馃 Peru

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 52% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Visa rules vary with your passport, so see the official site below. Peru's immigration authority (Migraciones), or your nearest Peruvian embassy, can confirm the rule and the length of stay allowed, so ask before you book. The usual documents are an onward or return ticket, proof of funds and a passport that stays valid for 6 months. Anyone heading to the jungle regions is advised to have a yellow fever vaccination first.

Culture and practical - take note

Both Cusco and the Sacred Valley lie higher than 3,000 m, so plan to rest on your first day and to drink water, and consult your hotel about altitude sickness; the local remedy is coca tea. Tickets for Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail are timed and places are limited, selling out months ahead, so check the rules on guides and bags, and book early through official sellers. Peruvians are polite and family-centred; a handshake or a cheek kiss is the usual greeting. People speak Spanish and Quechua. Plan on tipping about 10%. Avoid tap water. In busy areas, beware of pickpockets, keep valuables out of view and travel by official taxis or apps. Catholic churches are in active use as places of worship. Outside Lima, halal food is limited.

Emergency

Police 105. Ambulance 106. Fire 116.

Good to know

Sol, cards and counterfeit notes

The sol is Peru's currency and the US dollar is widely accepted, says Canadian advice. Cards are not commonly accepted outside major cities, many businesses ask to see a passport when paying by card, and cash machines can be hard to find in small towns and often limit withdrawals. Counterfeit notes are a serious and growing problem, and the advice is to avoid street moneychangers.

Local laws and customs

Drugs, photography, protests and exports

UK advice says drug offences carry lengthy jail sentences, and that coca leaves or coca tea should not be taken out of Peru. Photographing anything of a military nature is illegal and can bring a prison sentence of two to five years. Foreigners may not take part in political activity, including demonstrations, which can lead to detention or deportation. Canadian advice says exporting pre-colonial artefacts, antiques and protected species is prohibited.

Taxis and scams

Taxis and airport arrivals

Licensed taxis have no meters, so settle the fare before the ride, and do not hail taxis on the street but use reputable cab companies or ride-sharing apps, according to Canadian travel advice. UK advice says fake taxi drivers and thieves pretending to be tour operators sometimes approach arriving passengers, and recommends licensed telephone or app-based taxi services.

Fake police and listings

Thieves pose as police officers to win victims' cooperation, and scammers may pose as volunteer organisations or as owners of rental properties, Canadian travel advice says. Tourists have also been robbed by criminals posing as taxi drivers on routes to and from Peru's main airports.

Fake notes and money changers

Counterfeit US and Peruvian banknotes are in circulation, UK travel advice says, and street money changers in Cusco tourist areas have fraudulently used Peruvian intis. The advice also reports unscrupulous tour agents targeting young women travelling alone in the Cusco area.

Who can help

local government

PromPer煤 (Peru's tourism promotion agency)

Helps with: Peru's tourism promotion agency, which runs the iPer煤 visitor information service. Its website lists a head-office phone line and address in Lima for travel questions.

Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Peru or planning a trip there.

Phone: (511) 616 7300

Address: Calle 1 Oeste N掳 050, San Isidro, Lima, Peru

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Peruvian Red Cross (Cruz Roja Peruana)

Helps with: Peru's national Red Cross society. Its website describes disaster risk management, health and wellbeing work, emergency response, and first aid and CPR courses.

Who qualifies: People in Peru who need its health, emergency or disaster-related services.

Phone: +51 986 204 095

Email: contacto@cruzroja.org.pe

Address: Av. Arequipa 1285, Urb. Santa Beatriz, Lima

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Peru

Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Peru since 1966. It gives humanitarian support to migrants, displaced people, returnees and host communities.

Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees in Peru. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +51 1 6330000

Email: iomperuatencion@iom.int

Address: Calle Miguel Seminario 320, San Isidro 15047, Lima

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Police emergency number 105

Helps with: Reaches the police. UK government travel advice lists this number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 105

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ambulance emergency number 106

Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service. UK government travel advice lists this number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 106

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Fire emergency number 116

Helps with: Reaches the fire service. UK government travel advice lists this number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 116

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Cusco and Machu Picchu Cusco and Machu PicchuColonial churches and stone streets mark this former Inca capital, a gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.Photo: Draceane, CC BY-SA 4.0 Lima LimaThe coastal capital is the main arrival point, famed for its food scene, a colonial centre and the clifftop Miraflores district.Photo: David Felipe Ruiz Hoyos, CC BY-SA 4.0 Puno and Lake Titicaca Puno and Lake TiticacaAt this high-altitude lake town, visitors get to meet local communities and to see the Uros reed islands that float on the water.Photo: Tydence Davis from Las Vegas, CC BY 2.0 Arequipa and Colca Canyon Arequipa and Colca CanyonVolcanoes surround this city of white volcanic stone, a base for visiting Colca Canyon; condors there are often seen.Photo: world-wide-gifts.com, CC BY-SA 2.0 Paracas and Huacachina Paracas and HuacachinaA small oasis lagoon, giant sand dunes and boat trips to islands of sea lions lie along this desert coast.Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

City selection based on: PromPeru Foreign Tourist Profile (regions visited); Peru culture ministry site visitor counts via Andina

Festivals and events

religious

Virgen de la Candelaria (Puno)

around Feb 2027 路 Puno

Masked dancers in their thousands gather beside Lake Titicaca.

festival

Inti Raymi (festival of the sun)

20-24 Jun 2027 路 Cusco and Machu Picchu

Hotels fill and prices climb for one of the largest annual events in the country; early planning is recommended.

culture

Fiestas Patrias (28-29 July)

28-29 Jul 2027 路 Lima

Travel within Peru is busy during these national holidays.

religious

Virgen de la Candelaria (Puno)

around Feb 2028 路 Puno

Masked dancers in their thousands gather beside Lake Titicaca.