Climate of Peru

Varies according to area. On the coast winter lasts from June to September. During this period, the mountainous areas are often sunny during the day but cold at night.

Heavy rains in the mountains and jungle last from December to April. It never rains in Lima nor most of the coast, except for Tumbes and Piura, which have tropical climates.

Required clothing: Lightweights during summer with warmer clothes worn in upland areas. Mediumweights are advised during cooler months.

Activities in Peru

Mountain trekking

Practically all of the highlands and some parts of the jungle include trekking circuits, although only a few are being used commercially. Hikes are possible all year round, but the easiest period is the dry season (June to September). Hiking equipment can be bought or hired in Cusco and Huaraz which are the starting points to the most important treks in Peru, listed below.

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Probably the most famous trekking route in South America, the trail offers views of snow-capped mountains, high cloud forests and the opportunity to walk past

12 magnificent ancient Inca ceremonial centers, such as those at Phuyupatamarca and Winay Wayna. Completion of the 48km (30 mile) trek takes three to five days, and must be undertaken in a group with an official local leader.

The trail fee is approximately USUSD 50 per person, which includes a one-day entrance ticket to Machu Picchu. Due to the popularity of the trail and current restrictions in place to protect it, it is advisable to book your hike at least 30 days in advance wherever possible.

Cordillera Blanca: The highest tropical mountain range is a 180km- (112.5 mile-) long paradise of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, emerald-green lakes and archaeological sites. It also contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. Practically the entire range is a protected area within the Huascaran National Park. Routes vary from two to 12 days.

Olleros-Chavin Llama Trek: This is a four-day trek between the attractive town of Olleros and the spectacular archaeological site of Chavin de Huantar. Llama 2000, as it is known, is an initiative launched by a group of campesino farmers to promote ecotourism while protecting their traditional way of life.

Tourist Attractions of Peru

Perhaps no other country has more to offer the visitor than Peru; panoramic mountain ranges, vast deserts, beautiful beaches and tropical jungle. All this combined with a rich historical and archaeological past and enduring indigenous cultures.

To reflect the importance of tourism to the national economy, PromPeru has set up 15 offices around Peru of Tourist Information and Assistance to help visitors solve any problems they may encounter. There is a 24-hour hotline based in Lima . The South American Explorers Club is another good

source of information on the area and has an office in Lima, offering a variety of services to its members such as equipment hire and a safe luggage store. Information and Assistance 24-hour service .

Lima
Situated halfway along Peru’s desert coastline, Lima is literally stuck between the desert and the deep blue sea. The valley was once dominated by hundreds of pre-Inca temples and palaces. Pizarro chose the palace of local chief Tauri Chusko as the site of the city’s inauguration on January 6 1535 and thus began Lima’s colonial history, reflected in the opulent mansions with Moorish latticed wooden balconies that grace Lima’s plazas.

The main square, Plaza de Armas, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with paths, gardens and an elegant bronze fountain. Surrounding the main plaza are the Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace, the Town Hall and the impressive Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace). Located at the northern end of the plaza, the latter is a lavish example of colonial opulence.

The sumptuous state rooms are adorned with Carrera marble, cedar and mahogany woodcarvings, French glass and Czech crystal. Highlights are the Grand Salon, modeled on the Versaille Palace’s Hall of Mirrors, the dining room adorned with friezes depicting Inca history and the private theater. Free guided tours operate daily from the visitor’s entrance in Jiron de la Union. Outside, visitors can admire the elaborate military uniforms in the Changing of the Guard.

The Baroque Cathedral has been reconstructed after several earthquakes and its present building is dated around 1758. Visitors should not miss its Museum of Religious Art and Treasures, plus the collection of bones believed to be those of Pizarro himself.

One of the few buildings to withstand the 1746 earthquake is the Church of San Francisco. Recently renovated with the help of UNESCO, this exquisite church has several highlights, including the extraordinary early 17th-century domed cedarwood roof above the broad staircase leading to the cloisters. The library, in its thin, rectangular two-story salon with twin delicate wooden spiral staircases, houses a collection of some 20,000 volumes, plus masterpieces by Jordeans, Rubens and Van Dyck. Underneath the church are the catacombs, complete with ghoulish circular displays of the skulls and bones of some 70,000 souls.

The downtown area of Lima also houses historic colonial mansions, some of which still have connections with the original Spanish families who constructed them. Now occupied by the Foreign Ministry, the Palacio Torre Tagle (1735) with its Moorish-influenced balconies has particularly interesting azulejos (tiles), thought to be the first examples of an artistic fusion between both Native American and European styles. Close by is the striking salmon pink and white stuccoed Post Office built in the 1920s. With wrought iron gates and an arcade roof, the Correo also houses a stamp museum where enthusiasts can buy, trade and sell Peruvian stamps.

Peru’s rich cultural heritage is reflected by the variety of museums in the capital. Unmissable for history buffs are the Museo de Oro del Peru (Gold Museum), the Museo de Cultura Peruana (Museum of Peruvian Culture) and the Museo de la Inquisicion y del Congreso (Museum of the Inquisition) with its sinister dungeons. Art-lovers should see Goya’s etchings at the Museo Taurino and the collection of masters at the National Art Museum.

On August 30 visitors can marvel at the religious processions held to honor the city’s patron saint, Santa Rosa de Lima. Later, on October 18, a purple haze descends upon the city as the faithful don purple robes to march in processions, praising El Senor de los Milagros. Cultural attractions aside, areas such as Barranco, Miraflores and San Isidro have much to offer the visitor in the way of shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

Malls and department stores are expanding within the city, and the downtown area, particularly the streets around the Plaza de Armas, were remodeled a few years ago. Visitors should not miss the colorful daily market in Lima’s Chinatown district. A good place to get a close look at some of Peru’s diverse wildlife (such as jaguars and condors) is the Zoo, Parque Zoologico Huachipa and Parque de las Leyendas, landscaped to reflect Peru’s three main geographical zones: costa (coast); sierra (mountains); and selva (rainforest).

Costa

North of Lima

Piura and Tumbes are the most northerly Peruvian coastal regions and are Peru’s most important beach, surfing, sporting and deep-sea fishing centers. There are small resort-type hotels and small fishing villages and beaches.

Chiclayo
Chiclayo is a northern city with a hot and sunny climate, distinctive cuisine and musical tradition as well as an unparalleled archaeological heritage. Unfortunately, the 26 pyramid complex of Tucume (35km/22 miles north of Chiclayo) and Huaca Rajada (or the ‘Tomb of the Lord of Sipan’), considered to rank among the finest examples of pre-Columbian art, are not yet well restored, thus visitors should hire a local guide.

Many of the fascinating ceramics, metal objects and textiles from the region are on view at the Bruning Museum in the town of Lambayeque, located 11km (6.8 miles) north of Chiclayo. There is a new museum called Royal Tombs of Sipan, a modern three-floor pyramid inspired by the Mochica sanctuaries.

Trujillo
Known as ‘the City of the Eternal Spring’, Trujillo’s brightly colored colonial mansions - such as the Casa Bracamonte or Casa del Almirante del Risco - are well worth visiting. The area’s archaeological treasures include Chan Chan, the largest pre-Inca mud city (20 sq km/7.7 sq miles) declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 and the huacas (religious centers) of the Sun and the Moon (the latter has painted mud walls depicting one of the main deities of the Moche culture).

The beautifully restored Huaca Arco Iris, located close to the city limits is covered with pre-Inca hieroglyphics. Visitors may be interested in the impressive Palacio Iturregui and the Church of El Carmen with its Pinacoteca (Art Museum). Unmissable is Casinelli’s Musuem with an impressive collection of pre-Inca pottery and artifacts, collected from local huaqueros (native priests). Trujillo’s excellent seafood restaurants, coffee shops and bars make this city one of the best places to dine in Peru.

South of Lima
Situated 250km (156 miles) south of Lima via the Pan-American highway, the Paracas National Reserve is home to a large concentration of sea fauna and marine birds.

Ica
A pleasant colonial town, famous for its wineries and Pisco distilleries (open to the public all year), Ica is a good point of call on a trip to the Nazca Lines. The town’s interesting Museo Regional Adolfo Bermudez Jenkins has a striking collection of Paracas, Nazca and Inca artifacts, including a macabre installation of mummies showing the Pre-Inca method of beautifying skulls.

The Nazca Lines - located 420km (265 miles) south of Lima - are a set of large geoglyphs thought to be made by three different cultures between 200 BC and AD 600. These spectacular drawings of animals (birds, felines and reptiles), geometric shapes and lines can be seen from an observation tower but are best viewed from the air. Flights are around USUSD 55 and can be booked from Lima or in the town of Nasca. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.

Sierra

Cajamarca

Located in the northern highlands, Cajamarca was the site of the execution of Inca emperor Atahualpa by the Spanish Conquistadors. Visitors can see Atahualpa’s Ransom Room, allegedly filled with gold to try to buy his release from his Spanish captors. Declared a Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Americas by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1986, Cajamarca contains many well-preserved examples of 17th- and 18th-century colonial Spanish buildings and churches and visitors should not miss the Belen complex that includes the Anthropology Museum.

As a highland commercial hub, Cajamarca’s central market is a bustling mix of many different native products and people. Cajamarca is also famous for its Carnival celebrations (held four days after Ash Wednesday), undoubtedly the biggest Carnival celebrations in Peru.

Huaraz
Nicknamed the ‘Peruvian Switzerland’ for its glacial lakes and snow-capped peaks, Huaraz is the departure point for treks and expeditions to the Callejon de Huaylas. Huaraz hosts the annual Semana del Andinismo, including international ski events on the Pastoruri Glacier. The Huascaran National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, protects the area’s biggest indigenous plants, the Puya Raymondi (giant bromeliads that grow up to 15m high and live for over 40 years) and is the home of the native viscacha, puma, vicuna and the rare spectacled bear. The nearby Chancos thermal baths, known traditionally as the ‘Fountain of Youth’, are located 28km north of Huaraz. There are also many archaeological sites nearby, especially remarkable is the pre-Inca stone complex of Chavin de Huantar, situated 110km (69 miles) from Huaraz, dating from approximately 1200 BC. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Ayacucho
From some city views Ayacucho appears to have more churches than houses and therefore it comes as no surprise that the Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are the most important event on the calendar for locals. Semana Santa sees a massive influx of visitors and therefore it is a good idea to pre-book accommodation. Ayacucho is famous as a source of exquisite handicrafts, including pottery, leatherwork, textiles and jewelry.

Cusco
The capital of the Inca Empire (founded AD 1100), Cusco today is a fascinating mix of Inca and colonial Spanish architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Almost every central street has remains of Inca walls, arches and doorways that serve as the foundation for the colonial and modern buildings.

More archaeological sites are abundant in the nearby area and towns. Narrow alleys of whitewashed houses with sky-blue and bottle-green shutters open out onto elegant squares with stone-hewn fountains and elegant restaurants and posadas (inns). Colorful murals depicting historical scenes can be seen on countless walls and indigenous women with braids and embroidered shawls set up makeshift stalls selling woven blankets and handmade crafts and jewelry.

Shops around the main square are open all week from dawn to midnight, but close for about two hours during lunch. There is a wide array of hotels, hostels, pensions and family houses, as well as restaurants and other services related to tourism. Cusco also has a good choice of nightlife.
The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the foundations of the Inca Temple of the Sun, Qoricancha, (Quechua for golden courtyard: its walls were covered in solid gold sheets, much to the delight of the gold-hungry Spanish invaders).

Heavy doors leading into the cloisters are now adorned with Moorish star- and diamond-shape patterns. The cloisters are lined with oil paintings in heavy gilt frames that depict scenes from the life of St Dominic. Remains of the original Inca temple walls are found inside the main courtyard. The Incas built these walls tapering upwards so that they would withstand earthquake tremors.

Huge blocks of green and grey diorite stone were placed together in a perfect fit without mortar, perfectly demonstrating the sophisticated Inca engineering and architectural skills. A further example of Inca skill with polygonal masonry is seen in the Stone of Twelve Angles.

The elegant Plaza de Armas, or main square, is lined with arcades and houses with ornately carved wooden balconies and terracotta tiled roofs. Dominating the square is the Cathedral, which is flanked on the left by the Church of Jesus Maria. Its altar is elaborately carved from cedarwood that is covered in gold and silver plate (plateresco) and mirrors. In the cathedral there are several notable features, from the 400kg (882lb) main altar fashioned from silver mined in Potosi, Bolivia, to the 1958 silver-plated truck, that carries some 14 statues in the annual Corpus Christi procession.

The early 17th-century cedarwood choir stalls bear testimony to the skill of the principal carver, Tomas Tuero Tupac, and are some of the finest in Peru. Marcos Zapata’s painting, La Ultima Cena (The Last Supper) has the apostles with ghostly white pallor, while Judas is given the darker skin coloring of an Indian and, stretched out in the center of the table, is a local Inca delicacy - cuy, or roast guinea pig.

To the right of the cathedral is the Church of El Triunfo. Inside, a painting commissioned by Alonso Cortes de Monroy depicts the great earthquake of 1650 with the inhabitants praying to El Senor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes). Underneath the chapel are commemorative plaques to Garcilaso Inca de la Vega, Inca chronicler, whose remains were returned from Spain to Cusco several years ago. Other sites of interest include the Museo de Arte Religioso, Museo Palacio Municipal, Museo de Historia Nacional. Visitors should purchase a Cusco Visitors Card available from the Tourist Information Office on the main square, that allows the bearer entrance to all of the Inca sites surrounding Cusco, including the town’s museums.

Sacsayhuaman
Outside Cusco are four nearby Inca ruins, of which Sacsayhuaman is the most impressive (the others are Puca Pucara, Qenko and Tambo Machay). This magnificent ceremonial center, with its three vast ramparts that run parallel for more than 350m (1148ft), was the site of the famous battle between Manco Inca and Juan Pizarro, Francisco’s younger brother, in 1536.

The boulders used to construct the walls are immense, weighing up to 360 tons and measuring up to 10m (33ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in depth. On June 24 each year, thousands of locals arrive to celebrate the Inti Raymi festival with a colorful pageant held at Sacsayhuaman. Visitors can explore the sites on horseback; it is easy to hire horses and a guide at the park’s entrance.

Urubamba
The Urubamba was once the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Key sites to visit include the Inca ruins and popular Sunday market at Pisac, as well as the extensive complex of ruins at Ollantaytambo. Urubamba, the main town in the valley, is a base from which to explore the surrounding region. Worth a detour is the pottery belonging to Pablo Seminario, whose distinctive work shows pre-conquest influences.

Salineras de Maras
About 10km (6 miles) from here are the salt pans of Maras. These pre-Inca salt pools were constructed during the Chanapata culture between AD 200-300 and AD 900, from a natural salt spring. Terraces were carved from the hillside and through a system of natural irrigation and gravity (still in perfect use today) the water courses along channels to form pools of water, which evaporate in the sun to leave salt deposits. There are over 3000 pools still in use, co-owned by 400 indigenous families. All the salt is scraped by hand from the sides of the pools into sacks and then pulled up the hillside by mules, consensus dictates on which days the water will be diverted along channels to collect in a certain group of pools.

Machu Picchu
For most visitors, the Inca city of Machu Picchu is the highlight of their visit. Revealed to the Western world by the American Hiram Bingham on July 24 1911, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, it is probably the most important archaeological site in South America and requires at least one day to explore fully. Buried beneath jungle vegetation for centuries, excavations revealed a myriad of staircases, terraces, temples, palaces, towers and fountains. Highlights of the site include the ceremonial baths, the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Three Windows and the Intihuatana, or carved rock pillar used by Inca astronomers to predict the solstices.

A 30-minute walk south from the main complex takes the visitor to the Inca Bridge, carved into the vertiginous cliff face. Climb the peak of Huayna Picchu that towers over the city and from the summit, it is a breathtaking experience to watch the mist roll back to reveal the architectural marvels of the Inca citadel. Visitors should invest in a guide as there is little information for tourists and there is much that is known about the lost city of the Inca.

Those interested in trekking the Inca Trail through the Urubamba Valley should organize their treks at home, due to the environmental damage done by unscrupulous local tour operators to the trail. In an effort to minimize the damage caused by visitors there are currently restrictions on some sections of the Inca Trail.

Puno
Puno (3827m/12,464ft above sea level) is the center of Peruvian folklore and hosts some of the best festivals in Peru, Virgen de la Candelaria (February 2) and Puno Day (November 5) to name but two. Spaniards were lured to the region by the vast mineral wealth and the area is dotted with both colonial churches and pre-Columbian ruins, such as the Chullpas de Sillustani, a complex of tombs in the form of towers built on the banks of Lake Titicaca by the Tiahuanaco people.

Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, is the home of the Uros people who have for centuries built their homes and boats out on the lake using Totora reeds. Extending over a total surface area of 8379 sq km (3235 sq miles), Lake Titicaca is 180km (112 miles) long and 69km (43 miles) across, at its widest point. Around the lake can be found pre-AD 1000 remains from the Pucara and Tiahuanaco cultures. An unforgettable site is the Yavari Project, the oldest steamship on Lake Titicaca. The lake forms a natural border between Peru and Bolivia and in this part of Peru the native people are predominantly Aymara and not Quechua speakers.

Arequipa
The second-largest city in Peru, Arequipa is also known as the ‘white city’, since the most important colonial buildings were built of white volcanic rock (ashlar) from a nearby quarry. In 2000 the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Both Spanish colonial and Andalusian influences are visible everywhere.

Especially remarkable is the Santa Catalina Convent - a beautiful ‘city within a city’. Other highlights include the Casa del Moral (House of the Mulberry Tree), with its elegant wrought-iron windows and sculptured portico and the Casa de la Moneda (the former mint). Arequipa is a great place for hiking and mountaineering expeditions with daily excursions to the Cotahuasi and Colca Canyons, one of the deepest in the world. El Misti is a relatively easy climb and river rafting is becoming popular in the area.

Selva

Iquitos

Iquitos is Peru’s largest jungle city. Once a booming rubber town in the late 19th century, tourism and oil are now Iquitos’ main industries. It is a major base for excursions to the Amazon basin and has numerous hotels of varying standards as well as nearby jungle lodges and camps. The river provides excellent opportunities for traveling down the Amazon to Brazil or crossing the river to and from Colombia.

Manu National Park
Located in the rainforests of the Cusco and Madre de Dios regions, Manu National Park is Peru’s greatest natural treasure in biodiversity. Extending to some 20,000 sq km (7722 sq miles) of tropical rainforest, the area was first earmarked for protection in 1973, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977 and a World Natural Heritage Site in 1987. The park is inhabited by indigenous people including the Arahuaca, Matiguenka, Piro, Yine and Yora tribes and is divided into three distinct areas.

The first section, Parque Nacional Manu, can only be entered by scientists and researchers on special permits, while the Zona Reservada is accessible to group tours operated by a licensed company and the Zona Cultural consists of a few villages that are outside restricted areas. Tourist infrastructure in the Zona Reservada is rustic and made from sustainable materials such as local timber and woven palm fronds for roofing material.

Few of the lodges have hot water or electricity and, as such, are packaged as eco-friendly and follow strict environmental practices. Scientists believe that the park is home to more than 2000 species of plants, 1200 species of butterflies, around 800 types of birds and 200 different mammals.

The dense carpet of tropical rainforest is irrigated and dissected by several great rivers, including the Madre de Dios, Manu Panagua and Ucayali. Over time, swamps and cochas (oxbow lakes) have formed, sustaining unique types of flora and fauna. In the Manu region, a whole host of birds can be seen including the Amazon kingfisher, harpy eagle, hoatzin, orinoco goose and tiger herons. It is possible to spot various primate groups in the dense tree cover, such as the emperor tamarin, spider and howler monkeys, but less common are the lowland tapir, sloth, jaguar or capybaras. For this reason, a stay of seven to eight days is recommended in order to observe a representative sample of the flora and fauna, birds and animals available.

Blanquillo Ecological Reserve
Outside the Reserve Zone is the Blanquillo Ecological Reserve, a private reserve that extends to almost 14,000 hectares (34,595 acres). The Tambo Blanquillo Lodge owns a floating catamaran hide, which is ideally situated to view the spectacular early morning sight of hundreds of brightly colored macaws and parrots descending to feed off the 6m- (20ft-) high clay lick, or cliff known as a collpa.

A 10-minute motorized canoe ride from the lodge connects with a trail that leads to the Cocha Camunga, home to a family of giant river otters. Even more opportunities to see wildlife can be enjoyed from a magnificent 40m- (130ft-) high viewing platform, carefully constructed in the boughs of a magnificent Kapok tree.

Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone is 45km (28 miles) from Puerto Maldonado by river. Specialists say that it contains the largest and richest bio-diversity of the world. The flora and fauna within includes more than 2000 flower varieties, 1000 birds and 900 butterflies and dragonflies.

Nightlife in Peru

There are many good bars, pubs, discos and casinos in the major towns and tourist resorts. Penas always serve snacks and some serve full meals.

Here one can enjoy criolla or folk music, especially at weekends. Nightlife in Lima and Cusco has a wide array of choices. Most discos, penas, pubs and karaokes are open until 0300 or 0400 in the morning.

Food and Dining in Peru

The hot and spicy nature of Peruvian food, created by aji and ajo (hot pepper and garlic), has become celebrated at home and abroad. Peruvians enjoy a wide variety of vegetables; there are over 2000 kinds of indigenous and cultivated potatoes alone.

Tropical fruits are abundant, as are avocados. Ceviche is a local specialty (uncooked fish marinated in lemon or lime juice and hot chili pepper, served with fried corn, sweet potatoes, onions and flavored with coriander). Escabeche is a cooked fish appetizer eaten cold, served with peppers and onions. Corvina is sea bass, which can be prepared in a variety of ways, and is always an excellent choice. Typical dishes made with scallops (conchitas), mussels (choros), octopus (pulpo) and shrimps (camarones) are plentiful and delicious. Chupe de camarones is a chowder-type soup made with shrimps, milk, eggs, potatoes and peppers.

Other staple dishes include papa a la huancaina (yellow potato with cheese and chili sauce), arroz con choclo (rice with corn), cau cau (tripe cooked with potato, peppers and parsley), causa rellena (potato cakes with chicken in the center, but also cooked with avocado or crabmeat) and tamales (boiled corn dumplings filled with meat and wrapped in a banana leaf).

Specialties include sopa criolla (spicy soup with beef and noodles), aji de gallina (shredded chicken in a piquant cream sauce), anticuchos (strips of beef or fish marinated in vinegar and spices, then barbecued on skewers) and lomo saltado (pieces of beef sauteed with onions and peppers, served with fried potatoes and rice). Rice and potatoes accompany virtually every dish.

Traditional desserts are arroz con leche (rice pudding), alfajores (wafer-thin spirals of shortbread dusted with icing sugar) and served with manjar blanco (a caramel sauce), picarones (doughnuts served with syrup) and mazamorra morada (purple maize and sweet potato starch jelly cooked with lemons, dried fruits, cinnamon and cloves). Table service is the norm in hotels and restaurants and many of them also offer buffet-type lunches.

The most famous drink is pisco sour, made from a potent grape brandy. Other pisco-based drinks are algarrobina (pisco and carob syrup), chilcano (pisco and ginger ale) and capitan (pisco and vermouth). Chicha de jora (fermented red or yellow corn juice) and chicha morada (non-alcoholic purple corn juice) are popular drinks dating from Inca times. Peruvian beers and national wines are good.

Shopping in Peru

There are many attractive Peruvian handicrafts such as alpaca wool sweaters, alpaca and llama rugs, Indian masks, weaving, jewelry and much more. Galleries and handicraft shops abound in the Miraflores, Pueblo Libre and downtown districts of Lima. Handicrafts markets are located in Miraflores (Petit Thouars Ave, blocks 52 to 53) and Pueblo Libre (La Marina Ave, blocks 8 to 10). Bargaining is an expected practice with beach vendors and at markets and known as ‘regateo’.

Shopping hours
Mon-Sat 1000-1300 and 1600-2000 (although many shops are open Mon-Sun 0900-2000).

Currency Information:

Currency
New Sol (S/.) = 100 centimos. New Sol notes are in denominations of S/.200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of S/.5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimos.

Currency exchange
Only a few bureaux de change in Lima will exchange currencies other than US Dollars. Outside Lima, it is virtually impossible. US Dollars can be exchanged everywhere and banks, hotels and shops also readily accept US Dollars (although torn or damaged notes are usually rejected). It is not recommended to exchange money from street vendors. ATMs are now generally regarded as one of the best ways to obtain money in Peru.

Credit and debit cards
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are all accepted, but usage facilities may be limited outside of Lima. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travelers cheques
Banks will exchange travelers cheques although it can be a slow process outside Lima. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars. The ability to use travelers cheques is also quite limited in some areas so you should check whether or not they will be excepted in the area your visiting prior to travel.

Currency restrictions
There are no restrictions on the import and export of local currency. The import of foreign currency is unrestricted. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount imported. Receipts of exchange of foreign currencies into S/. must be presented when exchanging back from S/. into foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the New Sol against Sterling and the US Dollar

Banking hours
Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1300 (may vary during the summer).

Get around in Peru

In cities and around

Inside the cities, there is usually no problem getting around on city buses (colectivos) or taxis. Colectivos cost between 0.70 and 1.50 Soles ( USUSD 0.20 - 0.40) inside a city, taxis between 7 and 8 soles (USUSD 2.00 - 2.40). “Taxi” does not necessarily mean a car; the term also refers to bicycles, motor rickshaws, and motor bikes for hire.

Colectivos have no actual bus stops, but fixed routes. The direction is shown by boards in the windscreen. If you want to catch a bus, just give the driver a sign (wave your hand similar to hitch-hiking) to stop. If the bus is not completely overfilled, it will stop to pick you up. During the ride, the ticket collector will ask you for the fee. If you want to exit, just say loudly “Bajar!”, and the driver will stop at the next possibility.

Roads

Some main roads, especially along the coastal strip, are paved, but there are still a lot of dirt roads in very poor condition. In the rainy season, landslides may block even major roads.

Inter-city travel is mostly by bus, and some cities have train connections. In contrast to colectivos, buses, and of course trains, start from fixed points, either the central bus terminal or the court of the appropriate bus company. It is a good idea to buy your ticket one day in advance so that you can be relatively sure of finding a seat. If you come directly before the bus leaves, you risk finding that there are no more seats available.

If you are so unlucky as to be taller than 1.80m, you will most likely be uncomfortable on the ride since the seats are much tighter than in Europe or the USA. In this case, you can try to get the middle seat in the rear, but on dirt roads the rear swings heavily.

In older buses, the seats in the first row are the best, but many buses have a driver cabin separated from the rest of the bus so that you look an a dark screen or a curtain rather than out the front windshield. In older buses, you can get one or two seats beside the driver, which gives you a good view of the passing landscape. In this case, don’t be too surprised when the driver is chewing his coca leaves.

First-class express buses, complete with video, checked luggage and even meal service, travel between major cities. You may need to present a passport to purchase a ticket. Make sure that your luggage is rain proof since it is often transported on the roof of the bus.

Train

Even when going by train, it’s best to buy the ticket in advance. Buy 1st class or buffet class (still higher), or you risk getting completely covered by luggage. People will put their luggage under your seat, in front of your feet, beside you and everywhere where some little place is left. This makes the journey quite uncomfortable, since you can’t move any more and the view of the landscape is bad.

There are three rail lines in Peru:
Cuzco - Machu Picchu
Cuzco - Juliaca - Puno
Arequipa - Juliaca

Hiking

Beside the famous Inca trail to Machu Picchu, you can do a lot of more days hikes all along the Sierra, preferably in the dry season. The hiker’s Mekka is Huaraz, where you can find a lot of agencies that offer guided tours and/or equipment to borrow. The thin vegetation in the higher Sierra makes off-trail hiking easy. Good maps are hard to find inside Peru. It is better to bring them from home. Make sure you have enough iodine to purify your drinking water. When hiking in higher altitude, good acclimatisation is absolutely necessary.

Take a good sleeping bag with you, since nights in the Sierra may become bitterly cold (-10 degrees Celsius in 4,500m altitude are normal, sometimes still colder). Beware of thunderstorms that may rise up very suddenly. Rapid falling temperature and hard rain falls are a serious danger in higher altitudes. Don’t forget that the night lasts for 12 hours year-round, so a flashlight is a good idea. When hiking on higher, but not snow covered mountains, water may be rare.

Getting alcohol for stoves is easy: Either buy the blue colored alcohol de quemar or, better, simply buy pure drinking alcohol. You can get this in every town for about 3 Soles (USUSD 0,85) per liter. (If you ever should get the idea to drink it, mix it with some other drink, otherwise it will burn like hell ;-)). It won’t be so easy to find special fuel for gasoline stoves. Gasoline for cars can also be found in many hardware stores (ferreterias) sold by liters.

Getting in Peru

Visas

Tourists from North America, Australia and the European Union (and many others, see link below) can visit the country without getting a visa. When entering the country, you need to go past the immigration office (imigracion). There you get a stamp put into your passport that states the number of days you are allowed to stay (usually 90 days). You can get an extension at immigration offices in any major city for about USUSD 28.

This then allows you to stay for up to 180 days in total. When those 180 days are up and you would like to stay for longer, it’s possible to cross the border to a neighbouring country (Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia or Chile) and return the next day and obtain another 180 days. Furthermore, you will receive an extra official paper to be kept in the passport (make sure you don’t lose it!).

When leaving, you need to visit the emigration office (migracion), where you get the exit stamp. Imigracion and migracion are found on all border crossing-points. Extensions of the time to stay are no problem. Traveling to and from neighboring countries by land is no problem.

By plane

The capital city of Lima has the Jorge Chavez International Airport with frequent flights all over the the world. Main airlines are American Airlines, Lan, Lan Peru, Continental, Iberia, Copa, Taca and others.

For example, Iberia flies directly from Madrid to Lima, the trip lasting around 13 hours. When leaving the country on an international flight you have to pay a departure tax. The amount changes, but expect it to be USUSD 25-USD 30 or the equivalent in soles. This has to be payed in cash before entering the departure are

Lima: Peru

Lima is the capital and largest city in Peru, as well as the capital of the Lima Province. It is the cultural, industrial, financial, and transport hub of the country. The city is located in an area encompassing the valleys of the Chillon, Rimac and Lurin rivers. It lies on a desertic coast adjacent to the bay in the Pacific Ocean where its port was built and named Callao.

Founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, Lima is also known as the City of Kings. For more than three centuries, Lima was the most important city and the greatest metropolis in South America. More than four centuries have passed since its founding as a Spanish city, and Lima has become an expression of Peru’s mestizo heritage, with nearly one-third of the nation’s population living in its metropolitan area.

The city covers most of the Lima and Callao Metropolitan Area. Its own rapid growth rate will make of Lima the first Andean Megalopoli.

History
The city was founded by conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, naming it Ciudad de los Reyes as the location was decided at Epiphany, the January 6. Lima, its original name, however persisted. It is uncertain where the name originated, but it is thought that it derives from the Aymara word lima-limaq, (yellow flower) or from Quechuan rimaq (talking). In the oldest Spanish maps of Peru, both Lima and Ciudad de los Reyes can be seen together as the names of the city.

Lima became the most important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru, which encompassed nearly all of Spain’s possessions in South America during the colonial era (mid 1500s to early 1800s).

In 1746, most of the city was destroyed in an earthquake. The city’s cultural importance was contested perhaps only by Bogota, and its architecture and political importance in Latin America were equalled only by Mexico City.

In 1996, the Japanese embassy hostage crisis took place in Lima, an affair which received global media attention. It ended on April 22, 1997 when Peruvian Armed Forces commandos stormed the building by carrying out a frontal daytime attack after tunneling underground into the embassy to rescue the seventy-two hostages. One hostage died of medical complications, two soldiers were killed, and all fourteen kidnappers were killed in battle. It was later revealed that at least three and perhaps as many as eight of the kidnappers were summarily executed after surrendering.

Demographics

The Lima Metropolis is among the world’s most populated areas (8.4 million 2004 est.) with a very complex and diverse racial groups that make of Lima a true cosmopolitan city.

Political and economic instability during the latter half of the twentieth century created unprecedented poverty and violence in the rural highlands, forcing thousands of campesinos to migrate to Lima looking for work and a better life. Today, Most of them nowadays are becoming the new middle class increasing their economic power and some others still live in shantytowns, locally known as pueblos jovenes, many of which lack such basic services as electricity and running water.

On the other hand, Lima has the second biggest Japanese community in South America and also a big Chinese Peruvian; German and Italian communities are present as well.

Foreign relations of Peru

In October 1998, Peru and Ecuador signed a peace accord which definitively resolved border differences which had, over the years, resulted in armed conflict. Peru and Ecuador are now jointly coordinating an internationally sponsored border integration project.

The United States Government, as one of four guarantor states, was actively involved in facilitating the 1998 peace accord between Peru and Ecuador and remains committed to its implementation. The United States has pledged USD 40 million to the Peru-Ecuador border integration project and another USD 4 million to support Peruvian and Ecuadorian demining efforts along their common border.

In November 1999, Peru and Chile signed three agreements which put to rest the remaining obstacles holding up implementation of the 1929 Border Treaty, which officially ended the 1879 War of the Pacific. In December 1999, President Alberto Fujimori made the first visit ever to Chile by a Peruvian head of state.

Peru has been a member of the United Nations since 1949, and Peruvian Javier Perez de Cuellar served as UN Secretary General from 1981 to 1991. Former President Fujimori’s tainted re-election to a third term in June 2000 strained Peru’s relations with the United States and with many Latin American and European countries, but relations improved with the installation of an interim government in November 2000 and the inauguration of Alejandro Toledo in July 2001 after free and fair elections.

Peru is planning full integration into the Andean Free Trade Area. In addition, Peru is a standing member of APEC and the World Trade Organization, and is an active participant in negotiations toward a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

Disputes - international: demarcation of the agreed-upon border with Ecuador was completed in May 1999 Illicit drugs: until recently the world’s largest coca leaf producer, Peru has reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 24% to 387 km² at the end of 1999; most of cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia, Bolivia, and Brazil for processing into cocaine for the international drug market, but exports of finished cocaine are increasing by maritime conveyance to Mexico, US, and Europe.