With an area of 1,285,215 square km, Peru is the third-largest
country in South America after Brazil and Argentina, ranking it
amongst the worlds 20 largest nations.
Peru also holds sway over the sea up to 200 miles from the Peruvian
coast and has territorial rights to an area of 60 million hectares
in the Antarctic. Peru is divided into 24 departments, plus the
Constitutional Province of Callao. Lima is the capital of Peru.
25.662.000 inhabitants
- Urban: 72,3 %
- Rural: 27,7 %
Peru is a nation of mixed ethnic origins. Throughout its history,
Peru has been the meeting ground for different nations and
cultures. The indigenous population was joined 500 years ago by the
Spaniards.
As a result of this encounter, and later enriched by the migration
of African blacks, Asians and Europeans, Peruvian man emerged as
the representative of a nation whose rich ethnic mix is one of its
leading characteristics.
Oficcial languages:
- Spanish: 80,3%
- Quechua: 16,2%
- Other languages: 3,0%
- Foreign languages: 0,2%
As part of its rich cultural tradition, Peru features many
different languages. Although Spanish is commonly spoken across the
country, Quechua is a major legacy of the Inca empire, and is still
spoken with regional dialects in many parts of Peru.
In addition, other languages are spoken such as Aymara (in Puno)
and a startling variety of dialects in the Amazon jungle, which are
divided up into 15 linguistic families and 38 different
languages.
The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/.), which is divided into 100 centimos. The currency includes coins for 5, 10, 20 and 50 centimos and 1, 2 and 5 sol coins. There are bills in the denomination of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 soles.
Peru is a democratic republic. The president and members of
Congress are elected every five years by universal suffrage. The
current constitutional president of Peru is Alejandro Toledo
Manrique (2001-2006).
Religion - Peru
Roman Catholic: 89%
Evangelical: 7%
Other religions: 4%
Peru is a naturally religious country: a diversity of beliefs and
freedom of worship can be seen from the wide range of festivals and
rituals that feature both Catholic fervor and the mysticism of
age-old pre-Hispanic cultures.
Peru is located on the Central West Coast of South America. Its neighbouring countries are: Ecuador and Colombia to the N; Chile to the S; Brazil and Bolivia to the E; and the Pacific Ocean to the W. It is the third largest country in South America, with a surface area of 1 285 215,6 km2 (larger than France, Spain, and Germany combined) distributed approximately in the following manner: 12% Coastal territory, 28% Andean highlands and 60% Amazon jungle. Its Capital, Lima, is located in the Coastal area, where the countrys main economic activities take place.
Peruvian time is five hours past Greenwich Mean Time and is similar to Eastern Standard Time in the United States (except when the U.S. goes on daylight savings time from April to October). In reference to other cities, when it is noon in Peru, it is:
Being such a geographically diverse country within the tropical
belt, the weather in Peru is determined both by altitude and
season. However, it also means that there is almost invariably
sunshine somewhere in Peru! Below is a summary of the weather
conditions you can expect to find in each different region of the
country at different times of the year.
Coast (Ica, Chiclayo, Lima, Piura, Trujillo,
Tumbes)
Northern region: warm year-round with highs of up to 35°C in
the Summer. Central and Southern regions: two well-defined seasons,
Winter between April and October, and Summer between November and
March.
Highlands (Ancash, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca,
Cusco, Puno)
This region has two seasons, dry season between April and October,
and rainy season between November and March.
Rainforest (Iquitos, Madre de Dios, Manu)
LOw Rainforest (Below 600 m.a.s.l.): has a temperate, subtropical
climate with abundant rainfall.
We recommend you to:
- Use comfortable shoes the whole time during walking tours.
- Take lots of liquids during long excursions.
What to bring:
- Hiking boots, sneakers and shoes.
- Long pants or slacks.
- Long-sleeved shirts.
- T-shirts.
- Sweaters and a jacket.
- Rain wear for rainy season.
- Camera.
- Insect Repellent.
- Personal toilet items and first-aid kit.
Perus climate may be divided into two: The Western Andes and the
Desert Coast. On the Coast, it does not rain and the temperature is
warm through the year. On the other hand, in the Andes, there are
two seasons: Rainy and dry.
Cusco is located in the Eastern Andes, so its rainy season is from
October to May, the rest of the year it is dry.
Rainy time, starting in October/ November has its own maximum in
January, continuing until March/ April. In years of pouring rain
there are landslides, floods, etc.
In the Highlands, it is cold in the evenings but sunny and warm in
the mornings. It is even possible to wear t-shirts, but when the
sun sets it gets really chilly so please bring a warm sweater (or
buy an alpaca one in Cusco) and a good jacket.
Finally, the weather in general does not represent a limit to
provide any tourist services, except from some particularily bad
years.
Tap water in most of Peru is potable, but the chemical content varies from place to place. To avoid problems, we recommend you to always drink bottled water.
All travelling passengers should refer to their closest Peruvian Embassy to check which visas are required, although current visa requirements may be subject to change at any time.
Whilst tipping is a personal matter, we are happy to give some
guidelines:
Most restaurants add a 10% tip. The total tip should be about 15%.
Doorkeepers should be tipped 1 US$ per bag. Taxi drivers do not
expect a tip.
Full-day excursion: US$6 per person
Half-day excursion: US$3 per person
If you are taking photographs of local people, always ask their permission beforehand. Your guide can assist you in this. Do not take photographs of military installations or airports. Film is readily available in all tourist areas. It is advisable to carry your camera in a dust-proof bag. Photography or camera fees are applicable at most sights and museums; your guide can give you details of the latest charges.
The voltage supply in Peru is 220 volts AC, 60 Hz. Special travel adapters can be purchased to enable all normal plugs to fit all mains sockets.
Vaccinations
Full details of the latest health requirements should be obtained
from an authorized medical source, such as your doctor. There are
no mandatory health requirements for Peru, unless you plan a trip
to the Rainforest, in which case you need a Yellow Fever
Vaccination Certificate
Because you are visiting Andean areas, dont forget to take
precautions to avoid altitude sickness. Be sure to try hot tea or
infusion of coca leaves on your arrival in the altitude; during
your first day move slowly and eat lightly.
Lima: Sea level, 54 m.a.s.l.
Cusco: 3360 m.a.s.l.
Machu Picchu: 2400 m.a.s.l.
Urubamba Valley: 2850 m.a.s.l.
Puno: 3860 m.a.s.l.
La Paz: 3540 m.a.s.l.
Peruvian cuisine is highly varied and spicy. Some of our typical
dishes are: "Cebiche" (raw fish marinated in lime juice), "Aji de
Gallina" (de-boned chicken cooked in a milk and aji sauce), and
"Anticuchos" (shish kebabs of beef heart and meat), apart from the
typical dishes from each region.
Be sure to try "Pisco Sour", Perus typical mixed drink prepared
with Pisco, lime, egg white and sugar.
In Lima: International, vegetarian, local food restaurants and franchises of international fast food chains.
In Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes: International and local food restaurants.
In Cusco: International, vegetarian and local food restaurants.
Dress in general is very casual unless you want to eat in one of
the more expensive restaurants in Lima for example, in which case a
tie and/or jacket will be required and smarter ladies wear. Due to
the altitude, it is important to remember whatever the season, to
take some warmer woollens for the nighttimes drop in
temperature.
IMPORTANT: We reserve the right to make changes to the order
of the trip, without prior notice, due to changes in climate
conditions, river water levels, flight or bus arrival and departure
times or any other reason relevant to the best development of the
trip.
Special thanks to Prom Perú for the information and pictures.
Last Update :
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