Going to Peru for a vacation or honeymoon? This Peru Travel Guide has all the information you need to make your trip as amazing and most relaxing as you want it to be.
Our Peru travel tips are backed by years of travel guiding experience. We’ve faced down challenges, made a few mistakes, and made many discoveries on which travel advice works and doesn’t
Our Peru guide experts have lived and worked in the regions you’ll be visiting. You can trust us to provide local knowledge that few mainstream travel agencies knew about.
So, let your trip to Peru start here!
Top Destinations To Go To in Peru
These are the places in Peru that you definitely wouldn’t want to miss!
Peru Travel Tips
We want to make your Peru holiday with us as rewarding and memorable as possible! That’s why we prepared the following Peru Guide on how you can get the most out of your trip.
Things to Do in Peru
You’ll never run out of ideas on what to do in Peru and the places to see on the Gringo Trail and outside of it.
Things to See and Do in Lima, Peru – https://tailormadeperu.com/travel-tips/see-and-do-in-lima-peru/
Things to See and Do in Cusco, Peru – https://tailormadeperu.com/travel-tips/see-and-do-in-cusco/
Popular Tours
Peru Highlight Tous
Peru Luxury Tours
Combined Countries
Peru Adventure Tours
Treks in Peru
Money/Currency Info
Cash or Credit?
Most of the luxury hotels and upscale restaurants accept credit cards (locally known as tarjetas), and a few have integrated cashless payment options, such as Paypal. But, it’s best that you bring cash with you in local currency and not depend so much on your VISA, MasterCard or AMEX.
In Peru, it’s important that you exchange dollar bills in great condition for soles. Merchants and consumers like to scrutinize every bill they receive because counterfeit banknotes and coins are common. Bank notes that show a lot of wear and tear as well as those that have been folded too many times, written on or taped up may be rejected.
You may exchange your money at the casas de cambios (money exchange houses) and at major international and local banks. Be aware of the current exchange rate before you go to have your money changed. To be sure, ask your trusted Peru travel guide for the best places to exchange your money at.
ATMs
Avoid the long lines at airport ATMs by exchanging your dollars to soles before you leave home. However, you will be getting them at a higher rate than when you have them changed in Peru.
If you have to use an ATM, make sure your card is recognized by GlobalNet, Peru’s interbank network. GlobalNet ATMs work with any Cirrus, PLUS, American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, or Visa card.
There are ATMs in Lima, Cusco, Aguas Calientes, Puno, Arequipa, and Huaraz, but you have to ask your Peru guide for assistance in finding them.
Vaccines
No vaccines are currently required for entry into Peru. But, it’s best to err on the good side of karma and get all the necessary immunizations to keep you safe and healthy on the road. Here are the recommended vaccinations from Peru’s Ministry of Health:
Vaccination Recommended for Destinations where it is recommended
Chickenpox Travelers who never had chickenpox The whole country
Hepatitis A All travelers to Peru The whole country
Hepatitis B Travelers who will be interacting with the local population for an extended period (i.e., humanitarian aid workers, NGO volunteers, etc.) Amazonas, Loreto, San Martín, Ucayali, Junín, Madre de Dios
Yellow Fever Travelers who will be visiting jungle areas below 2,300 meters (7,546 feet) Amazonas, Loreto, San Martín, Ucayali, Junín, Madre de Dios
The vaccination against yellow fever must be administered at least 10 days before the date of travel to be effective.
Always seek advice from your doctor or a specialist before you travel. Ideally, get vaccinated 4 to 6 weeks before you go to Peru. Some vaccinations may require several injections while others need time to take effect.
Visas & Passports
Citizens of the countries listed below don’t need a tourist visa to visit Peru:
North America: Citizens of the United States, Canada, and Mexico
Central America: Citizens of most Central American countries (exception Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic)
South America: Citizens of all South American countries
Europe: Citizens of all countries within the European Union and Switzerland
Africa: Citizens of South Africa
Asia: Citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand
Oceania: Citizens of Australia and New Zealand
Authorities only allow tourists a maximum of 183 days (cannot be extended) to explore everything that Peru has to offer. If you need more time for other purposes (i.e., business, study, work, etc.), then it’s necessary that you get the corresponding visa before you leave home.
You need to present a passport that’s valid for at least 6 months after your travel dates and that has a couple of blank pages for an entry stamp. Children of all ages, including infants and toddlers, must have their own passports with a recent photo.
Local Laws
Coca leaves, either chewed or brewed for tea, are not illegal in Peru. The mate de coca (coca-leaf tea) is very helpful in battling altitude sickness.
However, if you attempt to take coca leaves back to your home country from Peru, you should expect them to be confiscated, and you could even find yourself prosecuted.
The hallucinogenic plants consumed in ayahuasca ceremonies are legal in Peru. However, the use of ayahuasca is poorly regulated. Be aware of the risks involved.
Many users have reported severe/negative physical and psychological effects of using this powerful hallucinogen. Participants in ayahuasca tours have reported being physically or sexually assaulted, or robbed.
The following products are often found for sale in Peru, but they could be illegal. At the very least, you should ask about their origins before buying or consuming them:
Products made from the skin of felines, deer, bears, snakes, and other animals.
Crafts made with preserved invertebrates (butterflies, spiders, beetles, starfish, etc) and vertebrates (seahorses and fish).
Crafts and jewelry made with wild bird feathers (including condor feathers), turtle shells, teeth, bones, and other animal parts.
Live monkeys and birds, such as finger monkeys, parakeets, and macaws.
Dishes made with caiman, paca (wild rodent) or turtle meat, and beverages made with a frog.
For more information, go to the Campaign Against Illegal Wildlife Trafficking website.
You’re not allowed to take photos of any object, person or place that’s connected to the police and military. You may not even be allowed to take pictures of public water and electricity plants, harbors, mines and bridges in Peru unless you have
Peru has special tourist police forces (Policía Nacional de Turismo) with offices and personnel in all major tourist destinations, including Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno, as well as a dozen other cities. If you need help, look for tourist police officers dressed in white shirts.
Preparing for Altitude Sickness
The moment that you step on a high altitude area, you may feel a bit woozy. That’s altitude sickness. It happens when you go up to altitudes higher than 8,000 feet or 2,500 meters without giving your body time to adjust.
Dealing with altitude sickness may be a struggle, but recovering from it is easier to deal with when you follow our Peru travel tips.
