First Time in Peru? Everything You Need to Know
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Peru contains one of history’s greatest civilisations, South America’s finest food culture, and landscapes of extraordinary variety. First-time visitors often underestimate the altitude and the logistics — both of which are easily managed with the right preparation.
The Basics
Capital: Lima
Currency: Peruvian Sol (PEN). €1 ≈ PEN 4.
Language: Spanish (official). Quechua and Aymara recognised as regional languages. English spoken in tourist areas.
Time zone: PET (GMT-5). No daylight saving.
Driving: Right-hand side
Plugs: Type A and B (standard US-style flat pins)
Visa: US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia — visa-free for 90 days
The Most Important Thing: Altitude
Cusco sits at 3,400 metres. Lake Titicaca is at 3,812 metres. Machu Picchu (at 2,430m) is actually lower, which is why some people feel better there than in Cusco.
Altitude sickness (soroche) affects many visitors regardless of fitness level. Symptoms: headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, fatigue. Usually improves after 24–48 hours of acclimatisation.
How to manage it:
- Arrive in Cusco and rest for the first 24 hours — don’t rush to see everything immediately
- Avoid alcohol and heavy meals for the first 24 hours
- Drink plenty of water
- Drink coca tea (widely available, legal in Peru, mildly helps symptoms)
- Consider Diamox (acetazolamide) — a prescription medication that helps acclimatise faster. Consult a travel doctor before your trip.
- Descend if symptoms are severe — altitude sickness can become life-threatening if ignored
Booking What Needs to Be Booked
Peru’s top experiences have capacity limits and sell out. Book these before you leave home:
Machu Picchu entry: Required capacity management system. Book at the official government site (machupicchu.gob.pe) or through a licensed operator. Different tickets for different circuits (1–4) and add-ons (Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain). Peak months (June–August) sell out weeks in advance.
Inca Trail permits (4-day): 500 total permits per day (including porters). For peak months, permits can sell out within hours of going on sale. Book through a licensed Peruvian operator as early as possible — ideally October–November for the following May–August.
Lima restaurants: Central, Maido, and Astrid y Gastón require reservations. Central especially books up 2–3 months in advance.
Amazon lodges: Book 4–8 weeks ahead for quality eco-lodges in Tambopata.
Where to Go First
Lima (2 days): Don’t skip it. The food alone justifies a full 2-day stop. Miraflores, Barranco, the Larco Museum, and the historic centre.
Cusco (2 days minimum, 3 recommended): The Inca capital, now a UNESCO city. Give yourself time to acclimatise before the physical activity.
Sacred Valley (1 day): Lower altitude, Inca ruins, traditional markets. Good for acclimatisation between Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu (1–2 days): The reason most people come to Peru — and it delivers.
Then choose: The Amazon (Puerto Maldonado), Lake Titicaca (Puno), the Nazca Lines, or the Colca Canyon — each adds a completely different dimension.
Food in Peru
Lima is the world’s culinary capital in the eyes of many chefs and food critics. This is not hype.
Ceviche: Raw fish cured in lime juice with ají amarillo, red onion, and coriander. Eaten at lunch (never dinner). Lima’s versions are transformative.
Lomo saltado: A Chinese-Peruvian stir-fry (chifa influence from large Cantonese immigrant community) — strips of beef with tomatoes, peppers, soy sauce, and chips. Peru’s most popular everyday dish.
Anticuchos: Beef heart on skewers, marinated and grilled. Sold at street stalls from the 1600s. Better than it sounds — much better.
Ají de gallina: Shredded chicken in a creamy ají amarillo (yellow chilli) and walnut sauce. A Peruvian comfort food classic.
Causa: Chilled layers of yellow potato (seasoned with lime and ají), stuffed with tuna or chicken salad. Elegant and uniquely Peruvian.
Pisco Sour: Pisco (grape brandy) + lime + egg white + bitters. Peru and Chile dispute the origin — Peruvians are very serious about this. In Peru, it’s Peruvian.
Safety
Peru is generally safe for tourists but requires awareness.
Petty theft: Pickpocketing and bag snatching in tourist areas (Lima’s historic centre, Cusco’s Plaza de Armas, near Machu Picchu). Keep valuables secure; don’t leave bags unattended.
Taxi scams: Never hail unofficial taxis in Lima. Use Uber, Cabify, or taxis booked through your hotel.
Express kidnapping: Rare but occurs in Lima — someone hails a taxi, it stops to “pick up friends,” and the passenger is taken to ATMs and forced to withdraw cash. Always use app-based transport.
Altitude-related risk: More serious than crime for most visitors. Don’t underestimate.
Safe areas: Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro in Lima. The tourist areas of Cusco and Aguas Calientes are generally safe.
Practical Tips
- SIM card: Buy a Claro or Movistar SIM at the airport. Data is cheap and 4G coverage is good in cities.
- Cash: Peru is still very cash-heavy for many transactions. ATMs are widely available in Miraflores and Cusco. Withdraw at bank ATMs to avoid high third-party fees.
- Tipping: 10% in restaurants. Tips to guides, porters, and drivers are expected and genuinely important for their income.
- Dressing for Cusco: Cold at night (near freezing in May–August). Layers are essential — thermal base layer, warm mid-layer, windproof outer.
- Language: Some Spanish is very helpful outside the main tourist circuit. Download Google Translate with Spanish offline.
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