Peru general information and traveler useful tips.

CAPITAL Lima

AREA 1.3 million sq km

POPULATION 25 million

LANGUAGE Spanish and Quechua

CURRENCY Neuvo Sol

TIME GMT -5 hours

TELEPHONE CODES 00 51

ELECTRICITY 220V, 60Hz

WHY GO
Peru is a land of contrasts encompassing white sandy deserts on the southern coast, breath-taking highlands in the Altiplano and lush jungles in the interior home to the country's greatest attraction: the Inca city of Machu Picchu.

WHAT TO DO
Peru plays host to three astonishing spectacles, none of which are for the faint-hearted: the ruins of Machu Picchu, the prehistoric Nazca Lines and the giant condors of the Andean Colca Canyon. The four-day Inca Trail, meanwhile, is a giant among treks, taking you through Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, to the Gate of the Sun and on to Machu Picchu. The ruins can also be reached by train or by helicopter, all from Cuzco, 70km to the south.

Also worth a look are the Nazca Lines, giant runways and pictographs of a monkey, a whale, a condor and an astronaut, measuring as much as 200 metres across, which have been etched in the burning desert. And be sure to visit the white city of Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, which at twice the depth of the Grand Canyon is said to be the deepest ravine in the world.

TRAVEL TIPS
Consult your doctor before you travel. No immunisations are necessary, but the further down the beaten track you go, the more sensible it is to take precautions.

WEATHER
Peru's climate can be divided into two seasons - wet and dry - though this can vary depending on the region. Temperature is mostly influenced by elevation: the higher you climb, the cooler it becomes.
Peru's peak tourist season is from June to August, which is the dry season in the Andean highlands. It's also the best time to go if you're interested in hiking or mountain climbing. While travelers visit the highlands year-round, the wettest months, December to March, make trekking a muddy proposition. Many of the major fiestas occur around this time and continue undiminished in spite of heavy rain.
On the coast, Peruvians visit the beach during the sunny, humid months from late December through March. The rest of the year, the coast is clothed in mist. In the eastern rain forests, it naturally rains a lot. The wettest months are December to May, but travelers visit year-round; it rarely rains for more than a few hours at a time and there's plenty of sunshine to enjoy.

The coastal region of Peru is cool for its latitude, and quite dry year-round. Temperatures are warmest during the summer months (January to March), with hot and humid days of around 29°C (84°F) and cool nights of just below 20°C (68°F). Winters are not too cold, but frequent low cloud may cause some to pine for sunshine. Inland, the temperature drops substantially, with less seasonal variation during the day - average highs are about 21°C (70°F) throughout the year and winter nights are chilly, particularly at higher elevations. There is also a moderate wet season here from December until May.
Changing Your Money

The easiest currency to exchange is the US dollar. Other currencies are only exchangeable in major cities and tourist centers, often at a higher commission or lower rate. Money can be changed in banks, casas de cambio (currency-exchange houses), first-class hotels or with street changers. Casas de cambio are usually the easiest places to change money. Street changers, who hang out near banks, never offer better rates than the best bank rate and have been known to cheat travelers with counterfeit bills, so are best avoided. Rates vary from place to place but not significantly, unless you try to change money at a hotel, which may charge a high commission. Travelers checks are rarely accepted and are changed at a slightly lower rate than cash.

Money Tips

Costs in Peru are lower, on average, than those in developed countries, but higher than those in many neighboring countries. Lima and Cuzco are the most expensive. If you're on a tight budget, you can scrape by on around US$15.00 to US$25.00 a day, but if you want to stay in a bit more comfort and eat out at restaurants, you'll have a better time on around US$50.00 a day.

Sample Price Guide

bottle of Cusqueña beer
US$ 1.50
local phone call
US$ 0.15
flight between most cities
US$ 95.00
litre of petrol
US$ 1.00
1l of bottled water
US$ 0.90
souvenir t-shirt
US$ 5.00
short taxi ride (not in Lima)
US$ 1.00

Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
US$2-5 US$5-10 US$10-25 US$25+

Tipping
A combination of taxes and service charges are added to bills in the best hotels and restaurants and can total as much as 28%. Those towards the budget and mid-range end of the spectrum don't add taxes. Tipping is not expected in cheaper restaurants. A tip of 10% is fine in upmarket restaurants if a service charge has not already been added to the bill. Taxi drivers are not tipped - bargain hard beforehand and stick to your price. Local guides and porters should be tipped. Bargaining is a way of life in markets.

Currency
Banknotes are issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 nuevos soles.
Coins are issued in 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 céntimos (cents), and 1, 2, and 5 nuevos soles. There are 100 céntimos in one nuevo sole.

Visas: Most travellers visiting Peru on holiday do not need visas. Those travelling on business will need a business visa.

Public holidays: New Year's Day; Maundy Thursday; Good Friday; Labour Day; St. Peter and St. Paul Day (29 June); 30 June; Independence (28/29 July); St Rose of Lima Day (30 Aug); Battle of Angamos (8 Oct); All Saints' Day; Immaculate Conception; Christmas; New Year?s Eve.

Good buys: Local arts and crafts, particularly weavings, ceramics, woollen clothing and jewellery.

Local dishes: Typical food includes lomo saltado (chopped steak fried with onions), cebiche de corvina (white sea bass marinated in lemon, chilli and onions, often served cold with a boiled potato or yam), and sopa a la criolla (a lightly spiced noodle soup with beef, egg, milk and vegetables). An Inca delicacy, often on the menu in the highlands, is roast guinea pig.

Funny fact: The national soft drink Inca Kola outsells Coca Cola in Peru.