Useful Informaticon


Orientation
Peru is located on the central west coast of South America. Its neighboring countries are: Ecuador and Colombia to the N; Chile to the S; Brazil and Bolivia to the E; and the Pacific Ocean to the W. It is the third largest country in South America, with a surface area of 1 285 215,6 km2 (larger than France, Spain, and Germany combined) distributed approximately in the following manner: 12% coastal territory, 28% Andean highlands and 60% Amazon jungle. Its capital, Lima, is located in the coastal area, where the country's greatest economic activities take place.

Electricity

Power voltage in Peru is 220 Volts AC, 60 Hz. Most modern electrical appliances do not need adapters since they will accept both 110 as well as 220 AC voltages. Please make sure to check the voltage options of those artefacts you intend to take with you during your trip, such as hair dryers, battery chargers, notebooks and lap tops, video cameras, etc. Most of these do not usually need a special adapter, but it is important that you make sure of that before leaving your country of origin in order not to have to buy special 110 V / 220 V AC adapters, which, however, can be found in the local market here in Peru.

Water

Tap water in most of Peru is potable, but the chemical content varies from place to place. To avoid problems, we recommend you to always drink bottled water.

Language

The official languages of Peru are Spanish, spoken by 73% of the population, and Quechua spoken by 24% of Peruvians. English is widely spoken in hotels and shops.

Currency

Peru's official currency is the Sol ; its symbol is (S/) The denominations in circulation are bills of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 nuevos soles; coins of 1, 2, and 5 soles; and coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 céntimos of a sol. US$ are widely accepted. At the moment, US$ 1.00 is worth around 3.50 Soles.

Yellow fever inoculation requirements

Yellow fever inoculation is recommended for travel to Peruvian Jungle. Get your vaccine at least 10 days before your arrival. You must bring your yellow fever inoculation certificate with you to prove to the airport officials in Puerto Maldonado that you are vaccinated.

Peruvian gastronomy

Peruvian cuisine is highly varied and spicy. Some of our typical dishes are: "cebiche" (raw fish marinated in lemon juice), "aji de gallina" (de-boned chicken cooked in a milk and aji sauce), and "anticuchos" (shish kebabs of beef heart and meat), apart from the typical dishes from each region. Be sure to try "Pisco Sour", Peru's typical mixed drink prepared with pisco, lemon, egg white and sugar.

Temperature

Being such a geographically diverse country within the tropical belt, the weather in Peru is determined both by altitude and season.

Coast (Ica, Chiclayo, Lima, Piura, Trujillo, Tumbes) Northern region: warm year-round with highs of up to 35°C in the summer. Central and southern regions: two well-defined seasons, winter between April and October, and summer between November and March. Highlands (Ancash, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Puno) This region has two seasons, dry season between April and rainy season between November and March. Rainforest (Iquitos, Madre de Dios, Manu) High rainforest (over 2,300 feet asl): has a temperate, subtropical climate with abundant rainfall.

We recommend

Use comfortable shoes the whole time during walking tours.
Take lots of liquids during long excursions.
In Manu, have, at least, a set of dry clothes in your room.

Altitude

Lima: Sea level, 54 m.a.s.l.
Nazca: 588 m.a.s.l.
Paracas: Sea level, 5 m.a.s.l.
Cusco: 3360 m.a.s.l.
Machu Picchu: 2400 m.a.s.l.
Urubamba Valley: 2850 m.a.s.l.
Arequipa: 2350 m.a.s.l.
Puno: 3860 m.a.s.l.
Puerto Maldonado: 183 m.a.s.l.
Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone: 200 m.a.s.l.

Time zone

Peruvian time is five hours past Greenwich Mean Time and is similar to Eastern Standard Time in the United States (except when the U.S. goes on daylight savings time from April to October).

Important
We reserve the right to make changes to the order of the trip, without prior notice, due to changes in climate conditions, river water levels, flight or bus arrival and departure times or any other reason relevant to the best development of the trip.