IMPORTANT GENERAL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS
A.-)
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
Passaport:
A valid passport is required to enter Peru.
Visa: US Travelers stay less than 90 days do not require a
Visa. Please note some countries do require a Visa.
Other Documents: You must have a round trip airline ticket to
enter Peru. You must have enough funds to carry you thru your visit to Peru. In
some cases you must have health certificate for immunization against
yellow fever.
Observations: EMBARCATION DOCUMENT: Just before your flight
approaches Lima city the airlines will hand out a customs form and a embarcation
document.
The
embarcation paper is in duplicate the agent will keep one and will give you the
original small white paper form back. You need to keep this paper with your
passport in order to leave Peru. If for some reason you misplace this paper
there is a service fee to pay and will cause you delays in leaving Peru.
So keep
track of this paper document.
B.-)
HEALTH RISKS
Vaccinations
are not required for those traveling the coastal region and the highlands.
However it is necessary for those traveling the jungle region to have current
vaccinations for yellow fever, malaria, hepatitis A, typhoid, and tetanus. These
diseases are common place in the jungle area.
Those
with high blood pressure and or heart concerns should be checked prior to
visiting regions over 3,000 meter in elevation (10,000 feet appx.)
C.-)
DRINKING WATER
There
is potable water in many of the main cities however we still highly recommend
that you drink bottled water during your trip to Peru. There is a good supply of
bottled water available in Peru, you do not need to import drinking water. Hot
beverages such as coffee, tea, and coca tea are safe to drink.
Coca
Tea/ Coca Leafes : In our country it is legal to posess coca leafes and to drink
coca tea. The medicinal properties of the sacred Coca plant help with nausea
caused by the altitude changes. You can place a few leafes in your cheek area
and drink hot coca tea to assist you in dealing with the altitude. It actually
allows your red blood cells to carry more oxygen thru your body. There is NO
addictive
qualities
to the coca tea or leafes. It is when other chemicals are used to process these
leafes where those problems occur. Please note that it is illegal to posess any
part of the coca plant in the USA.
D.-)
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
The US
dollar is very easily exchanged all over Peru.
Other
countries currency bring lower rates and can be difficult to exchange. In each
city you will be able to exchange monies in the financial district thru
"official" street money vendors who are wearing bright solid color
vests / blue / green / yellow depending on the city and or district. They
usually will approach you wielding a hand held calculator showing you the days
exchange rate. The average rate is in Nuevos Soles S/. 3.48 = $1.00 US Dollar.
You can also change monies in your hotel / local banks / or money exchange
houses. There is a small market of counterfeit money in Peru, and to avoid this
use these safe exchange facilities only.
PLEASE
NOTE: In Peru the banks are extremely critical of the condition of the b ills.
Avoid bringing worn, torn, bills they will be discounted and sometimes refused
totally. So crisp, clean, new bills will make your exchange encounters quick and
easy.
CREDIT
CARDS/ TRAVELERS CHECKS: There are usually high service fees for the use of
these payment methods from 5% to 15% depending on the area.
ATMs:
VISA/Mastercharge/ and American Express have ATMs in most larger
cities
in which you can withdraw funds for your use or make cash advances. Be sure to
have your 4 - digit access code. Also be sure to test ride your card in the
States as sometimes technical glitches are present. Some times these machines
are out of money in the main parts of the cities because of holidays or
weekends. So do not run your monies out to the last bit before you start looking
to find an ATM in your new destination city. These machines are in Spanish and
English, they also provide soles and US Dollars, it is usually best to get US
Dollars and exchange them in the street/hotel/bank.
E.-)
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
In Peru
the kilogram and the metric system is used.
F.-)
ELECTRIC CURRENT
In Peru
the electric current is 220 volts, 60 cycles. Actually the most hotels in Peru
have special 110 volts outlets in the bath rooms to be used for dryers hair,
shavers.
G.-)
PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEOS
In Peru
there are certain areas which are restricted for safety and protection reasons,
such as:
Military
Barracks, Military Instruction Centers, Naval Bases, Air Bases, Police Stations,
Mines, Civil Airports, Railroad Stations, Public Water, Energy Plants, Petroleum
Refineries, Oil Wells and Churches, Museums, Art Centers, etc. These last ones
for preserving.
There
for it is necessary to obtain the proper permission of the authorities to avert
restrictions, penalties or confiscations.
Otherwise
would be necessary to do the proper payment to get the rights.
H.-)
TELEPHONE CALLS SERVICE
In
Peru, National and international direct dialing is possible.
For
international telephone calls you have to dial:
00 + the code of the country + the code of the city + the telephone number
For
National telephone calls you have to dial:
0 + the code of the department + the telephone number
In case
you require more information and / or to use the services of the operators you
have to dial:
For
international telephone calls 108
For the
national telephone call 109
General
information 103
For
using your AT&T card, you have to dial 0800-50000 You can make Local,
National and International telephone calls from the public cabins, using coins
(Nuevo sol) and with telephone cards.
I.-)
BAGGAGE
The
domestic airlines in Peru, allow 20 kilograms of baggage in total for person. In
case it is exceeded to this maximum of weight the airline will proceed to charge
an additional payment for each extra kilogram.
J.-)
AIRPORT TAXES
Each
passenger is charged a tax on all departing flights, be it domestic (within
Peru) or International. This tax is above and beyond the cost of any airline
ticket and is payable at the airport after you have checked in at the counter
with your baggage. There is a small tax booth at each airport where you will pay
$5.00 US for Domestic/National flights and $28.00 US for international flights.
When you pay the tax there is a small sticker they will place on your boarding
pass and this sticker must be shown as you enter thru to the boarding gate
areas.
K.-)
24 HOUR TOURIST HOT LINE: INDECOPI (National Institute of Defense to the
Consumer and Protection of the Intellectual property):
You can
call the 24 hours from the day to the following phone number:
(51) -1-574-8000
L.-)
THE TOURIST POLICE
(51)-1-574-8000:
Tourist Police
(51)-1-225-8698
/ or 8699 (LIMA City Tourist Police)
There
are 15 various Tourist Police offices through out Peru located in the major
tourists cities.
M.-)
MAKING SUITCASES
Carry
on your value items like money, passport, documents, air tickets in the carry on
money's belt. Cameras and video cameras in small handbags that it can take get
at every moment.
We
recommend to bring to Peru backpacks or smaller suitcases which are of easier to
transport.
We
advise you to bring:
Boots for
walk with good grab
Hat for sun
Eyeglasses for sun
Sun Block
Repellent for mosquito
Lipstick Protector
Rain Poncho
Coat jacket and coat pants
Shorts and long pants
Scarf's and gloves for the cold
T shirts (short sleeve and long sleeve)
Permeable Jacket
Flashlights
Batteries
Films
Personal stuff
N.-)
SHOPPING