The capitol of the Republic of Peru is Lima, with a population of about 8 million. The country population is around 28 million.
Spanish is the official language of Peru; Quechua and Aymara are spoken in many highland regions by indigenous groups, and many lowland regions use a mixture of Spanish and Quechua. Most people working in the travel industry (airlines, hotels, etc.) speak English as a second language. You can usually get around in most of the common tourist locations; however knowing a little Spanish goes a long way, particularly in dealing with clerks at kiosks and in stores. If you don't know any Spanish, it's a good idea to bring along a phrase book.
The majority of Peruvians are Roman Catholic, but Protestants and Mormons are well established.
5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-5 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
220V is standard voltage in Peru, some four and five-star hotels also have 110V power available.
A passport and proof of onward passage are needed. Citizens from USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and from many countries visiting Peru as tourists do not need an advance visa. Others should contact the Peruvian Consulate in their country of residence to check visa requirements.
Your passport should be valid for at least six months after your date of arrival. Tourists may stay a maximum of 90 days; longer stays require an extension from the Peruvian immigration authorities (Migraciones).
All visitors fill out and receive a tourist-visa when entering the country. These short applications are provided on your flight to Peru or at border crossings. While traveling in Peru, keep your copy with your passport and present it to authorities when departing the country.
The international departure tax of $30.25 (as of April 2006) may be paid with dollars, its equivalent in soles or a combination of both. The departure tax on internal Peru flights is $6.05 (as of April 2006).
Peruvian currency is known as the NUEVO SOL, written as (S/). It comes in bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 nuevo soles, and coins of 5, 10,20, and 50 centimos, 1 sol, 2 soles, and 5 soles. The latest exchange rates can be found at http://www.xe.com/. US dollars are welcome at many shops, restaurants and service stations at the current exchange rate. When changing U.S. dollars, use new or undamaged bills, as torn, marked, or heavily crinkled bills are not accepted. It is recommended that you exchange money in hotels, banks, and authorized money exchange offices.
Most establishments accept major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club and American Express, but there is often an additional charge; you may want to inquire about this before ordering or purchasing anything with a credit card. Although they may be exchanged at banks and hotels, the use of traveler's checks as a form of payment is not as common; ask if they are accepted before using them. Many US credit card companies now make a surcharge on foreign usage, so consider using the automatic teller machines or specialty cards like the American Express Travelers’ Cheque card. NOTE, be careful when using ATM machines as some will give dollars that are unacceptable for money changing. It is best to request Peruvian currency.
If you have Peruvian currency left over at the end of your trip, you can exchange it for dollars at the airport or use it to pay your departure tax.
Most holidays are based around the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. The most important are:
Peru has a variety of climates according the area:
East (Oriente): The Amazon or Atlantic watershed begins in the Andean peaks, but the rainforest or eastern lowlands begins just below the cloud forest belt at an elevation of about 1200 feet and slopes gently northeastward to 300-400 feet above sea-level. The eastern lowlands are covered with dense tropical rainforest. It is always hot and humid in the jungle regions, with two seasons. In the Dry Season (May to November), days heat up to the high 80s or 90s, with occasional cool fronts bringing rain in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Daily rains characterize the Wet Season from December to April, though these are punctuated with periods of clear sunny weather. River levels in the lowlands are mostly affected by rainfall in the Andean tributaries. July is known for chilly evenings and the planet Venus lights up the Amazon River at this time of year.
The Andes (Montaña): Known as the backbone of South America, the Andes in Peru consist of two parallel ranges, the eastern and western cordilleras, extending from the northwest to the southeast, and comprising the second highest mountain range in the world. The mountains reach heights of 20,000 feet 160 miles inland from the Pacific. Most of Peru's Andes lie between 9,840 feet and 13,120 feet, with peaks separated by deep canyons. There are two seasons in the high sierra: in summer, from May to October, days are sunny; nights are cold and rain scarce. Rainfall is abundant from December to March. Temperatures in the highlands fluctuate between 35 and 68 degrees F.
Pacific Coast: Peru's dry coast is a narrow ribbon of desert between the Pacific Ocean and the steep foothills of the Andes. It rarely rains here, except every five to six years when the El Niño phenomenon takes place. The ocean's cool Humboldt Current brings rich sea and shore life to Peru's coast, but during an El Niño, the Humboldt Current is replaced by warm, low nutrient water, causing a rapid decline in the normally large fish populations and a subsequent decline in seabird populations, as well as rainfall in the normally dry coastal areas and droughts in the normally wet mountain areas further inland. It has been postulated that a strong El Niño led to the demise of the Moche, Chimu, and other pre-Columbian cultures in Peru.
Despite lying only 12 degrees from the Equator, the coast has two distinctive seasons: in the summer, from December to March, temperatures reach 80 degrees F. In the winter, from May to October, temperatures may fall to the low 50s amidst high humidity. Winter is typically a season of foggy mists (known as garúa) and drizzle. At the northern tip of coast, temperatures may climb to the high 90s.
For the latest health information and vaccine recommendations for Peru, contact your physician, travel clinic or visit the Center for Disease Control website: wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/regionTropicalSouthAmerica.aspx
51 country code.
01 city code for Lima.
84 city code for Cuzco.
54 city code for Arequipa.
74 city code for Chiclayo.
65 city code for Iquitos.
Most of the hotels have business center with easy and fast access to the Internet. In the five-stars you can find wireless Internet. Wherever you go, you will find an Internet cafe where you can check your email and surf the net.
Do not buy tours or tickets off the street vendors. This is risky. In Peru you will find a great number of tour operators and travel agents. Some are legitimate and provide very good service, others will disappoint or worse. Purchasing tours from an established operator with a physical office is much better than purchasing tours from someone on the street or in the airport arrival area. Our company, GreenTracks, Inc., is a professional tour operator with offices in Durango, Colorado and Iquitos, Peru. We can assist you with planning your Peru trip and provide tours and services in all regions of the country.
We cruise the rivers and use rainforest lodges in the richest rainforest regions of Peru. We also offer other natural history and cultural destinations. If you are planning to visit Iquitos, Tambopata, Manu National Park, Cuzco, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Chachapoyas and Kuelap, or any other desitination in Peru... contact us!