Volunteer Travel Guide Peru

Peru is a large country on the Pacific coast of South America, encompassing a desert coastline, tropical rainforest and soaring mountains, each with distinct environments. These offer an exceptional opportunity for travellers to experience a variety of landscapes, an abundance of wildlife, a rich history and archaeological heritage, and the vivacious character of durable native cultures, all within one nation.

Fishing villages, fine beaches, agricultural lands, and Peru's major towns and cities, including the capital of Lima, are interspersed along the narrow belt of desert coastline that stretches the length of the country. The lush Amazon Basin takes up half of Peru and is an ecologically rich area of tropical rainforest that encompasses some of the world's most remote and least explored areas, sparsely populated and for the most part, inaccessible. Separating the coastal desert from the jungle is the splendid Andes mountain range, an endless chain of soaring peaks over 22,000ft (7,000m), and home to millions of indigenous highland people, speaking the ancient Inca language of Quechua, and living in traditional villages with steeply terraced agricultural fields, with their wandering herds of llamas and alpacas.

An interesting history of ancient civilisations, tales of lost cities, undiscovered treasures, and unsolved mysteries make Peru one of the most exciting countries to visit. Travellers can marvel at the sophistication of pre-Colombian cultures and explore the many legacies left by the imperial Inca Empire, particularly the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco. Hiking along the legendary ancient royal Inca highway brings visitors to the awesome, majestic 'Lost City of the Incas', Machu Picchu. Boats transport tourists to the unique floating islands and the traditional world of the island people on Lake Titicaca. Travellers can wander around splendid colonial cities that have preserved their Spanish architecture, look into the depths of the world's deepest canyon, and contemplate the intriguing mystery of the Nazca Lines.

Peru, 'Land of the Incas', offers a stimulating and rewarding travel experience and is one of the most diverse and exhilarating of the South American destinations.

The Basics

Time:

Local time is GMT -5.

Electricity:

Electrical current is 220 volts, 60Hz (Arequipa 50Hz). Two-pin, flat blade and round plugs are standard.

Language:

Spanish and Quechua are the official languages, but many other dialects are spoken. English is spoken only in major tourist centres and hotels.

Health:

Those entering the country from an infected area require a yellow fever certificate, and outbreaks of yellow fever do occur; vaccination is recommended for those intending to travel to the low-lying jungle areas in particular, but is not necessary for Lima, Cuzco or Machu Picchu. Although no other vaccinations are officially required, visitors are advised to take precautions especially if planning to travel to jungle regions. Immunisation against typhoid is sensible. Malaria is a risk all year round in the lowland areas, except for Lima and the coastal regions to the south, and dengue fever is on the increase. Protection against mosquito bites is essential as a number of other mosquito-transmitted diseases occur. There have been a number of recent incidents of rabies transmitted by bites from vampire bats in the Madre de Dios and Puno provinces, as well as in the north near the border with Ecuador; visitors to these areas are advised to have a course of rabies injections prior to travel, and not to sleep in the open without a mosquito net. Cholera and cases of the plague occur, but visitors are unlikely to be affected. Other risks include Chagas' disease. The most common ailments for travellers, however, are diarrhoea and altitude sickness. Drink only bottled water, avoid drinks with ice, and be wary of food bought from street vendors. Health care is good in the major cities, better at private clinics than at the public hospitals, but is expensive, and health insurance is essential. Pharmacies in Lima are well supplied. Screening for HIV is inadequate and visitors are advised to avoid blood transfusions if possible.

Tipping:

Some restaurants add a service charge of between 5% and 10%, which will be indicated by the words 'propina' or 'servicio' near the bottom of the bill. Even if service charge has been added the waiter can be offered an additional 10% for exceptional service; this is also the going rate for tipping where service charge has not been added. In hotels porters expect about US$0.50 per bag. Taxi drivers are not tipped (the fare should be set before departure). Tour guides are customarily tipped.

Customs:

Do not take photographs of anything to do with the military. Homosexuality, although legal, is frowned upon. Visitors should avoid wearing any native Indian clothing as this will be seen as insulting, regardless of intention.

Business:

Business in Peru centres on the capital, Lima. Business is usually conducted in a formal and somewhat conservative manner, and it is worth noting that a business visa is needed from a local Peruvian Consulate. Dress should be formal, with suits and ties the norm. Titles and surnames are usually used upon greeting, and handshakes are standard for men and women. Business cards are usually exchanged and it is useful to have them printed in Spanish on one side. Although English is fairly common, it will be an advantage to have business materials translated into Spanish; an effort to speak Spanish will be well received. Women may encounter some sexism. Punctuality is important, although meetings are not likely to begin on time. Business hours can vary but are usually from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Some businesses can close for siesta from 1pm to 3pm.

Communications:

The international access code for Peru is +51, and the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the UK). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)1) for Lima. A mobile phone operator provides a GSM 1900 network with coverage limited to major towns and cities. Peru is well connected to the Internet with a proliferation of inexpensive Internet kiosks, called cabinas pública, available on street corners in most towns and cities.

Duty Free:

Travellers to Peru over 15 years old do not have to pay duty on 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 50g of tobacco; 2kg of food maximum; 3 bottles of alcoholic beverages not exceeding 2.5 litres; and gifts to the value of US$300. Items such as sausages, salami, ham and cheese may only be brought in if accompanied by an original sanitary certificate. The import of ham from Italy and Portugal is prohibited. The export of cultural or artistic items from the country is not permitted.

Health

View information on diseases: Yellow fever, Cholera

Yellow fever

Cause: The yellow fever virus, an arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus. Transmission: Yellow fever in urban and some rural areas is transmitted by the bite of infective Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and by other mosquitoes in the forests of south America. The mosquitoes bite during daylight hours. Transmission occurs at altitudes up to 2,500 metres. Yellow fever virus infects humans and monkeys. In jungle and forest areas, monkeys are the main reservoir of infection, with transmission from monkey to monkey carried out by mosquitoes. The infective mosquitoes may bite humans who enter the forest area, usually causing sporadic cases or small outbreaks. In urban areas, monkeys are not involved and infection is transmitted among humans by mosquitoes. Introduction of infection into densely populated urban areas can lead to large epidemics of yellow fever. In Africa, an intermediate pattern of transmission is common in humid savannah regions. Mosquitoes infect both monkeys and humans, causing localized outbreaks. Nature of the disease: Although some infections are asymptomatic, most lead to an acute illness characterized by two phases. Initially, there is fever, muscular pain, headache, chills, anorexia, nausea and/or vomiting, often with bradycardia. About 15% of patients progress to a second phase after a few days, with resurgence of fever, development of jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and haemorrhagic manifestations; half of these patients die 10-14 days after onset of illness.

Geographical distribution: The yellow fever virus is endemic in some tropical areas of Africa and central and south America. The number of epidemics has increased since the early 1980s. Other countries are considered to be at risk of introduction of yellow fever due to the presence of the vector and suitable primate hosts (including Asia, where yellow fever has never been reported). Risk for travellers: Travellers are at risk in all areas where yellow fever is endemic. The risk is greatest for visitors who enter forest and jungle areas. Prophylaxis (protective treatment): Vaccination. In some countries, yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for visitors. Precautions: Avoid mosquito bites during the day as well as at night.

Endemic Countries: The World Health Organization considers the following countries to be endemic for yellow fever: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkino Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guyana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Venezuela. Source: WHO.

Cholera

Cause: Vibrio cholerae bacteria, serogroups O1 and O139. Transmission: Infection occurs through ingestion of food or water contaminated directly or indirectly by faeces or vomit of infected persons.

Cholera affects only humans; there is no insect vector or animal reservoir host. Nature of the disease: An acute enteric (intestine) disease varying in severity. Most infections are asymptomatic (i.e. do not cause any illness). In mild cases, diarrhoea occurs without other symptoms. In severe cases, there is sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhoea with nausea and vomiting and rapid development of dehydration. In severe untreated cases, death may occur within a few hours due to dehydration leading to circulatory collapse.

Geographical distribution: Cholera occurs mainly in poor countries with inadequate sanitation and lack of clean drinking water and in war-torn countries where the infrastructure may have broken down. Many developing countries are affected, particularly those in Africa and Asia, and to a lesser extent those in central and south America. Risk for travellers: The risk of cholera is very low for most travellers, even in countries where cholera epidemics occur. Humanitarian relief workers in disaster areas and refugee camps are at risk.

Prophylaxis (protective treatment): Oral cholera vaccines for use by travellers and those in occupational risk groups are available in some countries. Precautions: As for other diarrhoeal diseases. All precautions should be taken to avoid consumption of potentially contaminated food, drink and drinking water. Oral rehydration salts should be carried to combat dehydration in case of severe diarrhoea. Source: WHO.

Contacts

Visa Agencies

Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com
Tourism
PROMPERU (Commission for the Promotion of Peru), Lima: +51 (0)1 224 3279 or www.peru.info

Peru Embassies

Peruvian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 833 9860.
Peruvian Embassy, London, United Kingdom (also responsible for Ireland): +44 (0)20 7235 1917/2545.
Peruvian Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 238 1777.
Peruvian Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6273 7351.
Peruvian Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 346 8744.
Peruvian Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 499 8087.

Foreign Embassies in Peru

United States Embassy, Lima: +51 (0)1 434 3000.
British Embassy, Lima: +51 (0)1 617 3000.
Canadian Embassy, Lima: +51 (0)1 444 4015.
Australian Consulate-General, Lima: +51 (0)1 222 8281.
South African Embassy, Lima: +51 (0)1 440 9996.
Honorary Consul of Ireland, Lima: +51 (0)1 273 2903.
New Zealand Consulate, Lima: +51 (0)1 422 7491.

Peru Emergency Numbers

Emergencies: 011/5114

Airports

Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM)

Location: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) north west of Lima.
Time: Local time is GMT –5.
Contacts: Switchboard: +51 (1) 517 3100. Flight Information: +51 (1) 595 0666.
Transfer to the city: Taxis can be found outside the international flights terminal. Buses and minibuses also service the city centre, but their stops are outside the airport gates on Avenida Faucett. They travel to the city, stopping along the main avenues.
Car rental: Car rental companies include Hertz, Budget and National.
Facilities: Facilities at the airport include banks, bureaux de change, ATMs, a post office, public telephones, a couple of restaurants, shops, left luggage and a tourist information desk. There are disabled facilities; those with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking:
Departure Tax: US$30.25 or the equivalent in soles (international).
Website: www.lap.com.pe

Climate

Lima has a mild climate, although it is situated in the tropics, and rain in the city is almost unheard of. The weather in Lima is influenced by the cold offshore Humboldt Current, which ensures that summer temperatures hover in the low to mid 60's Fahrenheit (16-18ºC), and only a few degrees lower in June and July. Humidity in the city is very high, and as a result fog is often present, especially between May and November.

Forecast | Maps | Radar

Passport & Visa

Visa Agencies:

Avoid the stress and queues, get a visa agency to arrange your visa.
Travel Visa Pro, San Francisco, USA. 1-888-470-8472 or www.TravelVisaPro.com
Global Visas, London, UK. 0207 190 3903 or www.globalvisas.com

Entry requirements for Americans: US nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for UK nationals: British nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for Australians: Australian nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealand nationals do not require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals do not require a visa for a touristic stay of up to 90 days. Extensions up to 30 days are possible. A valid passport is needed.

Passport/Visa Note: All travellers require return or onward tickets, all documents required for onward travel and proof of funds. It is recommended that all foreign passports are valid for at least six months after arrival. If travelling for business purposes, a visa is required. Visas cannot be obtained on arrival.

Note: Passport and visa requirements are liable to change at short notice. Travellers are advised to check their entry requirements with their embassy or consulate.