VISAS AND PASSPORTS Citizens of most Western European nations and of the USA & Canada who are entering Peru as tourists do not require visas and can enter Peru with a valid passport. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months after arrival date. Upon arrival in Peru, travelers are asked to fill out a white embarkation card. DO NOT LOSE THIS PIECE OF PAPER; you will need it to leave the country. We recommend that you make copies of all important documentation and keep them separately from the originals. ARRIVAL Upon arrival at Lima s Jorge Chavez airport you must go to the Immigration area and present a completed country entry form or Andean Immigration Card (provided on board the aircraft by airline personnel), as well as their passports or identity documents. After completing the immigration process, you should check the information displayed on the monitors located in front of the conveyor belts to determine which one is assigned to their flight and pick up your baggage. Please proceed to the customs clearance area, where the local authority may proceed to verify or check your bags. You must present the Customs Declaration Form of Accompanied Baggage. (Form is provided by the airline). Passing Customs Area please look for our airport representative who will have your name printed on Journeys in Peru- Belmond welcome board. CLIMATE Peru's climate can be divided into two seasons-wet and dry-though the weather varies greatly depending on the geographic region. Because Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, the "summer" is considered to be from January to March. During these months, the weather is usually sunny and warm on the coast and on the western slopes of the Andes. Coastal temperatures are normally between 75 and 85 degrees in the summer. In the high Andes, however, January to March is the wet season, when rains can be heavy but the vegetation much greener. Summer temperatures at high altitudes are usually mild during the day, 55-70 degrees, and colder at night, 40-50 degrees. During the winter, or dry season (April to November), the coast is usually cloudy and colder. In the high Andes regions, the weather is dry and sunny during the day, but temperatures can drop below freezing at night. The dry season is the most popular for travel in the Andes and the jungle areas. AverageTemperature Chart in Farenheit
TIME Peruvian time is -5 hours ahead of the Universal Time; and it reflects the United States Eastern Standard Time. ELECTRICITY 220 volts, 60 cycles, so adaptors are need for any electrical apparatus running on 110 volts. CURRENCY The official currency in Peru is the "Nuevo sol" and its symbol is S/. The average exchange rate is $1.00 = 2.80 Nuevo Soles (although this may vary slightly). Currently in circulation, we have the following: Bills of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 nuevos soles Coins of 1, 2 and 5 nuevos soles and of 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents of nuevo sol. It is worth noting that the US dollar is widely accepted in many stores and it is not unusual to see prices stated both in US dollars and Soles. We recommend to be careful with dollar bills and verify that they are not old or broken as vendors, banks, restaurants and stores, do not accept damaged bills. Credit Cards and Debit Cards are widely accepted in Peru and you shouldn t have any problems in major hotels, restaurants and shops. ATMs, all major cities have an abundance of ATMs so withdrawing money is not a problem within the country. Please note, although most ATMs in Peru do not charge extra for withdrawing money and will warn you if they do, it is worth checking, if you are using a foreign bank card, what charges apply as fees can be exorbitant. Traveler's Checks are welcomed in most cities. In Peru you will find that the exchange rate for travellers' cheques is 1.5% to 2% lower than for cash TIPPING As in other parts of the world, tipping is purely discretionary and is directly related to the satisfaction of the service provided. As a guideline we would recommend tipping as follows: Guide- $10 - $20 per person to the guide per each full day tour, $5 - $10 per person per each half day tour. Driver- $10 per person for a full day tour and $5 per person for a half day tour. Simple transfer - $5 total. These amounts are guidelines only as noted tipping is purely discretionary. Most restaurants do not include a tip on the bill, but some more expensive restaurants do. Locals do not leave very big tips, but at least 10% is recommended if the service is good. Taxi drivers are not tipped, and the fare should be negotiated beforehand. AIRPORT TAXES No airport tax is levied on passengers upon embarkation at the airports of Lima and Cusco, it is already included in ticket cost. In some other Peruvian airports, an airport tax must be paid, please check with our office if this is included in your tour price or not.
IMMUNIZATIONS Peruvian law doesn t request that you have any vaccinations to enter the country, and you are not required to show any vaccination records. However, before you travel it is worth checking with your local Peruvian Embassy and your physician. FOOD AND WATER The food in Peru is varied and delicious, but it is not recommended to eat from street vendors, markets, uncooked salads or unpeeled fruits. Ceviche, or raw fish, is only recommended at the highest quality restaurants. Avoid cooked foods that are no longer hot. We recommend that travelers drink bottled water, which is widely available and inexpensive. Avoid unbottled beverages and drinks with ice. ALTITUDE Lima is at sea level, 54 meters (177.17 feet) above sea level; Cusco is at 3,360 meters (11023.60 feet) above sea level; Arequipa is at 2,350 Meters (7709.96 feet) above sea level and the Colca Canyon is at 3,500 Meters (11482.92 feet) above sea level. At high altitude you can feel a slight headache for one or two days. Peru Altitude Chart in Feets ALTITUDE SICKNESS May occur in travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes greater than 2500 meters, including Cusco (3400 meters) and Lake Titicaca (4000 meters). Drugs can be taken for altitude sickness, so consult your personal doctor. To help alleviate altitude sickness, we recommend you get enough rest, drink lots of liquids (still water, coca tea - avoid anything carbonated), and consume dried fruits and lots lemon candy. Eat lightly and be careful where you eat, make sure that the establishment has the appropriate health conditions. If you have any doubt about an eating establishment then just abstain from eating there. We also recommend avoiding heavy foods as digestion takes longer in altitude (digestion requires oxygen). SAFETY MEASURES As when traveling anywhere in the world, we recommend to take some safety measures to avoid any inconveniences during your stay in our country. Take only essential cash with you and carry your credit cards and other valuables discretely. Carry your camera and/or video camera in its bag and hold it in front of you at all times. Keep your valuables in the hotel s safety box. Be aware that it might not be prudent to wear jewelry when visiting crowded places.
INTERNET ACCESS Nowadays, the internet is a popular service in Peru s large cities and places with tourist activity. Most of the hotels offer Internet access. Additionally you will find Internet access in coffee shops and telephone centers. INSURANCE We strongly recommend the use of a travel/medical insurance plan. We do not provide or include an accident or travel insurance policy in our cost. However, if a member of the group gets sick or is incapacity, we take care of him or her by getting a qualified doctor or immediate medical attention. In these cases, the extra costs are assumed by the individual client, including hospitalization if necessary. In the case of accident and/or necessary emergency evacuation, all costs are assumed by the individual client. PALEONTOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL ASSETS The General Law of Cultural Heritage of the Nation prohibits taking out from the country any asset part of the Cultural Heritage of the Nation. Legislation establishes that the holder and/or owner of such assets shall be subject of fine, seizure, and/or confiscation. This group includes specimens of paleontological interest, i.e. fossils, wherever they come from and assets of the pre-hispanic cultural heritage. SHOPPING IN PERU Peru is one of the top shopping destinations in Latin America, with some of the finest and best-priced crafts anywhere. Its long traditions of textile weaving and colorful markets bursting with tourists have produced a dazzling display of alpaca-wool sweaters, blankets, ponchos, shawls, scarves, typical Peruvian hats, and other woven items. LIMA RESTAURANTS If you plan to travel to Peru and love good food, take a day or so in LIma, and check-out one of the many great restaurants the capital has to offer. Lima is a progressive capital, it s dynamic and cosmopolitan way of life are reflected in the many great eateries and restaurants around the city. The gastronomic culture has exploded over the last few years with a new wave of highly skilled, dedicated and ground-breaking chefs. Their love and passion for combining traditional Peruvian flavors and ingredients, with modern cooking techniques has caught the world by storm. For this reason, Lima s restaurant scene has flourished, and the streets of the city are literally littered with great restaurants.
WHAT TO PACK Make sure you pack clothes that are suitable for outdoorsy activities, such as walking, trekking, light mountain climbing, horseback riding, etc. However don t forget to pack appropriate evening clothing for that special candlelit dinner. We suggest you take the following on your trip to Peru: Raincoat or a long poncho Sweatshirts and a jacket Long sleeved shirts T-shirts Long comfortable pants Shorts and Zip-off pants Dresses or formal attire Underwear and Sleepwear Boots, sneakers or comfortable walking shoes and socks Hats and accessories Travel supplies (camera, film, binoculars, etc.) Luggage, handbags and backpacks Insect repellant Lip Balm Sun Block Natural Eye Drops RECOMMENDED READING When traveling in Peru, you may want to have the following books at hand to help you better learn about the places to visit and what to do Lonely Planet Peru Exploring Cusco - Peter Frost The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie The Machu Picchu Guide Book - A self guided Tour by Ruth M. Wright and Dr. Alfredo Valencia Zegarra Frommers Guide to Peru Cochineal Red by Hugh Thompson Moon Handbooks - Peru by Ross Wehner, Renee Del Gaudio & Kazia Jankowski The Inca Trail Cusco & Machu Picchu by Richard Danbury