Historic Centre of Arequipa

Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Peru page at Yoogo.

Peru's official currency is the Peruvian Sol (PEN). Major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants, and larger shops in cities, but cash remains essential in markets, rural areas, and for taxis, as many vendors add surcharges for card payments or do not accept them at all.

Peru is visited by millions of international travellers each year and most trips pass without incident, though petty theft and pickpocketing are common in busy urban areas and on public transport. Tourist Police (POLTUR) operate in major cities and can be reached in Lima on 01-460-1060, while the national emergency police line is 105.

Domestic flights are the quickest way to cover Peru's vast distances, with routes connecting Lima to Cusco, Arequipa, and Iquitos operated by LATAM, Sky Airline, and JetSmart. Long-distance buses run between most cities and are a popular budget option, while the PeruRail train service connects Cusco to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu, a journey not possible by road.

The dry season from May to October is the most popular time to visit, particularly for trekking in the Andes and visiting Machu Picchu, with stable weather and clear skies across the highlands. The coast enjoys warmer temperatures between December and April, while the Amazon is accessible year-round but drier from May to September.

Spanish is the primary language and is spoken throughout the country, alongside Quechua, which remains the first language of many Andean communities, and Aymara, spoken around Lake Titicaca. English is understood at hotels, tour operators, and major tourist sites, but is less common away from established visitor routes.

Hepatitis A, typhoid, and routine vaccinations are recommended for all travellers, and yellow fever vaccination is advised for those visiting jungle regions below 2,300 metres, including parts of the Amazon basin. Altitude sickness (soroche) is a practical consideration when visiting Cusco, Puno, or the Sacred Valley, all of which sit above 3,000 metres, and travellers are advised to allow a day or two to acclimatise before strenuous activity.

Tipping is customary but not obligatory in Peru, and a gratuity of around 10% is standard in restaurants where a service charge is not already included on the bill. Tour guides and trekking porters on routes such as the Inca Trail rely significantly on tips, with 20–40 soles per day per traveller considered appropriate for guides and a similar amount for porter crews shared collectively.