes (the White Cordillera, the Volcanic Cordillera, the Vilcabamba Cordillera).
Surfing (Organos, Cabo Blanco, Puerto Chicama or Malabrigo, Lima's beaches)

Canoeing (River Tumbes, River Santa, Apurimac Canyon, Rio Colca).

Cycling, climbing, kayaking, paragliding, fishing, diving.
Shopping: Manufactured goods are the best value for money, especially gold, silver and copper items, as well as textiles such as alpaca clothes and woven tapestries. Many tourists take home with them reproductions of pre-Columbian pottery and calabashes.

Top Highlights in the Main Cities
Lima Art Museum
The Larco Museum
Lima Contemporary Art Museum
Museum of the Inquisition
Lima Cathedral
Barranco, the Bohemian district
King Felipe Fortress
Gold Museum
Pedro de Osma Museum
Alameda de Los Descalzos and Paseo de Aguas

Top Highlights of the Country
Lima
Cuzco
Puno
Lake Titicaca
Arequipa
The White Cordillera
Trujillo
Cajamarca
Iquitos
Expedition in the jungle

Tourism Organisations: Peruvian Tourism Board
Comision de promocion del Peru para la Exportacion y el turismo
Directorio de operadores de Turismo en Peru

Living Conditions

Health and Safety

Health Precautions: A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers who intend to travel in jungle areas of the country under 2 300 m. The risk of malaria P. vivax (70%) and P. falciparum (30%) is high in 21 of the 33 health districts.
You are advised to avoid the foods which present the most risk. Only drink potable water (in sealed bottles, treated, boiled or filtered).
Insect bites (flies, mosquitos, midges) can transmit diseases. Be careful of altitude sickness.
For Further Information on Sanitary Conditions: Advice for travelers from the US State Department

Emergency Numbers

National Police emergency services	105
Firemen	116
Emergency medical services	117

Time Difference and Climate

Time and Time Difference: It is %T:%M %A In Lima (GMT-5)
Summer Time Period: From December to April - on the coast

Map of the Time Zone

Time zone

Type of Climate: Peru has a great diversity in its climate. On the coast, there are two distinct regions: the region with an arid subtropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 18.2° and the region with a semi-tropical climate, situated in the north of Peru, with an average annual temperature of 24°. The forest has a tropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 24°.
Hotel reservation websites: Servicio nacional de meteorologia e hidrologia del Peru

Average Annual Temperatures and Rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food Specialties: Pisco Sauer: Peruvian cocktail based on Pisco (grape spirit).
Papas a la Huancaina: potatoes in a spicy sauce.
El ceviche: raw fish marinated in lemon, spices and red onions.
Drinks: Common Peruvian drinks are Inca Kola, chicha morada (a purple corn drink), masato (based on fermented yucca cassava). There are also a dozen local beers, including Cusquena, Cristal and Arequipena; there are some good wines and, especially, Pisco.
Dietary Restrictions: There are no dietary restrictions in the country.

Paying

Domestic Currency: Peruvian Nuevo Sol
ISO Code: PEN
To Obtain Domestic Currency: The American dollar can be changed in bureaux de change and with informal traders in the street, and also in banks. The Euro can only be changed in bureaux de change without commission or with informal traders in the street.
However, it is not advisable to take traveler's checks in Euros as these can only be changed in Lima, with commission. On the other hand, those in dollars can be changed at the Banco de Credito. You can withdraw money from an ATM with Visa or MasterCard. ATMs are found in all cities now.
Possible Means of Payment: The American dollar is commonly accepted. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in Lima, but much less outside the biggest cities. In small towns, ATMs are not always available. ATMs only take international credit cards.

Speaking

Official Language: Spanish and Quechua
Other Languages Spoken: This country is home to more than one hundred different languages. However, Quechua is the largest linguistic native group, followed by Aymara.
Business Language: Spanish and English, of which, as a general rule, people do not have a sufficient grasp.

Useful Resources

To Find a Job: Computatrabajo
Accion trabajo
Adecco
Opcion Empleo

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