What to Know Before Traveling to Peru
Hot Tips for Your Trip
South America is a beautiful country full of rich history and culture. However, it’s still considered a developing country, so there are a few things to keep in mind when traveling there. Read my blog post on my trip to Peru and Ecuador here.
Exchange dollars for the Peruvian currency, Soles, before going
Tip your guides!
Tipping at restaurants isn’t required but if the service was good, 10% is customary
Don’t forget travel insurance!
Carry cash, a lot of places don’t take credit card - find my blog post on packing for South America here
Don’t flush toilet paper - the sewer systems cannot handle paper
Don’t drink the tap water - you will get sick, it is not safe for travelers to drink. Also be wary of restaurants serving ice and ask if it was made with filtered water. You can read about my experience with contaminated ice in Cusco on my blog post about my trip
Food poisoning is common when traveling to Peru, try to only eat at the nicer restaurants or places with other travelers dining at them
A VISA isn’t required for Peru for travelers coming from the US
Consider getting the Yellow Fever vaccine if going to Amazon, the CDC recommends it for Manu National Park
Also consider getting Anti-Malarial pills if venturing to that part of Peru
Hepatitis A and Typhoid are highly recommended for travel to South America - find more info on CDC recommended vaccines for Peru here
The showers rarely have hot water, so learn to shower fast or in the middle of the day when no one else is showering
Don’t be afraid to bargain - I am personally terrible at bargaining but it’s an acquired skill
Learn some basic manners in Spanish, it means a lot to the local people
Temperature changes drastically in Cusco, pack accordingly - for more packing tips for South America, check out my packing list
Altitude sickness is common, Cusco is over 11,000 feet of elevation - drink tons of water and take prescribed Diamox in advance
Try Coca tea to beat altitude sickness, but don’t try bringing any leaves back to the US, it’s illegal
Book Machu Picchu in advance, they only allow a set number of visitors a day