Frequently asked questions

You will need a passport which is valid for at least six months beyond the arrival date in Peru. The passport should also have some space available in the internal pages for the entry stamp.

Citizens from most countries do not need a visa to visit Peru as a tourist, these include most major european countries, as well as USA and Canada. But you should consult your local consular services if in doubt or you can find Peruvian government requirements (in Spanish) here.

Yes, definitely. It can help you in case of flight disruption, delayed luggage and loss of belongings. But perhaps most importantly, it can help you in case of serious illness or accident, when high medical costs might cause you considerable distress or could restrict decisions concerning treatment. We recommend you purchase a high quality policy and make sure it covers the geographical areas you plan to visit as well as the activities you will do while on holiday. During your time in Peru, you might go to Arequipa (2340m/7680ft.), Cusco (3400m/11150ft.) or Lake Titicaca (3830m/12550ft.), you should be certain that your are covered up to these altitudes. Also, make the insurance company aware of any pre-existing conditions and your current doctors advice.

Peru is five hours behind Greenwich mean time (GMT) and six hours behind British summertime. The country has only one time zone and does not observe any daylight saving time. Compared with timezones in USA, during its winter (April-Oct) Peruvian time is the same as Central Time, while during the summer (Nov-March) it is akin to Eastern Time.

Peru works on the GSM network techonogy, which is the most common mobile signal internationally. If your phone uses a SIM card, then it will work in Peru. If you use carriers including Sprint, Verizon or Virgen Mobile in the USA, then check which phone format you have. If it is a CDMA phone, then it might not work in Peru.

For cheaper data rates and local calls, you can purchase a local SIM card in any city. Providers such as Claro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel all offer cards with prepaid plans. First you should check that you phone is unlocked and would accept a SIM card which is not from your regular provider. You can buy a SIM card for as little as $2 and immediately buy around $10 of credit, which is a good amount to get started.

Phone call and data roaming coverage is widespread throughout the country. Reliable coverage is found in all towns and cities, but service may be patchy in remote rural areas, therefore your service may be interupted in the following locations ​ a) At a rainforest lodge in the Amazon. b) On the train between Cusco and Machu Picchu. c) During the road journey between Cusco and Lake Titicaca. d) Rural areas around the Colca Canyon. e) Rural areas of Chachapoyas

Peru works on 220V electricity grid with socket types A (flat pins) and C (round pins). The type A sockets works with plugs for the USA and Canada, although you might need a voltage convertor. Whereas the type C accepts plugs from much of Europe. But visitors from the UK will need an adaptor.

There is a luggage storage facility at Lima airport, it is located on the ground floor just outside international arrivals in the main hall. It is open 24-hours and offers safe storage for individual iterms and also locker hire.

Commonly, you have breakfast included in the hotel and then you are free to choose a restaurant to have lunch and dinner. The cost of restaurant food is around $6-$8 for a light meal and juice/water in a modest cafe. You can pay around $40-$60 per person for a nice restaurant with various courses and wine. The cost of meals in hotels tends to come at the upper end of this price range. The cost of bottles of water and soft drinks is around $1-$3, purchasing in hotels works out the more expensive option.

Common medicines can be purchased in local pharmacies, which are commonplace in towns thoughout the country. But for convenience, you might consider bringing the following supplies with you; a) You could consider packing the following medicines and health products, but always seek expert medical advice from your doctor b) Do not forget to bring an adecuate a supply of your own prescription medicines which you might be taking for prexisting conditions. Put them in your hand luggage in case your luggage is delayed on flights. c) Travelers diarrhea medicine (imodium) and/or antibiotic (ciprofoxacin) d) Altitude sickness medicine (Acetazolamide - diamox) e) Malaria prevention prophylactics f) Motion/travel sickness medicine g) Medicine for pain and fever (paracetamol , aspirin, or ibuprofen) h) Sunblock i) Insect repellent.