The BEST Peru Travel Guide

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Thinking of going to Peru soon? Well, this is the perfect place to start! This is the BEST Peru travel guide which includes vital information for traveling to Peru. From the best places to visit in Peru to essential logistics such as getting cash, this Peru travel guide has it all!

Peru is one of the best places in South America to travel to as it literally has everything any traveler could want all in one country! What do I mean by this?

Well, there are beautiful hikes around snow-capped mountains, incredible surfing beaches, one of the largest cities in Latin America, wildlife, jungle, incredible history with Inca ruins, and last but not least, a unique culture.

That all being said, the great diversity of Peru makes planning your trip a little more challenging. Peru is a large country which can make it rather difficult to get around.

And on top of all of that, each city in Peru differs so much from the next in terms of culture and travel basics such as ATMs – that is why a Peru travel guide is so essential!

We’ve visited Peru twice over the last two years spending a combined total of more than 4 months in the country. So, we know Peru well and have a ton of advice to offer when it comes to logistics for planning your Peru trip.

This Peru travel guide will help get you well-equipped for a trip to Peru, no matter if you are traveling the entire country or just focusing on one area.

Topics included in this Peru travel guide are:

• Visa and entry requirements
• Currency & ATMs
• The Weather
• Dangers and Safety
• What things cost
• Daily budgets
• Best places to visit
• Best things to do

Peru Visitor Visas and Entry Requirements

The first topic for any Peru travel guide just has to be the entry requirements!

For most nationalities, a visa is not required for entry into Peru. Only some countries in Asia and Africa (and a select few in Central America and the Caribbean) require a tourist visa which must be applied for in advance at your home Peru Embassy.

If you aren’t sure if you need a visa or not, it is best to check on your country’s own government travel website for the latest rules.

If you don’t need a Peru tourist visa (most nationalities don’t) you will get a stamp in your passport upon arrival. Just be sure that your passport does not expire in the next 6 months.

Proof of Onward Travel or a Return Flight

You also need proof of exiting Peru. This is a technical requirement but most people are not asked by Peru immigration but rather by airline staff. Make sure you have a bus or flight booked out of the country to meet this requirement or you might not be allowed to board the plane.

Tip: If you haven’t booked onward travel yet, you can always just generate a fake flight ticket online. We have used this website many times and it always works perfectly for us!

Number of Days Granted for Visiting Peru

Once crossing the border the immigration officer will grant you a certain number of days to stay in the country and it will be written on your passport along with the stamp.

They usually grant 60 days to start off with, but we’ve heard stories of people getting more days just by asking. Other times though, people report being granted only 30 or the exact number of days that corresponds with their flight out of Peru.

When we entered Peru, we were granted 60 days each and we overstayed instead of trying to extend. We overstayed a total of ten days. The overstay fee was $1 USD per day and was paid at the border when we left. There was no fuss or problem at all.

Related Read: Peru is massive and because of that it might be hard to figure out where to spend your time at. In this case, check out our Peru Highlights that cover all of the best things to do in Peru!

Money in Peru

Currency

In Peru, the national currency is Peruvian soles. Currently (July 2023), 1 USD buys 3.60 soles. However, this is not the exchange rate you will get by paying in USD or exchanging money in Peru, expect to lose a lot to their favorable conversion rate.

In Peru, the best currency to pay with is soles. Although some travel agencies and hotels will take USD (mostly in tourist places like Cusco), soles are more widely accepted and as I said, will prevent you from paying a terrible exchange rate.

Card vs. Cash in Peru

Cash is also the best way to pay in Peru. While paying on a card (credit or debit) is becoming more popular, it is best to always carry some cash with you just in case.

Most hotels will accept cards but there is often a 2-5% surcharge.

Fancier restaurants and tour companies will accept credit or debit.

ATMs in Peru

If you don’t want to exchange cash, you can always withdraw money from ATMs in Peru.

There are many reliable ATMs in Peru but the best one is called Banco de la Nacion as it does not charge any fees (though your home bank will almost always charge a fee but it is better than being charged twice!)

Banco de la Nacion only allows 400 soles to be withdrawn per day. There are some occasions when I could withdraw twice by using a different ATM in a different area.

Other ATMs will have a much higher withdrawal limit but can charge up to 25 soles per transaction.

Peru Travel Guide Hot Tip – look into your bank charges for international withdrawals before you leave home! If you have more than one account you may find one significantly cheaper than the other!

Weather and the Best Time to Visit Peru

No Peru travel guide would be complete without a thorough section on the weather!

The weather in Peru varies depending on the region. In Peru, there are various altitudes. For example, the Amazon is always hot, and up in the Andes it is always cold. That being said, there are ideal times to travel to each region.

Mountains in Northern Peru

This region includes the city of Huaraz where many famous hikes are located. The best time of year here is May to September.

Cusco and Machu Picchu

The dry season is the best from May to September. During the rainy months, the Inca Trail even closes for maintenance!

The Amazon

Any time of year! While it may not sound ideal to visit the Amazon in the wet season, the rain brings a whole new range of animals to check out and the rivers are full of life.

Northern Coast

The biggest draw to the northern coastline of Peru is surfing. The surf is known to be best in the spring and summer from about September to February.

Lima and the Central Coast

The winter months can be quite chilly for hanging out at the beach as the winter gets very windy and the ocean water temperature cools to around 10 degrees Celcius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) in Lima! Also during winter, the cold ocean waters cause low clouds to blanket the city and surrounding area.

Related Read: Find out what amazing things you can do in Miraflores, Peru!

Dangers and Safety in Peru

Peru is a relatively safe country but as with most countries in Latin America, you must always be cautious.

As a general rule, Peruvians are not violent people. However, we have been warned on a couple of occasions to be careful with taxi drivers in Peru. There have been incidents where taxi drivers kidnap their customers and make them withdraw all their money out of an ATM.

The best way to avoid this is to only take registered taxis and travel in groups. Another good option is to use Uber instead. With Uber, the driver is registered and you can be tracked via GPS with your phone. Uber is not available everywhere in Peru but it is in large cities is and well worth using.

It is also a good idea not to bring valuables out with you, especially at night, and be wary of pickpockets. Buses are also a very commonplace for discreet robberies to take place out of carry-on baggage.

Road safety is also something to be aware of in Peru. Bus accidents do happen fairly frequently and oftentimes result in several lives lost. It is best to book a bus journey through reputable companies like Peru Hop or Crus del Sur.

On another note, an equally big safety concern in Peru is altitude sickness which can be very serious for some people. Cusco sits at over 3,000 m (9,843 ft) above sea level and at that altitude alone people can experience some symptoms. Altitude sickness pills are very helpful and can be purchased at any pharmacy over the counter in Peru.

Related Read: It’s no doubt that South America has it’s safety concerns. One time Bailey and I were robbed at gunpoint in Brazil.

What Things Cost in Peru

A Peru Travel Guide (or any travel guide for that matter) just couldn’t be complete without telling you how much things cost! Here are some of the biggest things to budget for in Peru and what they cost.

Accommodation

Accommodation costs in Peru vary greatly. There are hotels that cost hundreds of dollars a night and dorm rooms for $8 USD a night.

A decent hostel room will go for about $13 USD. Expect to pay $30 to $60 USD for a basic private room.

Accommodation costs also vary from city to city,  For example, in Huaraz, we stayed at an awesome hostel for $8 USD a night, and in Lima, we paid $15 USD for a very average hostel. The best way to know exactly how much it’ll cost where you are going is to search on Booking.com.

If you’re a backpacker we’ve actually created a guide on all the best hostels in Cusco for those on a budget!

Food

Food is very cheap in Peru if you eat what the locals do. If you need your “Western delicacies” such as pizza or a burger expect to pay more. It is very easy to get a local meal of meat or chicken, rice or potatoes, veggies or salad, and a juice for less than 6 soles ($2 USD.)

A pizza goes for around 25 to 40 soles ($7 to $11 USD) and a meal at a Western fast food joint will be well over 30 soles ($8 USD). A great tip for when you are craving fast food is to skip the iconic McDonald’s and KFC and check out the local place, Bambos is a great fast food franchise in Peru and is about half of the price of the international alternatives.

Related Read: If you’re a foodie then you must join a food tour in Lima, they are easily some of the best city tours in Lima!

Transport

Intercity Transport:

Getting from city to city is easy in Peru by bus or plane.

Flying is much more expensive but buses can take forever. The roads in certain areas of Peru are very windy and bumpy. But there are very comfortable buses available to make the long journey bearable. For example, the journey from Lima to Cusco by bus is long (20+ hours) but it is a popular option for those traveling on a budget. To make the journey better, I highly recommend upgrading to a VIP bus!

Usually, the VIP or first-class buses are only a few dollars more than the lower-grade buses and it is well worth the upgrade – believe me! Cleanliness, bathrooms, space, and a layback chair that allows you to sleep are well worth the extra money.

The best way to book buses or at least compare prices is on the websites Busbud.com and Bookaway. Here, you can search and get an idea of how long it is from place to place and the different types of buses available.

Local Transport:

We never took local transport in Peru. From what we heard, it was unreliable and not always safe. To get around within a city we would always walk if possible, and if too far we would take an Uber. Some smaller cities don’t offer Uber so taxis are the only option.

Tours

Tours are very reasonable in Peru. We were able to do the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu for around $500 USD including a guide, porters, food, transport, and the Machu Picchu entrance fees. There are also some really good deals on tours of the Sacred Valley from Cusco.

We paid only $49 USD for a day trip from Cusco to Rainbow Mountain and $29 USD for a day trip to Laguna 69 from Huaraz. A half-trip on a boat from Lima to see the penguins and swim with the sea lions only costs $72 USD.

Day tours in Lima and other cities are also a good idea if you are short of time but still want to see a lot. There are some excellent city tours of Lima that are well worth your time.

On top of that, tours in Peru are usually really good value! Just don’t forget to tip as the guides often do not make much for wages due to the low tour prices.

Related Read: Find out what you should know before hiking Machu Picchu Mountain.

Daily Travel Budgets in Peru

The below budgets are the average spending per day in Peru per person. this should give you an idea of how much spending money you’re going to need during your trip to Peru!

Low

A low budget in Peru would be between $15-$35 USD a day. This is staying in the very cheapest dorm rooms, eating street food or cooking for oneself, and not drinking much. This budget would allow for only a select few cheap tours.

Medium

A medium-range budget would be $80-$120 USD a day. This would allow for staying in budget private rooms or nicer dorms, eating out in restaurants occasionally, going on a few tours, and going out for drinks from time to time.

High

Over $120 USD would be a high budget in Peru and allow you to live in luxury! Things in Peru are not very expensive so with this budget one should be able to eat anything, stay at decently nice places, and go on many tours.

Best Places to Visit in Peru

There are so many places to visit in Peru that I just simply couldn’t list them all in this Peru Travel Guide. However, I have narrowed down some of the most common and my personal favorites! You can also check out our 10-day Peru itinerary for first-time visitors, which lays out where to go, how long to stay in each place, top things to do, how to get around, and more!

Cusco

Cusco is most famously known as the starting point for any journey to Machu Picchu, but as a city itself, it is actually really cool to spend a few days here. There are ruins within the city, in fact, Starbucks is located within the walls of Inca ruins!

There is so much to do in and around Cusco, so much more than just Machu Picchu. However, if that’s on your bucket list, some of the best Machu Picchu tours leave from Cusco.

Related Read: Find out what I think to be some of the best Latin American cities to check out

Arequipa

Arequipa is the largest city in the South of Peru. The city was built using Sillar which is actually white volcanic rock. This gave Arequipa the nickname “White City” or “Ciudad de Blanco”. The center square is simply stunning and the surrounding streets are charming.

For just $17 USD you can book this guided tour to the outskirts of Arequipa that will allow you to walk the Sillar circuit where you’ll be able to see some of the sillar that has been left in its original form.

One of the best things to do in Arequipa is to hike the Colca Canyon (the deepest canyon in the world) or one of the many nearby volcanos.

This 3-day Colca Canyon tour is what we did! For only $97 USD, it includes all of your meals and very nice accommodation. While it is a hiking tour, the hike is completed over 3 days at a nice slower pace with plenty of time to enjoy views, hot springs, and a pool with drinks!

If you’re not looking to commit to a hike of that length you can opt for this full-day Colca Canyon tour which will take you to some of the most scenic viewpoints and and includes breakfast and lunch for just $38 USD.

Read all about the different tours you can do to the Colca Canyon on our blog!

Puerto Maldonado 

Puerto Maldonado is rather unknown to many who visit Peru, However, it is one of the best places to see the Amazon.

Due to its remote location, you don’t need to venture out far to see amazing wildlife! From the edge of town, you are only an hour away from all the action. Also near the town is something called the “Clay Lick”, a natural phenomenon where Macaws, Parrots, and Parakeets come to nibble the nutrients from a clay wall.

This is the only tour that will only go for a full day, leaving early in the morning and coming back late. You’ll be able to take a boat up the river to see the famous Clay Lick but that’s about it due to time constraints. It costs $220 USD per person.

For this reason, I would highly recommend taking the time to do a 2-day tour like this one where in addition to the Clay Lick you will also explore Sandivol Lake and go on an evening walk to spot wildlife. Your accommodation will be at a lodge in the heart of the Amazon. The best part is that it is only $60 USD more than the 1-day tour!

For more information, check out our complete guide to visiting Puerto Maldonado and the Amazon!

Mancora

Mancora is a northern beach town located near the border of Ecuador. The town is very laid back and perfect for spending days relaxing at the beach.

For those who surf, visiting Mancora in Spring and Summer is a must as conditions are optimal. Near the town of Mancora at a small fishing village lives a colony of Sea turtles and it is possible to swim with them right from the shore!

Lima

Lima is the capital of Peru and nearly a third of the population resides there. The city is filled with amazing museums, great surf, and vibrant nightlife! Honestly, there are so many fun things to do in Lima that it can feel overwhelming.

I spent an entire month in Lima and some of my favorite things were trying Peruvian food on a food tour, seeing the murals in Barranco, learning about the local culture through a Water Fountain Light show, and trying delicious Pisco Sours!

One thing many travelers aren’t aware of though is the fact that the islands near Lima are home to over 10,000 Sea Lions. This colony has no predators so you can actually swim with them on an organized tour!

For more info on how to spend your time in Lima, check out our blog on the best tours and day trips in Lima!

Huaraz

Located high in the Andes Mountain range, Huaraz is one of my favorite places in Peru. Huaraz is the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca (a small section of the Andes). The Cordillera Blanca offers some of the most amazing hikes in the world including Laguna 69, the Santa Cruz trek, and the Huayhuash.

The town is located at 3,400 m (11,155 ft) in elevation and is surrounded by white mountain peaks. Huaraz is a must for any hiking enthusiast!

If you plan on trekking in Peru, be sure to read all blog with all the information you NEED to know before you go!

Huacachina

Who knew that Peru has sand dunes that rival those in the Middle East?! Well, it’s true, and only a short 4-hour drive from Ica you are smack dab in the middle of the dunes in the small town of Huacachina!

From Huacachina, you can hike the dunes, go on a buggy tour, or even have a try at sandboarding (like snowboarding but only in the sand!)

Our favorite of the three activities was the dune buggy tour! It was so exhilarating and the views you get from the dunes are awesome! You can book your tour for just $25 USD.

There’s actually a ton of things to do in Huacachina, Peru – read about them all on our blog!

Why We Book Tours with Viator

Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:

• Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
• Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
• Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
• Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
• Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.

Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.

Best Things to Do in Peru

Just like the places to visit, the things to do in Peru are endless and can’t be covered in this Peru Travel Guide – but here are a few highlights!

If you are looking for some more inspiration on travelling Peru check out our blog about our own personal Peru highlights!

Hike Rainbow Mountain

As the name implies, Rainbow Mountain in Peru is a rainbow-colored mountain peak. Located at over 5,000 m (16,404 ft) above sea level, Rainbow Mountain is a spectacular sight to see. Tours run daily from Cusco, just be prepared for a little altitude sickness!

Swim with Turtles

In Mancora one of the most popular things to do among tourists (besides surfing) is swimming with the sea turtles. These turtles have learned the time of day in which tours go out on the ocean and come to the boat in packs. Then, you are given the opportunity to jump in the water with the turtles!

They are massive sea turtles and it is a pretty cool experience.

Hike around Huaraz

Huaraz often gets skipped by travelers due to its remoteness, but it’s that remoteness that makes the place so amazing. Huaraz is nestled smack dab in the middle of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range. Some of the most amazing hikes are around Huaraz with truly fantastic mountain views!

Hiking in the Colca Canyon 

Only a few hours from Arequipa, the Colca Canyon is a great place the get out of the city and explore. The Colca Canyon is one of the best places the see Condors up close. The viewing deck in the canyon is visited every morning by several Condors as they search for food.

The canyon is also home to natural hot springs and some spectacular views. Both camping and accommodation are available along the hiking trails (day trips are also possible!)

Read our post about the Colca Canyon!

Explore the Amazon Rainforest

Peru is home to the most biodiverse parts of the Amazon Rainforest. In fact, Peru has the largest amount of bird species in the world! For this reason, it is one of the best places to visit the Amazon.

There are three main places to see the Amazon in Peru and they are Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado, and Cusco (Manu National Park).

Machu Picchu

And of course, no Peru travel guide would be complete without a section on Machu Picchu! Although, in my opinion, one of the things that make Machu Picchu so special is the hike to get there! There are many different hiking options including the Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek, to get to the top.

These are a great way to see the way the Incas hiked way back in the day!

Read about our indrecible experience on the Salkantay Trek!

Swim with Sea Lions

Many people do not know that there is an island only 40 minutes by boat off of the coast of Lima in which over 10,000 sea lions live. There are tours like this one that takes you out to the island, while you aren’t allowed on the island, you can jump in the water off the boats 50 m or so away and sea lions will come to see you!

These animals are playful and curious and just want to know what you’re up to! A wild experience that many don’t know is so close to such a big city.

Thanks for reading!

And that wraps up my Peru Travel Guide!

Peru is an incredible country that I would encourage everyone to visit! I hope this Peru Travel guide has made the idea of visiting Peru sound more realistic and more enticing at the same time!

Have you been to Peru before? Is there something I am missing? Tell me in the comments and I might just have to add it to this Peru Travel Guide!

Meanwhile, if you need further inspiration for your travel inside of the beautiful county I have listed some more of my Peru content below.

Best city tours in Lima

Things to know before visiting Machu Pichu

Things to know before visiting the Colca Canyon

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