Before Coming to Peru
The Spanish gave the name Peru to all the land south of Panama, the name coming from the Indian word Piru or Biru, which is known by the inhabitants to be a river which flows into the Pacific Ocean near Punta Pinas, a little to the south of San Miguel (Saint Michael) of Panama Bay. The name Peru was totally unknown by the Indians.
Peru has a population of just over 24 million and covers an area of 2,056,000 sq kilometres (1,285,000 sq miles), with its capital Lima having a population of some 8 million. The official religion is Roman Catholic, although there are now many different denominations.
Regions of Peru
Peru has three clearly defined natural regions:
The Coast: the region bordered by the Pacific Ocean with desert areas, beautiful beaches and fertile valleys. It experiences two very distinct seasons: summer (December to March), with temperatures y up to 27C (80F); and winter: (May to October), very humid and cool. Although rain is very scarce – an annual average of just 30mm – the relative humidity is very high at 80% resulting in frequent mists, which usually occur in the morning but generally clear by midday, leaving a bright and sunny afternoon. Winters here tend to be like British summers. The temperature is fairly even and relatively low for a sub-tropical region at an average of 18 degrees C, although it rises to about 30 degrees C in the summer. The far north coast is sunny all year round and temperatures reach 35C (95F) in the summer.
The Sierra (The Highlands): the region dominated by the Andean range, reaching the height of 22,204 ft at the summit of snow-capped Mount Huascaran. It has a dry temperate climate and two well-defined seasons: summer (May to October), with sunny days, very cold nights, and scarce rain – best time to visit the region – and the rainy season (December to March). In the Highlands, significant weather changes – from 20C (68F) to 2C (35F) in one day are common. The peaks above 15,600 ft are permanently covered in snow.
The Selva (The Jungle): the region of tropical forest corresponding to the Peruvian Amazon, where Peru’s largest nature reserves are found. It has a humid tropical climate and two clearly distinct seasons: summer or ebb (May to October) with temperatures over 30C (86F) and the rainy season (November to March), with frequent showers and increased river flows.
The visitor to Peru gains an impression of a country with a rich historic and romantic past which is well balanced with the present, and also finds a rich diversity of climate and scenery.
Language
The country’s official languages are Spanish (Castellano or Castilian) and Quechua, although the former is more commonly used. The Aymara language is also recognised by the Peruvian State, as well as 48 other native languages. English is spoken by people who provide tourism services, such as tour guides, staff in travel agencies and in some three, four or five star hotels.
Local Time: -5 h. GMT, -6 h. BST
Lima 12 noon:
Northern Hemisphere (Summer)
New York 1 pn
Buenos Aires 2 pn
London 6 pm
Berlin 7 pm
Paris 7 pm
Tokyo 2 am (*)
Sydney 3 am (*)
(*) The next day
Currency and Modes of Payment
Peru’s currency is the Nuevo Sol (S/.), divided into 100 cents (centimes). The US Dollar is accepted in most establishments, restaurants and service stations at the exchange rate of the day.
The vast majority of establishments accept major credit cards: Visa, Master Card, Diners and American Express. The use of travellers’ cheques is restricted, and it is often difficult to exchange them at banks. We advise, from experience, to bring a supply of dollars, which can be easily exchanged, for immediate needs, and then use ATMs (Cash points) for any further cash needed.
Electricity and Water
The voltage in Peru is 220 volts and 60 cycles. The plugs used in Peru are either round or flat. Visitors from the United Kingdom should bring Intercontinental Adaptor plugs. To reduce the voltage from 220 volts to 110 volts a transformer is necessary. If you have a laptop, do not plug it in to the mains without a surge protector.
Vaccinations
If you plan to travel to the Amazon region, it is recommended to get a Yellow Fever vaccination ten days before travelling. Also bring malaria tablets with you as a precaution, although the Peruvian authorities point out that there is no malaria in the jungle.
Tourist Visas
- Citizens of most American and Western European countries do not need a visa. Citizens of Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil and Chile do not need a passport or a visa to go to certain regions of Peru. In all these cases, the maximum authorised stay is 90 days, which can be extended by the immigration service.
- For more information, check with the Peruvian diplomatic mission on your country. Addresses and phone numbers on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Peru. www.rree.gob.pe
Upon Entering Peru - Present to the Immigration Officer the International Embarkation/ Disembarkation Card given to you on the aeroplane or at the immigration office at the border entry point. Be sure to keep this card as you will be asked to present it when you leave the country. While the fine in case of loss is only the equivalent of US$4, it is the delay in dealing with it that is so inconvenient when you have a flight to catch.
- The Customs Officer will give you a form for you to declare all dutiable items. If none, indicate that you have nothing to declare. Items exempt from customs duty include: articles and clothes for personal use, laptops and adventure sport equipment. For further information check with the Peruvian diplomatic mission for your country.
- On the same form, you must also declare whether you are carrying any plant or animal species. If such is the case, authorisations from the appropriate health authorities in your country are required. If you do not have the necessary health documents, the Peruvian authorities may decide that the plant should be burned or the animal sacrificed. (Their words).
During Your Stay in Peru
Accommodation
If you are booking with us you can be assured that your accommodation will have been vetted by us. Should you have any problems, if you are in a group you can contact your group leader or guide. Should you be travelling on your own, you will have contact details of either ourselves or our local agent.
Health
- Only drink bottled or boiled water.
- Be careful with raw vegetables and fruits.
- Avoid eating from street food stalls.
- Avoid spicy food until your stomach has become accustomed to the change in diet.
- Altitude sickness (soroche) may be prevented by resting on your first day in the highlands and eating light food. Drinking coca leaf is recommended.
- If travelling to the highlands or to the jungle, make sure you take insect repellent and a raincoat or waterproof poncho.
- If you need medical assistance, contact the staff at your accommodation or your travel agent/tour operator.
- We can provide travel insurance if required, but check the cover provided through your credit card.
Business Hours
Banks
Many banks in Peru are open to the public from 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday, but in some place the siesta is observed, so they are open as follows:
Monday to Friday - 9 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6.30 pm
Saturday 9 am to 12 am
Changing Money
It is preferable to change money in hotels, banks and authorised exchange bureaux (open approximately between 9.30 am and 6.00 pm). The US Dollar exchange rate varies, so check before changing your money. For other currencies, check with the exchange bureaux. To find out the exchange rate please visit:
ATMs/Cash Machines - 24 hours
Many of these are in a secure location accessed only by your card.
Offices
Monday to Friday - 8 am to 7 pm with one to two hours lunch break
Shopping
- In general, stores, shops, shopping centres and crafts markets are open every day from 9 am to 8 pm.
- Bargaining for prices is acceptable in markets as well as with beach or street vendors. This practice is known as regateo. Do be aware that a few traders will try to charge gringos more.
Documents
You should always carry your personal documents with you as you may be required to produce them at any time, particularly in banks, to police or to security guards to gain access to premises. If you wish to hire a car, you will need an International Driving Permit. (In the UK these can be obtained from main post offices).
Valuables
You should avoid unnecessary risks by depositing your valuables in the hotel safe or in a bank and only carrying low denomination banknotes and travellers cheques.
Post Offices
Expect to queue. These are generally found near the centre of towns and are open at roughly the same times as banks.
Telephone/Internet
There are many internet cafes, many of which contain telephones, in addition to public phone boxes. We recommend that you purchase a telephone card for making phone calls. These are available from kiosks and supermarkets. Be careful with internet cafes, as not all are on broadband and you can lose your connection while in the middle of composing an e-mail. You should ask if they have banda ancha (broadband).
Transport
We recommend taxis as the means of transport (rickshaw/motorcycle taxis in Iquitos). It is usual to tip the driver if he carries your luggage for you. The hotel will arrange a taxi for you, for a certain time or place, or you can always pick one up on the street. It is normal to negotiate the fare with the driver before setting off. The hotel will tell you what you should expect to pay.
Safety
We should like to stress that Peru is a safe country to visit, providing you take normal precautions. There is no more terrorism than found in Europe or North America and crime is not a major problem. But we should like to make these observations:
- If you decide to use public transport, be careful of the areas they pass through and take particular care of your belongings. Do not wear a hat if you are sitting beside the open window of a bus, as it might be snatched. Snatch thieves particularly like gorros (baseball caps).
- Be discreet when carrying valuable items. Do not carry large amounts of cash.
- Carry your money and ID in a money belt, but be aware that thieves have been known to slit the bottom of these, but to do this they have to be very close to you. Therefore get away from anyone who attempts to crowd you. Keep an eye on your bags and luggage.
- We have experienced someone coming up to us and asking if we have any change. When we show him what we have, thinking he wants to change something, he takes it and says thank you; he’ll pay us back. Then he runs off.
- Take normal precautions against pickpockets.
- Do not carry your case, handbag or backpack on your back.
- Do not change money in the street.
- Avoid walking alone or in dimly lit areas at night.
Food and Drink
Peruvian cuisine offers a great variety of typical dishes from the Coast, the Highlands and the Amazon Region. Ask about ingredients as some may be hot or very spicy – problematical for stomachs not used to it. Also, there are restaurants serving international food.
As for drinks, try chicha morada (purple corn juice), chichi de jora (fermented red or yellow corn drink) or any fresh fruit juice. Inka Kola is a very popular gaseosa (soda) which is less fizzy than Coca Cola. They call it the golden cola and it is much more popular than Coke.
Tipping
In Peru, the tipping amount varies from one place to another and will depend on your satisfaction with the service you receive, but beware that as you leave airports “porters” will descend upon you and try to take your baggage, although you may not need it carried.
Much of above Information provided by PromPeru
