Peru Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Kissing on one cheek between women and between women and men is common in coastal cities. 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 principal international airlines are Lan (LP) (website: www.lan.com) and Taca Perú (website: www.taca.com). There are no direct flights from London; however, airlines with regular services to Peru include Air Canada, American Airlines, Avianca, Continental, Iberia and KLM.

Departure Tax

US$30.25 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/bureau de change, left luggage, pharmacy, medical center, Internet cafe, car hire, coffee shops, bars and restaurants and tourist information.

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

Getting There By Water

Main ports: Callao and San Martín. Some international cruises occasionally call at Callao and Trujillo. Iquitos is the main river port and the major water route between Peru and Brazil.

Getting There By Rail

The only international rail service in Peru links the towns of Tacna in southern Peru and Arica, just over the border in northern Chile. The train makes one return trip daily.

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 (tel: (01) 431 1400; www.taschoapa.cl), El Rápido and Rutas de América. It is also possible to go from La Paz in Bolivia to Puno on Lake Titicaca (south Peru) by coach.

Duty Free

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.
• Gifts or new articles for personal use up to a value of US$300.
• 2kg of processed food.

Note: 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

LAN (www.lan.com), Star Peru (www.starperu.com), Taca (www.taca.com) and LC Busre (www.lcbusre.com.pe) 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. Flights to Huaraz are occasionally offered. For information on internal flights, contact the Peruvian Corporation of Airports (Corpac) (www.corpac.gob.pe).

Getting Around By Water

Transportation is available between Pucallpa and Iquitos (journey time - 4 to 7 days), Yurimaguas and Iquitos (journey time - 2 to 3 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 and apart from main routes, service is sporadic.

Getting Around By Rail

Peru Rail (tel: (01) 444 5020/5; website: www.perurail.com) runs comfortable tourist trains between Puno and Cusco and between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

Ferrocarril Central Andino (tel: (01) 226 6363; website: www.ferrocarrilcentral.com.pe or www.rrdc.com/op_peru_fcca.html) runs a twice-monthly tourist service on renovated trains between Lima and Huáncayo. This spectacular route is the second highest railway in the world (the highest being in Tibet).

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. The well-maintained Pan-American Highway runs down the length of Peru's coast, with intersecting highways running east into the mountains. Many mountain roads are unpaved, and almost all are badly potholed. Landslides are frequent in the mountains during 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 include good road maps. The minimum driving age is 18. There is no countrywide emergency breakdown number.

Bus: Operated extensively, providing a cheap means of travel. Greyhound-type buses are operated by numerous companies, the biggest of which are Cruz del Sur (tel: (01) 311 5050; www.cruzdelsur.com.pe) and Ormeño (tel: (01) 472 5000; www.grupo-ormeno.com.pe). Quality of service varies according to prices.

Taxi: Many unlicensed taxi companies are in operation and visitors are advised to avoid these. They usually have a red and white taxi sign on the windscreen. Licensed yellow taxis are the only cabs allowed in downtown Lima. Taxis do not have meters and fares should be agreed before departure (they are relatively inexpensive). Extensive and safe taxi services are available by telephone in main cities. Taxi fares increase by 35 to 50% after midnight and on vacations. Drivers do not expect tips.

Car hire: International firms have offices in all the major cities and bigger airports.

Documentation: Foreign driving permits are valid for 30 days from the date of arrival. An International Driving Permit is required for longer stays. Permits in Peru can be obtained through the Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú. All foreign vehicles must have documentation from their own national automobile association or obtain it on the Peruvian border before entering the country. 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), though they are overcrowded, sometimes dangerous and not particularly useful for tourists. 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 journey times (in hours and minutes) from Lima to other major cities/towns in Peru.

	Air	Road
Arequipa	1.25	14.00
Cusco	1.15	30.00
Puno (Juliaca)	1.30*	24.00
Tumbes	1.30	18.00

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