All travelers should contact the nearest Peruvian consulate in order to ascertain what visa rules apply, since these may change without previous notice.
For more information click here: Type of visa to enter Peru.
Useful Tips
During your stay in Peru
http://www.peru.info/e_ftodatosutileseng.asp?ids=2149&ic=2&pdr=1080&jrq=10.3
TOURIST SERVICES
Tourist Information and Assistance Service
During your stay in Peru, you have the right to receive the agreed upon tourist services to the quality and with the characteristics that are promised by the companies offering them. If this is not the case, you have the right to complain or to make a claim against them. To do so, you may contact Iperu, Tourist Information and Assistance Service
Iperu, Tourist Information and Assistance Service
(511) 574-8000 | iperu@promperu.gob.pe (24 hours)
www.peru.info/iperu
Safety
During your visit to Peru, it is important that you take the precautions that are shared among the world’s main cities and tourist destinations, such as not neglecting your belongings in public places or avoiding deserted places at night. Besides, we recommend taking the following:
- Consider getting a copy of your passport, airplane tickets, and credit cards; likewise, think about the option of leaving your personal documents in the safekeeping of the hotel and taking the copies with you.
- Discover where the unsafe areas of the city are and avoid visiting them, especially at night. Also consult the appropriate hours for visiting tourist attractions.
- If you must exchange money, do so in banks, exchange houses, or in your hotel. Avoid doing this in plain sight.
- If you drive a car, try using a parking garage or similar service. Do not leave it in dark spots or leave valuables in plain sight.
Electricity
220 volts. Most 4 and 5-star hotels do have outlets equipped for 110 volts
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone
International calls to Peru:
00-51-city code + phone number
Public telephones accept coins and phone cards that are sold in kiosks and supermarkets. Make certain that you are buying the phone card from the company you wish to use. It is possible to make collect calls from some public phone booths.
To get more information about telephone numbers, call 103 (service in Spanish).
Internet
Public internet booths are found in the country’s main cities.
Wireless internet service is provided in most 4 and 5-star hotels and in shopping centers
Postal service
Post offices are located throughout all regions of the country. For more information, go to www.serpost.com.pe
HEALTH CARE
Peru generally maintains good health conditions. Hospitals and clinics provide adequate services, especially in Lima and the other main cities.
- It is recommended that you take the proper measures to protect yourself, especially from mosquito bites, in order to prevent infection from, among other diseases, yellow fever (vaccination) and malaria (repellent and medication). Consult your doctor before travelling.
- A yellow fever vaccination is required for travelling to jungle cities, and it must be administered at least 10 days before your trip. If not, it will not be effective.
- For avoiding mountain sickness, it is recommended that you ascend gradually to become acclimated, rest on the first day of your arrival, eat light foods, drink plenty of fluids, and keep lemon drops at hand. If you have heart problems, consult your doctor.
To keep from getting gastrointestinal infections, we recommend you take care when eating raw foods. Drink bottled or boiled water, and do not eat food from street vendors.
BANKS
Working hours for most banks and exchange houses are from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. Monday through Friday and Saturdays to 12:00 P.M.
Money exchange
The official currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.). The U.S. Dollar is accepted in some local businesses, restaurants, and gas stations at the day’s exchange rate.
It is possible to exchange foreign currency (US$ and Euros) at hotels, banks, and authorized exchange houses.
For questions about the exchange rate, go to
www.sbs.gob.pe
SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT
Shopping
The main hand made craft stores are found in the markets on Avenida La Marina in Pueblo Libre and Avenida Petit Thouars in Miraflores. It is also possible to purchase crafts in the city’s main shopping centers.
The sales tax (IGV) is 19% include in the price.
Most stores, shopping centers, and hand made craft markets are open seven days a week (including holidays) from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M.
You may bargain with street, market, and beach vendors on the price of some articles. This is called “regateo”.
Nightlife
Most cities in Peru offer a variety of nightlife. In Lima, there are peñas (locales offering traditional live music), disco techs, pubs, and night clubs in several districts, yet the most popular are found in Miraflores, San Miguel, Pueblo Libre, San Isidro, and Barranco. The location of nightlife locales in other cities is normally in the downtown (main square and its surroundings).
Food and Drink
Peruvian cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of traditional dishes from the coast, highlands, and jungle. Some are usually spicy or intensely seasoned, which is why we suggest you learn about them before ordering.
Pisco brandy is the national drink of Peru and, besides the famous Pisco Sour, it is served in countless other ways. Chicha morada (purple corn juice), chica de jora (corn beer), and aguaje (drink made from aguaje palm fruits) are also traditional drinks from Peru that you can enjoy during your trip throughout all of Peru.
Tips
The amount of a tip will vary and depend upon how satisfied you are with the service given. An appropriate tip is considered to be 10% of the bill
CONNECTIVITY
Airports
- Each airport requires that you pay for the use of its installations. This is called the T.U.U.A. or airport use tax, which must be paid before boarding your airplane and differs according to the city of departure.
- The T.U.U.A. of JorgeChavezInternationalAirport (Lima) is U.S. $6.05 for domestic flights and U.S. $30.25 for international flights. It is necessary to pay the tax for domestic flights as well as for international flights.
- Make your reservations and confirm your flight well before going to the airport. As well, you should check in at the airport at least two hours before flying for domestic flights and at least three hours for international flights.
- Check with the airlines about the weight and size requirements of luggage as well as the conditions for reimbursement if anything is lost.
Inter-provincial buses
Inter-provincial bus service covers all destinations within the country, except for some cities located in the Amazon. Different rates determine comfort level and whether it is direct service without stops or if there are stops along the route.
City transportation
- It is advisable that you use the services of a taxi company (requested by phone) or those authorized by the city halls (generally yellow colored and showing the license plate number on both sides of the vehicle).
- Taxis do not use meters in Peru. You must negotiate the price of the service before getting into the taxi. Tipping is not a common practice.
- It is wise to hire authorized taxi services at the airport. These have their own locations on the premises.
City buses (the cheapest alternative) are identified by colors and numbers established according to the route. Most of these have long routes, and the trip may be uncomfortable. Learn about the routes before taking them, and do not use them late at night.
PERU: GENERAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
