Peru Travel Tips

Social Conventions
Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Visitors should follow normal social courtesies and the atmosphere is generally informal. A small gift from a company or home country is sufficient. Dress is usually informal, although for some business meetings and social occasions men wear a jacket and tie.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
The national airlines are Lan Perú (LP) (website: www.lan.com) and Taca Perú (TA) (website: www.taca.com). There are no direct flights from London; however, airlines with regular services to Peru include Air Canada, Air Madrid, Alitalia, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Continental, Iberia, KLM, Lacsa and United Airlines.

Air Passes
Visit South America Pass: This must be bought outside South America in the visitor’s country of residence and allows unlimited travel to 34 cities in the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile (except Easter Island), Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Participating airlines include Aer Lingus (EI), American Airlines (AA), British Airways (BA), Cathay Pacific (CX), Finnair (AY), IBERIA (IB), LAN-Chile (LA) and Qantas (QF). A minimum of three flights must be booked, with no maximum; the maximum stay is 60 days, with no minimum, and prices depend on the amount of flight zones covered. Children under 12 years of age are entitled to a 33% discount and infants (under two years old) only pay 10% of the adult fare. For further details, contact one of the participating airlines.

Departure Tax
US$28 from Lima’s airport. Transit passengers and children under two years of age are exempt. Payment must be paid in cash prior to boarding.

Main Airports
Lima (LIM) (Jorge Chávez International Airport (website: www.lap.com.pe) is 16km (10 miles) northwest of the city center (journey time – 25 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxis to the city center are available. Facilities: Duty-free and handicrafts shop, banks/bureaux de change, left luggage, pharmacy, medical center, Internet cafe, car hire, coffee shops, bars and restaurants and tourist information.

Cusco (CUZ), located in the south, receives flights from La Paz (Bolivia).

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Callao and San Martin. Some international cruises occasionally call at Callao.

Getting There by Road
The main international highway is the Pan-American Highway running north–south through the coastal desert of Peru from Tumbes to Tacna.

Coach: Transport from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela is available through companies like Bus Tas Choapa Internacional, Empresa Paraguaya de Transporte, Ormeño, El Rápido and Rutas de América. It is also possible to go from La Paz in Bolivia to Puno on Lake Titicaca (south Peru).

Overview
The following items may be imported by visitors over 18 years of age into Peru without incurring customs duty:
 
• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
• Alcoholic beverages not exceeding 2.5l.
• A reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
• Gifts or new articles for personal use up to a value of US$300.
• 2kg of processed food.

If importing sausages, salami, ham or cheese, a sanitary certificate from the manufacturer is required.

Prohibited Imports
The import of raw ham from Italy and Portugal is prohibited.

Prohibited Exports
The export of artistic or cultural articles is prohibited.

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
Aerocóndor, Aviandina, LAN Perú, Star Up, Taca Perú and TANS handle virtually all domestic air traffic linking Lima to Andahuaylas, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cusco, Huánuco, Iquitos, Juliaca-Puno, Piura, Pucallpa, Puerto Maldonado, Tacna, Tarapoto, Trujillo, Tumbes and other cities. For information on internal flights, contact the Peruvian Corporation of Airports (Corpac) (website: www.corpac.gob.pe).

Getting Around by Water
Transportation is available between Pucallpa and Iquitos (journey time - approximately 5 days) and from Iquitos to the border with Brazil and Colombia (journey time - 2 to 3 days). However, river travel can be long and uncomfortable.

Getting Around by Rail
A tourist train operates services between Puno and Cusco and from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. There is a daytime connection from Puno and Juliaca to Cusco. From Cusco there is a daily train to Machu Picchu, which takes approximately 4 hours. There are also three major passenger services in Peru; these run between Arequipa, Puno and Cusco, Cusco and Machu Picchu and Lima and Huáncayo. Please remember that the trains between Arequipa and Puno and Puno to Cusco are the only means of transport for local people, therefore do not expect a luxury trip with good service. Fast and comfortable electric autovagons operate on some routes. There are no connections between Lima and Cusco. Always check for revised schedules. It is also possible to charter a train from Arequipa to Juliaca for groups of 40 or more.

For more information, contact Peru Rail in Lima (tel: (01) 444 5020/5; website: www.perurail.com).

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. The Central Highway connects Lima with La Oroya and Huancayo. From La Oroya there is a road connecting Cerro de Pasco, Huánuco, Tingo María and Pucallpa on the Ucayali River. Landslides are frequent in the rainy season (December to March), making for slow travel. The Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú and the Instituto Geográfico Nacional sell maps. Travel guides like Guía Toyota and Guía Inca del Perú include good road maps.

Bus: Operated extensively, providing a very cheap means of travel. Greyhound-type buses are operated by Cruz del Sur, Enlaces, Express Sud Americano, Ittsa, Oltursa, Ormeño, Perú Bus and many others. Quality of service varies according to prices.

Taxi: Many unlicensed taxis companies are in operation and visitors are advised to avoid these. They usually have a red and white taxi sign on the windscreen. Bright yellow taxis are registered with the Metropolitan Lima Taxi Service. These are the only taxis allowed in to downtown Lima. There are taxis at the main hotels and airports. Taxis do not have meters and fares should be agreed before departure (they are relatively inexpensive). There is an extensive and safe taxi service available by telephone in the main cities. Taxi fares increase by 35 to 50% after midnight and on holidays. Drivers do not expect tips.

Car hire: Major international firms have offices in Lima and provide service to all main cities.

Documentation: Foreign driving permits are valid for 30 days from the date of arrival. An International Driving Permit is required in case of longer stays. International driving permits in Peru can be obtained through the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú. All foreign vehicles must obtain the appropriate documentation from the National Automobile Association in their own country or on the Peruvian border before entering the country (in this case a 90-day permission will be obtained). You should always carry your driver’s license, a copy of your passport and, if the vehicle is hired, a copy of the rental contract.

Getting Around Towns and Cities
Public transport in Lima is provided by conventional buses and by minibuses (combis). The minimum rate is US$0.30. These operate from 0600 to 0000 on established routes; wherever possible, try to avoid using bus travel late at night.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Lima to other major cities/towns in Peru.

	Air	Road
Arequipa	1.25	14.00
Ica	-	4.00
Puno (Juliaca)	1.30*	24.00
Tumbes	1.30	18.00

Note: (a) Approximate travel times are given for travel by bus. (b)* Includes one stopover.


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