Peru Travel Guide Information

While traveling to Peru you'll find the most spectacular landscapes of South America, trekking the Andes mountains brings you face-to-face with Inca and Andean natives who still speak the native Peruvian language of Quechua. Peru is South America’s 4th most populous country and its culture is still heavily rooted in Amerindian and Spanish traditions.

Tourists booking Peru flights and tours get more than they hoped for and that’s a very good thing when it comes to this South American country. Its most popular destination, Machu Picchu, still embraces the Inca legacies and remains one of the great mysteries of South America. Archeologists have recovered more than 50 burial sites and 100 skeletal remains in Machu Picchu. While the debate over whether Machu Picchu was a forgotten city during a time of Spanish conquest, or a royal retreat before the Spanish invasion, tourists still flock to the Peruvian city for a glimpse at its archeological stonework and clues to its mysterious past.

The coast is generally sunny and hardly ever receives any rain, but from April to November there is a heavy sea mist. The highlands have a wet season (October to April) and a dry season (May to September), when the days are clear and sunny but very cold at night especially at altitude.

When is the best time to Fly to Peru

The Andes divides Peru in two and the Amazon jungle is in the east of the country. It enjoys great variation in temperatures. On the coast, there is a hot and cold season. The hot season extends from the middle of November to the end of March. The cold season runs from the end of April until mid-November. Humidity is high.

Peru Travel Peak Season - The best time to visit Peru really depends on where you intend to go. The coast, including Lima, is best seen during the summer months (December to March).

When traveling to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, visit between May and September. This is the dry season. For jungle treks, visit between May and September.

About Getting Around Peru - Tourists have several options when booking Peru flights. Several airlines fly domestically including Aerocondor Peru, the country’s oldest airline, which connects 11 cities including Lima, Arequipa and Iquitos.

Star Peru airline links nine cities including Lima, Trujillo and Chiclayo. LC Busre flies between Lima and Huanuco, Huaraz, Jauja, Andahuaylas, Atalaya, Ayacucho and Cajamarca.

Peru Rail offers travel to Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa and Colca Canyon. There are luxury trains such as the Hiram Bingham, which travels between Cusco and Machu Picchu, while the Vistadome runs between Cusco-Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu. Backpacker carriages are for nofrill traveller and are available on the following routes: Cusco-Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu and Cusco-Lake Titicaca.

Peru Bus Travel - there are several private bus companies offering low-fare service throughout Peru including Ormeno and Cruz del Sur.

Renting a car in Peru is easy, companies like Budget and Avis are just two recognizable companies operating in Peru. The following chart gives approximate journey times from Lima (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Peru.

Peru Travel Insider Information

• Gocta Falls at 2,532 feet high is the third-highest waterfall (after Angel Falls, Venezuela, and Tugela Falls, South Africa) in the world, although this is open to some dispute. It is in the upper Amazon basin and was “discovered” only in the past couple of years. It is said that local people kept the falls’ existence a carefully guarded secret because they feared the wrath of a beautiful mermaid who lived there.
• The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are very popular, but a lesser-known jewel is Choquequirao, one of South America’s best-preserved Inca cities, near Cusco. Choquequirao is where Inca royalty fled following the Spanish Conquest. Only a third of the site has been excavated so far.
• In Lima, the San Francisco Monastery and Church (Iglesia de San Francisco) is an interesting place to visit. It is most famous for its catacombs, which house the bones of tens of thousands of bodies. The very well preserved building was built by the Spanish and dates from the late 1600s.
• The city of Puno is on the edge of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Inca legend has it that Manco Capac, the first Inca, rose from the lake to establish the Inca Empire. Puno, at 12,628 feet, is known as the “folkloric capital of Peru” because of its rich artistic and cultural traditions. It has more than 300 ethnic dances. The most famous dance is the Diablada, which is performed during the feast of the Virgin of Candelaria in February. During this time, the women dance to petition and thank the Virgin Mary. According to 17th-century legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to workers at a local silver mine and later rescued the city from enemies. Watch out for the women’s costumes: bowler hats, colorful shawls and heavy skirts.

About Peru Airports - Tourists booking flights to Peru will arrive in either Lima or Bolivia.

Jorge Chávez International Airport Lima (LIM) is 10 miles northwest of the city center (travel time – 25 minutes).

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

Peru Passports and Visas - A return or onward ticket to a next destination, and proof of funds is required by all travelers. All foreign visitors must have a passport that is valid at least six months after arrival.

Peru Entry Requirements - U.S. visitors do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. A valid passport is needed.