Peru: Travelling

Means of Transport Recommended in Town

Recommendation

The local bus network is cheap but not very comfortable; security is sometimes uncertain. For urban journeys, the use of standardized taxis (yellow) is very common. As these taxis do not have meters, you should always negotiate the fare and check that the company you have chosen is reliable.

Maps of Urban Networks

Mapblast
UT Library on line

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

Recommendation

Several airline companies cover domestic links very well: Lan Peru, LC Busre, Star Peru, Aerocondor. Their fares are almost identical. There are 4 railway lines: Lima-La Oroya-Huancayo; Cuzco-Juliaca-Puno, Cuzco-Machu Picchu ; Juliaca-Arequipa-Matarani. There are several large bus companies: Cruz del Sur, Tepsa, Ittsa, Linea, Ormeno.

Rail Companies

Peru rail

Airlines

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

Travelling By Yourself

Recommendation

Except in the cities and on the PANAMERICANA highway the condition of the roads is generally bad. Mountain roads are difficult, or even dangerous as they are badly maintained and very steep. There are no problems in finding fuel. It is not advisable to drive by night. In case of a vehicle rental, take out an insurance policy for yourself and for possible damage caused to third parties before you travel. A good option is to hire a taxi driver through your hotel. They normally have access to friendly drivers who know the areas of interest and will even speak English.

Road Maps

Map of Lima
Map of Cuzco
Map of Puno
Getting Around with Public Transport in Lima

Find an Itinerary

General information about Peru, guide to local transport.

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.

Tourism Organisations

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

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

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