10 Things to Know Before Visiting Peru

Everything different in Peru? Anyone travelling to South America for the first time will notice that many things work quite differently from back home. Here's an overview of 10 things you should know before a trip to Peru.

Never drink tap water in Peru under any circumstances – neither in Lima nor in the interior of the country! The „drinking water“ from the tap is not of the same quality as tap water back home – anyone who drinks it is very likely to end up with an upset stomach. You should always buy drinking water in bottles. Well-known brands, available in all supermarkets, small stalls and kiosks, include San Mateo, San Luis, Cielo and Vida. Make sure the seal on the cap is still intact. If you have no way of buying drinking water, you should boil the tap water first. After that it is safe to drink. Brushing your teeth and washing with tap water is perfectly fine, and accidentally swallowing small amounts of tap water is nothing to worry about.

As hygiene standards may differ from what you're used to, you should avoid food from street stalls or smaller restaurants during your first few days in Peru. Make sure to wash fruit and vegetables carefully, or better still, peel them. Don't worry: don't let concerns about hygiene standards spoil your anticipation of Peru's culinary highlights! Once you've got used to Peruvian cuisine, countless delicacies are waiting to be discovered. It's often the unassuming restaurants and street stalls that serve up the most delicious Peruvian dishes at unbeatably low prices!

As a tour operator, for legal reasons we are unfortunately not permitted to give specific vaccination recommendations. We therefore advise you to consult your GP or a qualified travel health specialist in good time before your trip. You can find a summary of the recommended vaccinations through official travel health resources.

Important: there are no vaccination requirements for entering Peru directly from Europe. However, a yellow fever vaccination may be required if you are arriving from a yellow fever area (e.g. one of Peru's neighbouring countries, except Chile) or if you plan to travel to the Amazon region. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a yellow fever vaccination for all travellers. This should be done at least 10 days before departure. A single vaccination is enough to protect you against the virus for life. Even so, you should still wear mosquito-proof clothing in rural areas. We recommend getting vaccinated back home rather than locally at mass vaccination points. You should carry proof, such as a note in your vaccination certificate, showing that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever.

Tip: German internist and tropical medicine specialist Dr Hinrich Sudeck has compiled extensive advice on travel-related medicine and health, which you can use to read up further on country-specific considerations (e.g. in the tropics) before you set off.

On the whole, you should take the same precautions in Peru as you would anywhere else when travelling, since pickpockets can lurk in large crowds. It's better to keep several cards and notes in different wallets and in different places rather than carrying a lot of cash all at once. Above all, you should keep your passport somewhere safe (such as a hotel safe), as in the event of loss it can only be reissued by the embassy in Lima. Officially you must always be able to identify yourself with a passport in Peru, but if you are stopped for an identity check, a form of ID is usually enough for the Peruvian police. This does not apply at international borders, however – here you must always have your passport to hand. For domestic travel, it's best to ask a local for advice before exploring unfamiliar areas on your own. In the unlikely event that you really are robbed or threatened, hand your valuables over to the thieves without resistance. This way you avoid provoking aggressive behaviour – your health is more important than your camera or a few banknotes. While caution is sensible, you shouldn't restrict yourself too much out of sheer over-caution. Peru is a beautiful country that is definitely worth exploring! If you're still unsure, it's best to join other travellers or larger groups.

When you want to buy a service or a product in South America, you can always haggle over the price – whether at the market, when buying souvenirs, or even when taking a taxi. If you like something, always ask first: „Cuánto cuesta?“ (How much does it cost?). Every trader, vendor or taxi driver will initially quote you a price that's too high, which you can then haggle over. Next you can ask: „A cuánto me lo deja?“ (And how much will you let me have it for?). The seller will then give you a lower price. You can then in turn offer the seller an even lower price and see whether they go for it. In many cases they will. To get a better sense of your room for negotiation, you should, if possible, ask a local roughly what a product or a taxi ride costs. Many people back home find it embarrassing to haggle over a few soles, because they're not used to doing so at home. In Peru, however, haggling is part of the culture. Locals often haggle over taxi fares too. With more expensive products, such as alpaca clothing or jewellery, there's usually more room to negotiate.

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Police officers and people in public office, including doctors in public hospitals, are more likely to look after a patient if that person tips them generously in advance. In some parts of Peru, especially in the capital Lima, the cost of living is almost as high as back home. Even so, many police officers, doctors and teachers earn just the minimum wage of around 450 euros a month, which is why they need extra money. Male officials in particular have a reputation for being corrupt – this is one reason why many of the traffic police in the „Escuadrón Fénix“ special unit are women. Paying a bribe to police officers or other people is a criminal offence and the consequences are often unpredictable. If, as a tourist, you find yourself in a situation where you need police help or have to deal with public authorities, seek help from locals if you can. Important: under normal circumstances, as a tourist you won't end up in a situation where you have to bribe a police officer or other official. Even so, it's good to know that society is unfortunately riddled with corruption in many areas. It may help you understand why many Peruvians have so little trust in officials and state institutions. After all, cases such as the Odebrecht scandal keep coming to light, in which even very senior officials are accused of – and found guilty of – corruption.

From a European perspective, traffic in Peruvian cities is a colourful chaos of various means of transport. This is mainly because there is no publicly coordinated local transport network. However, in Lima and other cities there are private bus companies that run set routes. Since 2010 Lima has also had a public bus line (the Metropolitano), which runs from Lima's city centre to the south-west (Chorrillos). If you want to take the bus, you should ask a local beforehand how best to get from A to B – there are no route maps or fixed timetables. To stop a bus (in Spanish: „Micro“, „Combi“ or simply „Carro“), you just need to go to a bus stop („Paradero“) and wave down the one you need. Bus fares cost between one and two soles depending on the distance. Most buses in Peru have, besides a driver, another person on board called a „Cobrador“ („fare collector“). This person collects the fares and calls out the route from the window at the stops. It's best to ask the Cobrador before boarding whether the bus goes to your destination. They will also let you know, if you ask, once you've reached it. If you don't know your way around, if it's dark, or if you have an important appointment, it's usually worth taking a taxi – it's safer and quicker. Booked taxis are especially safe (recommended for journeys through poorer neighbourhoods or when you're pressed for time, e.g. to the airport). These are only a little more expensive than taxis hailed on the street.

Awareness of environmentally friendly behaviour is considerably lower in Peru than back home. In Peruvian supermarkets, ten purchased items are split across two or three plastic bags at the checkout, plastic and glass bottles as well as aluminium cans carry no deposit, and organic waste is not recycled separately. On top of this, many people carelessly throw their rubbish onto the street – even from moving intercity buses. What's more, the waste water of this metropolis of 10 million is treated by just two treatment plants – most of it still reaches the sea untreated. In the wealthier districts of the big cities everything is very clean and tidy, but as soon as you reach the outskirts of the cities, the so-called Pueblos Jóvenes, or remote places in the interior, this impression can change radically. Sadly, cases keep coming to light in which mining companies discharge traces of mercury or cyanide into rivers and lakes, poisoning entire stretches of land and their populations. It will take a while yet before any visible change occurs, but fortunately awareness of environmental problems in Peru has already been growing in the public consciousness for some years. In national parks in particular, great care is taken to ensure that nothing is polluted. If you really want to do some good, leading by example works wonders here as always: take your own bag, or even a rucksack or cloth bag, when you go shopping instead of accepting the individual bags, and enjoy the – often very positive – astonishment of the other shoppers.

Travellers' diarrhoea: During your first one to two weeks in Latin America, you're more likely to get stomach upsets or diarrhoea. This phenomenon is called „travellers' diarrhoea“ and comes down to the fact that Latin America is home to different bacteria and pathogens than Europe, and that you're eating unfamiliar food. If your condition hasn't improved after two to three days, you should see a doctor. Otherwise the rule is: rest and drink plenty to replace the fluids you've lost. Charcoal tablets help too!

Altitude sickness: Altitude sickness can affect anyone – whether old or young, sporty or unfit, smoker or non-smoker. Normally the symptoms of mild altitude sickness show up as severe tiredness, headaches and occasionally slight nausea. It's best to buy medication for altitude sickness locally. Drinking plenty, resting, descending or the delicious coca tea usually help too. As a precaution, it's advisable not to drink alcohol, to get plenty of sleep and to eat only light meals. Slowly acclimatising to the altitude is essential! You can get further important information from official travel health resources and your doctor. We are not medical professionals – if you have known pre-existing conditions such as anaemia, it's best to ask your doctor for advice.

Alcohol: In Peru, alcohol is only permitted in private spaces or in bars. Anyone drinking alcohol on the street or in a park will be cautioned and may even face a fine. Coca: Coca leaves are mainly grown, sold and consumed in the Peruvian highlands and are largely harmless – in fact they're good against altitude sickness! They are part of the culture of the Andean people, who regularly meet to chew coca together. Coca tea, brewed from only lightly dried leaves, is a popular drink that you should definitely try. Unfortunately, exporting coca leaves and other coca products back home is not permitted. Hard drugs: The „real drugs“ such as cocaine, marijuana and others are illegal in Peru. To avoid any trouble with the police, you should stay well away from these drugs!

Peru's national currency is called the „Nuevo Sol“. The Nuevo Sol is generally hard to get hold of back home. In every Peruvian town there are exchange offices where money (both euros and dollars) can be changed. In general, you should make sure to have small notes with you, as large ones are only reluctantly accepted. Credit card holders can use cash machines throughout the country. With a debit card, however, you'll usually get a better exchange rate. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted and therefore often, though not always, offer an alternative to cash. With some travel-friendly cards you'll pay withdrawal fees almost nowhere. You can find the current exchange rate at www.oanda.com. Paying in cash is always the most straightforward option. Please be sure to contact your bank before departure to check how your card can be used in your destination country. In Peru itself you should try to have as few notes over 50 soles as possible, since even 100 soles (around 25–30 euros) can cause a change problem in smaller shops.

Curious about the secrets of Peru? Dive into Peru's fascinating culture and breathtaking scenery with our carefully crafted itineraries.

If you're planning to visit Peru, it's important to choose the right time for your trip to make the most of your stay. Find out more here: Best Time to Visit Peru