35 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

Peru is one of the most exciting and diverse destinations in South America, but it’s important to know what to expect before you go. These essential Peru travel tips will help you avoid surprises, stay safe, and make your trip as smooth as possible. Whether you’re heading to the mountains, the jungle, or the coast, a little preparation goes a long way.

From navigating public transport to understanding local customs, there are a few things that can really make a difference during your trip. Some advice may seem obvious, while other tips are the kind you only learn after traveling through the country firsthand.

So whether it’s your first time in Peru or you're just looking to travel smarter, this guide has you covered with practical advice to help you enjoy every step of your adventure.

Essential Peru Travel Tips: A Brief Intro

Before diving into all of our essential Peru travel tips, let's go over a bit about what it's like to travel in Peru.

 Is Peru a Good Tourist Destination?

Peru is an excellent tourist destination! It has stunning scenery, delicious food, and affordable prices making it the ultimate adventure destination.

This country is a place that is accessible for budget-travelers and luxury travels alike, offering a wide arrange of bucket-list activities. It's home to one of the world's most fascinating world wonders, and is one of those destinations where you can also find an incredible variety of landscapes to experience.

 Is Peru Easy to Travel Around?

Peru is a massive country, but luckily there are various options to get around for all types of travelers. From amazing train rides to budget-friendly overnight buses, and short flights, there are plenty of ways to explore this beautiful country.

 Is it Safe to Travel to Peru Right Now?

I personally love this question because my answer is typically different than the "travel advisory" sites, which often aim to dissuade travelers. Well, we're here to do the opposite.

South America has a bad rep for safety, and while it's no Scandinavia, it's also not nearly as dangerous as the media tries to portray.

Peru is a country you'll want to keep your eyes out in, but is perfectly safe if you travel wisely. We'll cover quite a few essential Peru travel tips that will cover how to stay safe and healthy during your travels.

Essential Peru Travel Tips

So are you ready to get a ton of essential Peru travel tips? We have everything from tips to getting around and staying connected to protecting yourself while there.

 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Getting There

First things first - let's get you to Peru in the easiest and most affordable way! Here are a couple of essential Peru travel tips for those wanting to get there on a budget.

1. Fly into Lima

Lima is the number one hub in Peru, and also a big one for South America! This means you can easily find affordable flights here. Oftentimes Lima is a big destination for layers, so chances are if you're coming from outside the country this will be your first stop. 

Pro Tip: Stay at least a day or two in Lima before flying elsewhere - it's a great city with incredible food!

2. Have Flexibility in Your Schedule

If you're flexible with your schedule, then you can make it to Lima for dirt cheap. We found flights for under $100 from the US, and you can too!

Head to Skyscanner and put your city to Peru, and click the calendar option. This will show you the cheapest dates to fly there!

This is not only one of our favorite Peru travel tips, but one of our most essential travel tips for traveling anywhere in the world.

 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Entry Requirements

Now that you know how to get to Peru for the best price, let's move onto our next super essential Peru travel tips - which are making sure you get into the country successfully.

3. Double-Check if You Need a Visa

Most countries do not need a visa for visiting Peru - however, if you happen to be from one that does, you'll be happy you got the reminder. Double check to see if you need a visa, and make sure your itinerary is within the time-period of tourist allowance.

4. Get Your Yellow Fever Vaccine

This is one of our most essential Peru travel tips! If you plan on visiting the Peruvian Amazon, or plan on visiting other countries nearby that require the yellow fever vaccine, then you definitely won't be able to go on your trip without it.

Getting the vaccine can be a bit costly, and hard to find depending on where you come from, so remember to plan this one with time!

PS: Many countries will require you to have the physical copy of the vaccine with you. Don't forget to bring it with you and keep it safe!

 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Adjusting & Adapting

Whenever traveling to a new country, you'll have certain things you'll want to know before you go. These travel tips for Peru cover all the ways to make the transition as smooth as possible.

5. Brush Up on Your Spanish

Spanish is the official language in Peru, and if you want to get around with ease, then picking up the basics is one of our most essential Peru travel tips. You'll avoid getting scammed more, and locals will be much friendlier.

6. Bring a Water Filter/UV Light

The water is not safe to drink in Peru, and rather than living off bottled water, one of our top tips for being a more eco-friendly traveler is to invest in a water filter or UV light. This way, you can sterilize any water you find, and stay hydrated without burning through a ton of plastic.

7. Withdraw Plenty of Cash from an ATM (not the airport!)

While more and more places are accepting credit cards in Peru, it's certainly not uncommon to come by places that only accept cash.

One of our essential Peru travel tips is not only to just exchange plenty of money, but to do it in the right way. Avoid exchanging at the airport, and even in exchange offices. The best thing you can do is use the ATM. Yes, you'll have a small fee, but you'll lose more if you are exchanging your cash.

8. Remember to Tip

Tipping is quite common in Peru, especially in the tourism industry. Make sure to bring some cash, and you can leave around 10% in restaurants. We'd also recommend bringing some to tip guides or hotel staff that is particularly helpful.

9. Get a Travel Adapter

Many outlets in Peru fit the same plugs as the US, while you also might come by European-style plugs. Peru runs on 220 volts though, so if you have electronics that run on 110 volts, make sure to bring an adapter with you so your electronics don't blow out.

Essential Peru Travel Tips: Staying Connected

If you're anything like us, then you'll probably want (or need) to stay connected while traveling. Traveling in Peru isn't the same as traveling in Europe, so you'll want to have these tips in mind to make sure you're connected in the best way possible.

10. Get a Local SIM Card or e-SIM

Not everywhere in Peru has Wifi, and if you need to stay connected you'll certainly want to get a SIM card. For higher speed data and longer stays we recommend getting a local SIM, while if you're visiting for a short time and just need to get by then you can opt for an e-SIM.

11. Check Reviews for Places for Wifi

If you're working while traveling like us, you may need to stay connected. Well, in remote places there won't always be the luxury of having fast Wifi, or sometimes having Wifi at all.

If you need to stay connected then we'd recommend checking for accommodation with Wifi, and checking the reviews before booking.

12. Download Offline Maps

Even if you are connected, there are plenty of places that won't have an ounce of service, especially in the mountainous regions. If you're driving, then one of our essential Peru travel tips is to download offline maps. This way, you'll still be able to get around without stress if you lose service.

Essential Peru Travel Tips: Activities & Booking

Now for the fun part! Some of our most essential Peru travel tips are making sure you don't miss out on a thing!

13. Check Unique Accommodation Availability First

Peru is home to some truly incredible hotels from feeding alpacas from a jacuzzi to sleep in a pod hanging off the side of a mountain.

If you want to really stay at some bucket-list spots, then one of our most essential Peru travel tips for you is to book in advance. Don't even book your flights or buses until you've done this!

We ended up having to rearrange our entire itinerary because we had our heart set on staying at Skylodge Adventure Suites, which has really limited availability.

14. Give Yourself More Time Than You Think

Peru is so massive, and many of the activities take several hours, or even up to an entire day! Especially in Cusco where the hikes are intense, you'll want to keep a light schedule. 

There are also so many hidden gems and unexpected events that turn up from stumbling across events or getting local recommendations, so make sure to give yourself a bit of wiggle room.

15. Book Your Tickets in Advance (Especially Machu Picchu!)

If you plan on ticking some major things off your bucket list, then you won't want to just wing it. Machu Picchu is a prime example of this - the Machu Picchu ticketing system has changed, and tickets have to be purchased well in advance, especially if you're seeking a specific circuit.

Save yourself the frustration and check the details for each place and activity, and make your reservations accordingly. 

PS: For the Machu Picchu hike itself or visiting the rainbow mountains of Peru you'll be fine, but the actual entry tickets for MP are what need to be purchased.

 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Food & Drink

Eating and drinking in Peru is probably one of the main highlights of visiting. There are so many incredible foods to try and places to eat, and we want to make sure you are getting the best of the best. These essential Peru travel tips will do just that.

16. Avoid English Menus

If you're visiting touristy areas of Peru (which chances are you will be), then you'll probably find a ton of restaurants in the hot spots. Many menus will be in English to attract tourists, and these are exactly the places you'll want to avoid.

Head for the local spots and you'll have much tastier food, and better prices. We also recommend looking for lunch menus, as you can get a few courses for under $10 USD!

17. Try the Street Food

Many people hate on street food, but we believe that street food is a detrimental part of experiencing a country's culture. Peru has some great street eats, so don't be afraid to try it all! Just remember to bring some cash, as street vendors don't typically accept credit card.

18. Eat as Much Ceviche as Possible

I could freaking live off ceviche, and while it may not seem like one of the most essential Peru travel tips to have, it certainly is if you're a foodie.

Ceviche is the national dish, and is so damn addicting. Even in the mountains they use trout to make ceviche, and you can easily find local spots that serve it for just $2! Make sure to get it earlier in the day though, so you're not having one that may have been sitting out.

19. Drink Lots of Mate de Coca

Mate de Coca was my drug while in Peru (yes, it's made from the plant that makes cocaine, and no it is not actually a drug).

This tea is really popular in Cusco as a natural remedy for altitude sickness in Peru, and we highly recommend drinking a lot of it.

20. Don't Expect Espresso in Small Towns

If you're a coffee lover, save it for the big cities. Our first visit to Peru involved a lot of small towns, and we quickly learned that many of them don't actually know what a cappuccino is or espresso for that matter. In fact, we had a few places give us "expresso" which is basically powdered coffee, not espresso.

 Essential Peru Travel Tips: Getting Around

Getting around Peru can be really overwhelming. With really long distances and so many choices, it can be hard to choose the best way. While we have an entire guide dedicated to this, here are some of the most essential Peru travel tips when it comes to navigating your way through the country.

21. Use the Overnight Buses

One of our favorite hacks for traveling in Peru is to take advantage of the overnight buses! Distances are super long in the country, and the buses are super comfortable with lie-down seats. It allows you to save time traveling from one place to another, as well as money on a hotel. Win-win!

22. Don't Be Scared to Rent a Car

Our first time that we traveled to Peru we decided to get around by public transportation, and this year, we decided to rent a car. It ended up being much more affordable than we thought it would be (around $25-30/day) and it gave us so much flexibility in our schedule.

We originally thought it would be scary to rent a car in Peru, but we ended up loving it, and highly recommend it for areas like Cusco or Paracas.

23. Use Local Transport (if you aren't renting a car)

In cities you typically won't need a car - that's why we rent cars in certain places, and then rely on public transport in certain others (for example- Lima).

Rather than racking up a big bill with Uber, we recommend getting around by public transportation. Taxis are easy to flag down, but we honestly love going in a colectivo (shared vans) to save money, or tuk tuk to have some fun.

24. Negotiate Rates Beforehand

If you plan on going into a taxi or tuk tuk, remember to not only ask to rate, but negotiate. Oftentimes drivers will try charging you 3-4 times to rate, so check the Uber app, and then aim for a price slightly lower. Remember to clarify the rate before getting in, and bring cash to pay.

Essential Peru Travel Tips: Health & Safety

Staying healthy and safe during a trip is the most crucial thing to prioritize while traveling. These essential tips will ensure you enjoy your visit to Peru, no matter what happens.

25. Get Travel Insurance

When traveling in a country like Peru, you're going to be susceptible to injury or accidents. There are a lot of intense hikes, the altitude can be a killer, and if you're heading into the Amazon, then you'll be encountering potentially dangerous wildlife.

One of our most essential Peru travel tips is to invest in insurance. Both times we went we got Safety Wing, as it's affordable and reliable.

26. Keep an Eye on Your Belongings

South America is notorious for theft, and while Peru is one of the safer countries in terms of crime, you definitely want to be a bit more careful. We got our entire camera bag stolen in Ecuador, and while that was in a neighboring country, it definitely could have also happened in Peru if we weren't paying attention.

Bonus Tip: Get Air Tags! We put them in all of our belongings in case something gets lost or stolen.

27. Don't Wear Valuables

Nothing screams "rob me" more than wearing flashy jewelry or designer brands while traveling. Do yourself a favor and leave your fancy accessories at home. 

28. Back Up Your Content

We can't stress this enough - BACK UP YOUR CONTENT! Whether it's your phone, camera, or drone, so many things can go wrong. We made this mistake in 2019 - after 40 days of traveling South America our entire camera bag got stolen. 

We downloaded maybe 20 photos from our Peru travels, and if you look at our older articles you now know why there are far and few photos inside those guides.

Make it part of your nightly checklist, and God forbid anything goes wrong, you'll at least be able to savor your incredible memories.

Here are the few photos we did back up in 2019.

29. Never Leave Anything On Sight in the Car

This is another thing we learned the hard way - not in Peru, but in Mexico.

Leaving things available for people to see in your car is an invitation for them to break in and steal your stuff. Keep all your things in the trunk, and preferably leave your car in a paid parking lot.

30. Avoid Altitude Sickness Before It's Too Late

The one thing that kills me every time in Peru is the altitude. Growing up at sea level was amazing, but it certainly didn't give my body the fight it needs for visiting Peru's Cusco region.

Being proactive to altitude sickness is one of our top essential Peru travel tips- take a pill as soon as you land, stay hydrated, and take it easy. 

We wrote an entire guide about fighting altitude sickness in Peru, and if it's your first time visiting, then we definitely urge you to read it.

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

Essential Peru Travel Tips: Weather & Packing

Our final tips for visiting Peru are to make sure you pack and prepare properly before leaving!

31. Bring Layers

Peru has such a wide variety of landscapes, and if you're visiting the mountains you'll especially want to keep this in mind. One minute you could be laying by the pool and the next it can be snowing up in the mountain you're hiking. 

The key is to layer up and be prepared for all different types of weather during your trip - a bathing suit, hat, jacket - yepp! You'll want it all.

32. Check the Best Times to Visit for Each Destination

Peru is a great destination to visit year-round, but there are certain places that are more ideal to visit during specific times of the year.

Peru has a wet and dry season. The dry season is more ideal for hiking, while the wet season is when you're able to witness the red river in Cusco.

We also wanted to visit the Millpu Pools is Ayacucho in January, and good thing we didn't do that long drive, because we found out they too are also only blue during certain months. When making an itinerary, you'll really want to keep the weather in mind. 

33. Get in Shape

With high altitudes you'll be out of breath much more quickly than you may have imagined. Hiking near Cusco (especially the Rainbow Mountains) is no easy feat, and even a short, simple-looking path can make you feel like you're going to pass out.

We'd highly recommend getting yourself ready for the adventures that await by going to the gym or going up and down the stairs a lot. This will make your travels a lot less intense, and easier for you to adjust.

Fun Fact: the Bolivian soccer teams aren't all that great. However, when other countries come to play in their country they always win, since they are used to the higher altitudes. 

34. Bring the Proper Gear

One of the best parts of visiting Peru is all of the incredible hiking opportunities the country has. Make sure to invest in proper footwear, a good backpack, and comfortable clothes so that you can tackle the mountains in comfort.

35. Carry Tissues With You at All Times

Our final tip, and one of the most essential Peru travel tips when it comes to hygiene, is to always be prepared! It's pretty common for bathrooms to NOT have toilet paper, even if they're making you pay to use one.

Trust us, you don't want to find yourself in a shitty situation - so carry tissues on you at all times!

Essential Peru Travel Tips: Final Thoughts

So now you know all of our essential travel tips for Peru, and should have good insight to what it's like traveling there. Now, let's do a bit of a recap in case you missed anything.

• Peru has a wet and dry season with varying altitudes and intense hikes, so make sure to pack layers and good comfortable footwear.
• When planning your trip check each destination to know which places to include, and which to skip depending on the time of year it is.
• Being flexible will allow you to find affordable flights, and you'll most likely find them to Lima.
• Altitude sickness is no joke - make sure you prepare yourself and take proper measures before it's too late.
• Don't forget to check for visas, a yellow fever vaccine, and to invest in travel insurance.
• Leave your unnecessary valuables at home, keep an eye on your belongings, and never leave items on sight when renting a car.
• Take overnight buses to save time and money.
• Use tuk tuks and colectivos but don't forget to negotiate rates.
• Eat lots of ceviche and street food, and drink lots of mate de coca.
• Hydrate well, but avoid the tap water, unless you invest in a UV light/filter.
• Book unique accommodations and tickets for special places in advance, while leaving yourself room in your schedule for availability.
• Stay connected with a SIM card, and check reviews for Wifi in places beforehand.
• Download offline maps in case you lose service.
• Bring a travel adapter if you have electronics that are 110 watts.
• Withdraw plenty of cash from an ATM for local vendors, tipping, and even times paying for restaurants or hotels.

What's Next?

Now that you have read all of our essential Peru travel tips, you'll probably want to learn more about visiting! Here are some of our other guides that we recommend to help you getting acquainted with this beautiful country:

 Preventing altitude sickness in Peru: Tips for a Healthy Adventure

 The Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Peru

 12 Unbelievably Unique Experiences in Peru

 How to Get Around Peru

 Is it Worth Renting a Car in Peru? A Complete Guide to Driving in Peru

 Must-Try Peruvian Dishes for Travelers: A Complete Food Guide for Peru

 Celebrating New Year's Eve in Cusco: Traditions, Events, & Tips

 A Guide to Machu Picchu's New Ticketing System

...and more coming each week!

So are you ready to experience an amazing trip to Peru? We hope our essential Peru travel tips have helped you to organize yourself in the best way possible. Being prepared definitely can be a game-changer when traveling here, and if you do your homework correctly, you'l absolutely love this country!  

Want to learn more about different destinations in Peru? We have a ton of other Peru travel guides, as well as new ones coming up each week. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates on new articles, as well as exclusive content we send out for our readers.

Ready to start planning the most epic trip around Peru? Well, we're here to help! Scratch Your Mapa offers customized travel planning services, organizing you affordable flights, unique hotels, and comfortable transportation for the most incredible getaway. Want to learn more? Simply send us an email for a free consultation!

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