GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TRIPS TO PERU

Peru possesses within its ecosystem a rich diversity of flora and fauna. In addition, it has ancient native cultures that subsist until today. It is a magical country, full of exuberant surprises and mystery to be discovered, together with the innate friendliness of its people, received by anyone who visits. 

GEOGRAPHY

It is an Andean state situated in the central and eastern part of South America. Peru is bordered to the north by Ecuador and Columbia, to the south by Chile, to the east by Brazil and Bolivia and to the west by the Pacific Ocean.

The capital of Peru is Lima.

CLIMATE

When you plan your trip to Peru, you must consider that the geography of Peru is very expansive, so for this reason it has a great variety of climates, from the Andes mountain ranges and the Amazon, through to valleys and extensive coasts.  

On the coast it almost never rains, the winter is misty and in the summer, the sun is intense.
In the mountains and the jungle there are two seasons during the year, the dry season (from May to October) and the wet season, known as “the winter”, between December and March.

In the mountains, the climate is cold and dry according to the time of the day. The mornings are sunny, while the nights are considerably colder. In contrast, the tropical rainforest is hot and humid.
Peru has four seasons (Southern Hemisphere):
 
•    Summer: from 22nd of December to 21st of March.
•    Autumn:  from 22nd of March to 21st of June.
•    Winter:    from 22nd of June to 22nd of September.
•    Spring:    from 23rd of September to 21st of December.
 

THE LANGUAGE AND THE PEOPLE

There are different languages spoken in Peru, the majority in spanish, but there is also part of the population that speaks el quechua y el aimara. The people that work in tourism speak English. The official language is spanish, represented by 80.3% of the population, then el Quechua (16.2%) and finally el Aimara, with a lower percentage. The predominant religion in this country is Catholicism.   

Power Supply :  220 W

Currency :    The official currency in Peru is el Nuevo Sol (the New Sun) (S/.) Divided in to 100 cents.

Food

Peru is known world-wide as a country with great food. Its cuisine is one of the richest and varied in the world.

The diversity of its food is based on a mixture of races and cultures that exist there, including its geography. As a result, it is difficult to name a typical dish, but we can say that potato, rice, quinoa, corn, chilli, fish and seafood are predominant ingredients in their cuisine.

There are some dishes that we want to recommend you, such as el ceviche, papas a la huancaína (Huancaina potatoes), papas rellenas (stuffed potatoes), arroz con mariscos (seafood with rice), ají de gallina (Chilli Chicken), rocoto relleno (stuffed peppers) and pesque de quínoa.

Pisco sour is the most well-known Peruvian cocktail, prepared with a base of Pisco, a spirit originating in Peru. Inka Cola is the most popular soda drink sold in Peru, even more popular than multi-national colas. 

How to get there?

To visit many of the Peru tourist attractions you can arrive by LAN Perú, LACSA, Lufthansa, Sky Airlines, Spirit Airlines USA, TACA and TAM.

To travel by plane within Peru there is LAN Peru, Star Peru, Peruvian Airlines, Cielos Andinos and Taca.

he Peru Tourist attractions cities where flights arrive are:

Iquitos:      City of Iquitos.. The major airport in the Amazon region in the country. It is located 7 Km from the city centre. Travellers with Aqua Expeditions arrive here.

Puerto Maldonado:     Puerto Maldonado City, Mother of God region. Its airport is located 7 Km from the west of the city centre. Passengers that travel in this area must be vaccinated against yellow fever. It is the gateway toward the Tambopata-Candamo National Reserve and the Manu Biosphere Reserve. Travellers going to Inkaterra Amazonian Reserve arrive here.

Lima:    City of Lima. The Jorge Chavez International airport is the main airport in Peru. It is located 10 Km from the centre of the city.

Cusco Machu Picchu:    City of Cusco. The airport is 3.7 km from the city that counts on major tourist attractions and receives national and international flights. It is the main port of entry to arrive at the Machu Picchu ruins.

Puno:    The closest airport to Puno is in the city of Juliaca. The trip between Puno and Juliaca is one hour by car. Transfers are available.

Arequipa:  City of Arequipa. The airport is located 12 km from the city centre. It is the main port of entry to visit the Colca Valley.
Note:    There are transfers or buses between Arequipa and Puno. This journey passes through zones higher than 4.000 metres.

Mancora: If time is limited it is preferable to take a flight from Lima to Piura or Tumbes. Coming from Lima, it is better to arrive to Tumbes  as it is closer to Mancora (120 km), in the case of Piura is further away but has more frequent flights.

There are companies of taxis, buses and minivans that offer the service from the airport in Piura or Tumbes.

The other option is to come by bus from Lima, is approximately 17 hours of travel, in this case it is recommended to take a bus with 100% reclining bed.

Domestic flights receive an airport tax of approximately $ 6 USD. Travellers must be at the airport at least two hours before the time of flight departure

WHAT TO TAKE?

To have a pleasant trip to Peru, we recommend you take a few pairs of comfortable walking shoes, comfortable pants, sun protection, sunglasses and a camera.

For Mountainous regions such as Cusco Machu Picchu, and Puno, it is suggested to take light clothing for the day time and warm clothing for the evening. For the rainy period, between November and April, thermal clothing must be taken. If you are staying at a hotel with a swimming pool, don’t forget to take your bathing suit. If you enjoy bird watching, bring your binoculars and photographic or video cameras to capture your journey and special moments. In the case of the Amazon jungle, you must take insect repellent, light clothing, a hat and walking boots.

It is recommended to only drink bottled water and not to consume food from the street.

Travel insurance is also highly recommendable.

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED FOR TRAVEL TO PERU?
Need to travel to Peru passport, identity card and in some cases a visa is required.
The  countries that need visa to enter Peru are:

Afganistan, Albania, Angola, Arabia Saudita, Argelia, Armenia, Barhein, Bhutan, Benin, Bostwana, Burkina Faso, Costa Marfil, China, Egipto, Emiratos Arabes Unidos, Eritrea, Guinea, India, Irán, Iraq, Jordania, Kazakistán, Kenia, Kuwait, Libano, Libia, Madagascar, Maldivas, Marruecos, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ruanda, Sahara Occidental, Pakistán, Rep.Popular Democrática de Corea, Rep. Democrática Popular Laos,  Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Siria,Sudán, Tanzania, Túnez, Turquía, Uzebistán, Vietnam, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia.

It is recommended before traveling to contact the Consulate of Peru nearest to you to see if there is any other special documentation at the time. It is also recommended joining www.rree.gob.pe page where you can find more information.