Travel Tips, Our specialists at Cultural Peru Tours have the knowledge and experience to help you organize every aspect of your adventure, however, some travelers like to do a little research on their own. This page contains some helpful tips designed to help you do just that. So what are you waiting for? Make tomorrow today. Let’s get started so you can get out and experience our big beautiful world for yourself. Cultural Peru offers you some Travel Tips, to make your travels perfect.

Travel Visa

Visa requirements change frequently and depend on your nationality and your destination. You may want to arrange these yourself or have your travel agent arrange them on your behalf. But citizens of most American and Western European countries do not require visas to enter Peru. Bolivians, Ecuadorians, Brazilians, and Chileans can enter certain regions of the country simply by presenting their national identification documents. The maximum authorized length of stay is 90 days. You can find information about Peruvian consulates and embassies abroad at Rree.gob.pe

Important information: It is very important to keep the migration card (Tarjeta Andina de Migración) that you receive at the border, until you cross the border again to return to your home country. Preferably, keep this paper safe together with your passport. All hotels you will be staying at make copies of this small document, and upon returning you must show this document at the border to leave the country. Therefore, we strongly advise you not to lose it.

Language

The official languages ​​in Peru are Spanish (80% of the population), Quechua (Andean and highland regions) and Aymara (on the Puno plateau). In addition, there are around 50 native languages. Most people working in tourism or providing tourist services speak English.

Market experience

How many years of experience does the Peruvian travel agency have? This might give you an impression of how much experience they have with travelers (although that doesn’t mean they are always improving their services. Many travel agencies in Peru maintain the same quality of service for several years).

Transparency

Does the tour company share all the information you need to know? Or is there hidden or unclear information, such as group size, food, restaurants visited, safety, or transportation? Does the tour include all the sites you want to see?

How much time do you get to visit each site? Does your tour just move quickly from site to site, or is there enough time to enjoy the sights and the guide’s stories?

Website

How about the website design? Does the structure, layout, and process help answer your questions quickly?

Is it easy to find important information? Can you choose different languages? Is the value proposition clearly communicated?

How was your initial contact?

Do they respond quickly, directly, and in a friendly manner if you need to contact them? Is there a bot to help you navigate the website or answer questions?

Do they care about you and your time instead of sending copy-pasted itineraries?

Team Introduction

Do they get to know your team on the website? It’s always good to know a little bit about “who” is behind the company rather than having an “About Us” that talks about “what” they stand for.

Payment Methods

How can I pay? Are there secure payment options offered via deposit, PayPal or credit card?

With this information you can separate a good from a bad travel agency in Peru. But what about tours in Cusco?

Terms and Cancellation Policies

Take a look at the terms and conditions and cancellation policies so you don’t end up with a bad surprise in case you can’t join a tour. Some travel agencies have strict policies where you won’t get a refund in case you change or cancel your travel plans 4 weeks before the tour starts.

This doesn’t mean that the travel agency is bad, but you just need to make sure that you know their policies so that you’re prepared. In regards to this, it’s important to mention that if you want to take a tour in Machu Picchu you won’t get a refund if the tickets are already purchased. This is due to the fact that they are not transferable to another person.

Currency and Payment Methods

The official currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.). The US dollar is accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels.

In Peru, in every city there are exchange houses to be able to exchange foreign money (US dollars and Euros). Always try to carry small bills/notes or coins, as larger bills/notes can be difficult to break in some places. ATMs are easy to find in the cities, so you don’t have to worry about taking out a large sum of money before your trip. To avoid any unnecessary stress, inform your bank of the dates and where you will be traveling. Also check with your bank for any fees or charges incurred when using foreign ATMs and swipe machines before you travel. The most widely accepted credit cards are: American Express, VISA, Diners Club and MasterCard. There are some limitations to the use of traveler’s checks in Peru, so check that they are accepted by establishments before purchasing them.

Electricity

In general, most outlets in Peru use 220 volts. Most 4- and 5-star hotels have outlets equipped for 110 volts. Most outlets use two types of plugs, shown below:

Health centers

We have good health facilities. There are enough hospitals and clinics providing adequate services, especially in major cities such as Lima, Cusco, Puno and Arequipa.

Vaccination

A yellow fever vaccine is highly recommended for travel to jungle cities. The vaccine should be administered at least 10 days before your trip to be effective. No other vaccines are required.

Data for Soroche or Altitude Sickness

To avoid altitude sickness, we suggest following these steps:

Do not exercise too much on the first day in high altitude areas.
Eat lightly for the first two days.
Drink plenty of water and high-energy drinks.
If you have any heart, respiratory or lung problems, consult your doctor.
We strongly recommend drinking plenty of coca tea. Drinking coca tea, in addition to chewing the leaves, increases the absorption of oxygen in the blood.

Baggage Restriction

Please note that there are luggage restrictions for the trip to Machu Picchu and the Peruvian Amazon. All passengers travelling on the train to Machu Picchu are only limited to 7kgs (15.5 lbs), so please do not bring unnecessary items. Of course, it is possible to store your luggage at your hotel in the Sacred Valley or Cusco. In case you do not return to the same hotel, we will make sure to safely transfer your luggage to your next hotel. When travelling to the Peruvian Amazon, you will need to leave some of your luggage at the lodges office in Puerto Maldonado, as it is not permitted to bring more than 10kg to the lodges.

How to call long distance to Peru

To dial from abroad, dial 00, then 51 (the Peru code) and then the city code: Lima 1, Cusco 84, Puno 51, Arequipa 54, and finally the phone number.

Dialing in Peru:
National calls (city to city): add zero before the city code.
Local calls (within the same city): dial only the number.
Emergency numbers:
Police: 105
Ambulance: 106
Fire department: 116

Tara’s recommendation Take a taxi

In Peru, in order to get a taxi you have to ask and then negotiate the price as taxis here do not have meters. If you are not sure how much you should pay, you can ask a local or hotel employee how much is a fair price. Taking an official taxi is safer than taking an unregistered taxi from the street. When in Lima, make sure you take a safe taxi, especially at night, either by asking your hotel or restaurant to call you. (Some registered and reputable taxi companies in Lima are Taxi Amigo – Tel. 01/349-0177, Taxi Móvil – Tel. 01/422-6890, Línea de Taxi – Tel. 01/330-2795) Taxi costs in Lima vary from 5 to 50 soles depending on the distance. A taxi from Miraflores to the city center should cost approximately 15 soles. For the other cities, take taxis with phone numbers on the top of the vehicles. In Arequipa, it is a good idea to call a taxi rather than flag one down, simply because it is the safest option. The price of a taxi in Cusco, Arequipa and Puno ranges from 3 to 5 soles.

Emergency Contact or Consultation

If you need to contact us for any reason, please call our local office in Cusco.

Cúltural Perú Tours
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 8pm local time (GMT -5).
Saturdays: 9am to 2pm
PERU: 00 + 51 84 258582
Cusco 24 Hour Emergency Phones: