PERU PRACTICALITIES

Facts and Figures

The third largest country in South America, it borders Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

Area: 1,285,216 sq. km

Population: (2007 cescus) 28,220,764

Population density: 22.0 per sq. km

Capital: Lima

Time: 5 hours behind GMT

Passport/Visa requirements

Passport valid for six months beyond intended stay. No visa required for British citizens, a 90-day tourist card is issued free on arrival. You get given a copy of the tourist card keep it safe as you will be charged US$40 for reissue if you loose it and may have problems when leaving the country. If crossing into any other country make sure you get given a new tourist card each time you come back into Peru. All other nationalities should contact the relevant Embassy or Consulate for information.

Geography

The country lies entirely within the tropics and its main topographic divisions run north south. The narrow strip that runs along the pacific coast is an extension of the Atacama Desert and seldom sees any rain. This gives way to a wide belt of Andean Mountains that rise dramatically to heights of over 6,000m. The third area is to the east of the Andes where they drop to the floor of the Amazon Jungle. The highest mountain, Huascarán, lies in the Cordillera Blanca and is 6,768m above sea level.

Climate

Peru has two distinct climatic zones, each has a wet and dry season. The coastal area has its dry season from December to late March, where the skies are clear and the temperatures high. The rest of the year even though there is little rain a sea mist known as the garúa obscures the sun. The seasons in the mountains and the jungle are reversed, with the dry season running from April to October. In the mountains this brings hot dry weather during the day but temperatures can drop to below freezing at night. Temperatures in the Amazon are fairly constant all the year round but during the wet season, November to April, the humidity increases.

Language

Spanish is the official language but Quechua is widely spoken amongst the Indian community in the Andes (it has now been given some official status). Aymara is also spoken around Lake Titicaca. Many dialects exist in the jungle region.

Money

The currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S/) introduced in 1991. The exchange rate ia S/2.84 = 1US$ (2008). Try to break down large notes when you can, as it is often hard to do so and change is often scarce. US$ is the only currency that can be exchanged everywhere, dollars cash should be in new notes or ones in very good condition as they are often not accepted by banks if they are torn or marked. Both cash and travellers cheques (AMEX are the best) can be changed at most banks and Casas de cambio. You can pay in dollars in large chain hotels and in some restaurants. Visa credit cards are the most widely accepted and you can get cash from Banco de Credito, Interbanc and Banco Mercantil both at the counter and from the cash machines. Credit cards generally are not so good for buying in shops as many charge an extra 8% for the pleasure. There are ATMs at the airport and in major cities - Cusco, Lima and Ariquipa.

Religion

90% of the population are Roman Catholic.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 60 Hz (50 Hz in Arequipa). Two pin plugs.

Not So Brief History of Peru

The Incas are certainly the most famous of Peru’s pre-Colombian cultures but there were many cultures that preceded the Incas. The remains of these cultures are mainly confined to the coastal area as the Incas took over the land of all existing cultures in the mountainous area of Peru. Knowledge of Peruvian cultures is restricted by several factors.  Firstly, the geography of the country is very problematic.  The Andean mountain range is extensive and difficult to travel through, the jungle is too dense to explore properly and the coastal desert has been periodically destroyed by flash floods from El Nino. Secondly, the fact that no written word has ever been discovered has also left us without a first hand testimony of everyday life. The third problem has been grave robbery. Archeologists rely heavily on evidence found in tombs to piece together ancient cultures, however thieves have stolen many of these artifacts to sell on the international market. 

Our quick overview of the main pre-Columbian cultures starts with the Chavín-Sechín culture that developed around 2000BC along the north coast before spreading inland to the central and northern highlands. Around 900BC the tribes of two main centres, Chavín de Huantar and Sechín Alto merged together to form one culture. They made huge advances in architecture, agriculture, pottery and weaving. They were also thought to be highly religious and the jaguar head that appears repeatedly throughout Peruvian history is thought to have been one of the main gods.

Around the same time further down the coast, South of Lima, the Paracas-Nasca cultures were starting to develop. There are very few ruins of large architectural structures still remaining from these cultures, however they left a wealth of ceramics and weaving. Most were found in tombs in the desert and have been amazingly well preserved by the arid nature of the area. The other major achievement of their era are the Nasca lines, a mixture of straight lines and drawings carved into the desert floor that are so big that they can only be seen from the air.  

As the pottery and weaving of the southern cultures reached new levels of sophistication so it did on the northern coast. The Moche-Chimú culture based their capital, Chan Chán (the largest adobe city in the world), outside what is now the colonial city of Trujillo. They produced pottery from moulds and painted it with detailed scenes from everyday life. They also built large pyramid-like platform temples, such as the Huaca del Sol and the Huaca de la Luna, that can still be found in Trujillo as well as the tomb of the Señor de Sipán discovered in 1987 outside Chiclayo. There is a wonderful exhibition of the treasures found in the tomb at the National museum in Lima. There were several factors that led to the demise of these cultures around 700AD two of which were a thirty-year drought followed by a ferocious flood caused by El Niño and the emergence of the Wari (also spelled Huari) tribe.

The Wari were formidable fighters and conquered many tribes imposing their beliefs and way of life on them. They came from the southern plains but expanded rapidly to most corners of Peru, into Bolivia and Argentina, their influence can be identified in most art, technology and architecture between 700 and 1100 AD. They formed a good working relationship with the Tiwanaku tribe based near Lake Titicaca, however both cultures grew separately and made substantial improvements in roads, irrigation systems, art and technology. Their rapid and unwelcome expansion meant that it was no surprise when they were replaced once more by the dominant local tribes around 1100AD, a good example is the Chimú tribe who reoccupied the abandoned Moche capital of Chan Chan. It is unsure what brought about the demise of the Tiwanaku culture but they are thought to be the antecedents of the Incas.

Despite being the most well-known era in Peruvian history, the Inca Empire survived for just over a century.  The first Inca was Manco Capac and over a period of about 300 years his descendants conquered many of the surrounding tribes, the Colla to the south (around Arequipa) and the Chanka to the northwest. The victory over the Chanka was a major achievement, and from this point onwards (1430s) for the next 100 years the Inca empire expanded at a considerable rate. Pachacuti Inca and his son Topa did a great deal for the Inca Empire, known as Tahuantinsuyo (the Four Corners)spreading it as far as southern Colombia in the north and into Chile, Argentina and Bolivia to the south and east, creating the largest empire ever known in the Americas. The arrival of the Spanish in 1532 saw the end of the Inca Empire when Francisco Pizarro and 179 men managed to bring down the mighty kingdom. There were several contributing factors; the main one being the death of the Inca leader,

Huayna Capac, in 1527. This led to a civil war between his two sons Atahualpa, who ruled the northern half from Quito, and Huascar, who ruled the southern half from Cusco. Shortly after Ataphualpa’s victory, Pizzaro captured him and held the indigenous leader hostage before killing him.  Another major factor in the fall of the Inca empire was their mythology.  They believed their creator god, Viracocha, to be light-haired, light-skinned and bearded and assumed the Spaniards to be his descendants.  They consequently welcomed the Spaniards wholeheartedly which facilitated their own conquest. The next 30 years were ruled by turmoil, with unsuccessful attempts by Manco Inca in 1536 and Túpac Amaru in 1572 to regain Cusco.

The Spaniards fought amongst themselves for control of this rich land and there was a succession of Viceroys that answered to the Spanish crown from the newly founded city of Lima. The Mita system was introduced supposedly to convert the indigenous population to Catholicism but in reality it provided the conquistadors with free and much needed labour. The pattern of rule did not change much over the next 200 years, until the Indian uprising of Túpac Amaru II in 1780. He was tortured to death in Cusco, a fate that also befell the leaders of the 1814 rebellion. By this time however the Criollos (locally-born Spaniards) where beginning to get disgruntled by the privileges allowed to the native Spanish and when a chance for independence came in the form of José de San Martin from Argentina and Simón Bolívar from Venezuela they took it. Independence was declared in 1821 although most of the country was still under Spanish rule until December 1824.

Since independence Peru has not had a very smooth run, the War of the Pacific in 1879 resulted in the loss of a large area of nitrate rich land in the northern Atacama Desert. There has been an on going land dispute with Ecuador and a succession of unstable governments. In 1968 the socialist military government of General Juan Velasco Alvarado brought about major change with land reforms, an improvement in the standard of living for workers and the nationalisation of major industries. In 1985 Alan Garcia came to power and ruled for 5 years.  This period was a disaster for Peru, with the economic gains of the last decade being thrown away and the rise of two guerilla groups: the Sendero Luminoso (shining path) and the Túpac Amaru (MRTA). They caused major disruptions across the country and were widely feared. The capture of both groups’ leaders in 1992 was a vital coup for the recently elected government of Alberto Fujimori. It helped Fujimori maintain his high level of popularity after his radical move of suspending the country’s constitution. Since that time Peru has continued to grow economically but not everyone’s standard of living has improved.

Natural History of Peru

Peru has a great many different types of landscape, each of which provides an important habitat for the country’s plentiful wildlife. It also has around 30 protected areas or monuments some of which are open to tourists, such as the Ballestas Islands, Machu Picchu, Tambopata and the Huascarán National Park. Others are too remote making it hard or expensive for tourists to get there. The Ballestas Islands off the coast near Pisco are protected due to the large numbers of sealion and sea birds, including the Humbolt Penguin, that live there. The highlands provide vast areas of land for llamas, alpacas, guanacos and the rarer vicuñas to roam over as well ideal habitats for smaller native species such as chinchillas and vizcachas. There are areas such as the Colca Canyon where condors can be seen soaring on the morning thermals. There is also a large tract of Amazon jungle that belongs to Peru which contains one of the best protected national parks in Peru, the Manu Biosphere.  This is partly closed to visitors and the accessible areas can be expensive to get to due to its remote location. Hundreds of species of bird, several species of monkey and other large mammals can be spotted in most areas of the Peruvian jungle. 

Special Events

Peru is fond of colourful fiestas, the highlands are especially noted for their love of pageantry, dancing and drinking. Most holidays are Catholic in origin but in the mountains these are often just an excuse to celebrate more traditional Indian festivals.

Feb 2          La Virgen de la Candelaria celebrated in the highlands,  esp. Puno

Feb/Mar    Carnaval’ is often celebrated with water fights, the biggest is in Cajamarca

Mar/Apr    Semana Santa, Easter week, is best in Ayacucho and Cusco

June 24      Inti Raymi is the most important Inca festival celebrating  the winter solstice

July 28-29  The Fiestas Patrias honor the independence of Peru and are the biggest national     holiday

Aug 30       Santa Rosa de Lima is the Patron saint of Lima and the  Americas

Nov 1-2     All Saint’s and All Soul’s days are festive occasions where food and drink are taken to family graves

Music

When it comes to traditional music, Peru is best known for the Andean sound of the panpipes. The panpipes, quena and charango are the main components of a typical Andean band along with the bombo drum and goats hooves that are used for percussion. Many restaurants in the more touristy areas will be visited by busking bands during the evening, some will have their own shows that include typical music and dances. Listen out for ‘El Condor Pasa’ it may sound familiar! On the coast the music is a mixture of sounds from Spain and Africa, it uses guitars and the cajón, a wooden box that is used to beat out the rhythm, brought over by the African slaves. Both types of music are best heard at special bars that cater for live music, known as Peñas.

Getting Around

Peru is a vast country and this can make travel time consuming. The Panamerican Highway runs north south along the coast and is for the most part in good condition.The government has recently spent a lot of money on improving the road and rail links to the major tourist destinations.

Taxi: Taxis in the cities and towns will not normally have meters and the price should always be agreed before you get in the car. If you are not sure how much a journey should be ask at the hotel and they will give you a rough idea. Larger hotels will call taxis for you but they can normally be stopped on the streets. For longer journeys, if there are a few people travelling and you are not travelling too far, taxis can be a viable alternative to buses.

Buses: The inter-provincial bus service covers all destinations in Peru and we will have recommended this for certain journeys.

Essentials

Shopping: Peru is a shopper’s dream, it caters for all markets, you can get anything from inexpensive clothing to valuable weavings. Throughout Peruvian history weaving has been very important and it has developed a unique style and texture. Llama and alpaca wool items are widely available and you can get some very good value jumpers, scarves and shawls. All vendors will tell you everything is baby alpaca, the softest wool, but as they brush the outside it is hard to tell. The trick is to check the softness of the inside of the item. Silver is also fairly abundant but as with most things you will find the best quality goods are in the more expensive shops as opposed to the less expensive market stalls.  

Tipping

Tipping is up to the individual but in restaurants a tip of 10-15% is customary if service charge has not been added to the bill, give the tip directly to the person who served you, do not leave it on the table. For guides it is usually said that for a half-day tour you should tip the price of a beer ($1-2) and for a full days tour the price of a cheap meal ($3-5). Taxi drivers are not normally tipped but porters or bell boys would normally receive 50¢ to $1 per bag.

Laundry

Laundry facilities are widely available in the main tourist areas. Most hotels will offer a laundry service.  Clothes are very hard to dry in the jungle due to the humidity so take plenty of light clothing that dries easily. In more remote places it is harder to find laundry services so go prepared. 

Police

In  most main towns in Peru there are Tourist Police, they are very helpful and can be approached for information if you are lost or need directions somewhere. Most will speak at least some English.

British Embassy

British Embassy
Torre Parque Mar, 22nd floor
Av. JoseLarco 1301
Miraflores, Lima
Peru
Phone: (+51) (1) 617 3000
 Fax: (+51) (1) 617 3100
 E-mail:belima@fco.gov.uk

Monday to Thursday from 0800 to 1300 and on Fridays from 0800 to 1300.
If you have an emergency outside working hours, please contact the Duty Officer on the following mobile phone (+51) (1) 99751 7123

Airport Departure

Return international flights must be reconfirmed 72 hours before departure. All the main offices are in Lima (01), ring:  Continental Airlines on 221 4340, Iberia on 428 3833 or KLM on 444 5776. Departure tax is US$25 (payable in $ cash on departure) but does not apply to transit passengers. You must check in at least 2 hrs before an international flight, especially during peak seasons.  Please note that during peak times in July and August the airlines regularly overbook, and those at the end of the queue may not get on the plane!  Your hotel or our local representative can help with flight re-confirmations.

Departure tax on domestic flights is 5US$ (payable in US$ cash on departure). US$ 28 for International departures.

Health

Medical Emergencies:  Visitors to Peru have to pay for any medical attention they receive this can be anything up to $50 for a consultation, not including medication. There are some good hospitals and clinics in the main towns but out in the countryside even finding a doctor, let alone one that can speak English is a challenge. All large clinics in major towns have a 24hr emergency service and most have English speaking doctors. The Anglo-American Hospital, Av. Salazar, 3rd Block, San Isidro, Lima, Tel: (01) 221 3656, has been recommended but it is among the most expensive. In Cusco the Hospital Regional on Av. de la Cultura and Dr. Oscar Tejada, P.O. Box 425, Cusco Tel: 233 836 / 240 449 have both been recommended to us., but please ask our local representative for help if you have any health problems.

Stomach upsets:  An upset stomach is the most common medical complaint when travelling abroad, there can be any number of reasons for it, including change of climate, new diet, change in altitude and local water. There are certain steps you can take that will reduce your risks of spending your whole holiday looking for the nearest toilet! Top of the list is DO NOT drink the local tap water in any country in South America. Also avoid ice (unless it has been bought from a manufacturer in which case the water will have been purified the risk is up to you) and keep your mouth shut while swimming or showering. Always buy bottled water and check that the seal on the lid has not been broken, alternatively take water treatment tablets or drops (iodine based ones are the best).

Food is a tricky one as there are no concrete rules and you have to eat! General rules are that you should avoid salads (although vinegar and lemon tend to kill most things), locally made ice cream (imported icecreams are fine) and juices from fruit that can not be peeled. Avoid eating from local food stalls unless the food is very well cooked and only eat ceviche (raw marinated fish) in good restaurants. 

Altitude sickness:  Many of the main attractions in Peru are over 3000m in altitude - this means the air is thin and people often experience difficulty breathing freely. There is no particular group of people that is worst affected by altitude but most people will feel short of air and you should always take precautions when you first reach a high area. The first thing is to slow down, do not rush around, if you start getting a headache take some aspirin. Retiring to bed, is not necessarily a good idea, as you usually feel worse on waking up, as you are not breathing deeply enough. Always make sure you keep drinking lots of (bottled) water and avoid alcohol (or at least excessive consumption of it). Drinking the local coca tea with sugar also helps relieve the symptoms. If symptoms persist contact a doctor, in worst case scenarios you may need to move to a lower altitude.  One of the most common mistakes is to drink plenty of alcohol and not much water on the plane over, and arrive in Cusco dehydrated, where you will soon feel ery sick.  If you are not adjusting to the altitude in Cusco after a day or two, I would recommend a trip to the sacred valley which is almost 1000m lower, which makes a big difference.

 

How to avoid being bitten: Staying at altitude is one way, as there are not nearly as many biting insects that can survive, certainly not malarial mosquitoes! More sensible and practical ways are to wear long trousers and long sleeve shirts even though you may still find you get bitten through your clothes in areas where the mosquitoes are particularly ferocious. Apply a DEET-based repellent with as high a content as possible, Jungle Formula or even 50% DEET are advised. You should cover all exposed areas of skin, avoiding your mouth and eyes, and for extra protection you can apply it under your clothes as well. Environmentally friendly products like those based on citronella are ok but not as effective as DEET products. Sleep under a good mosquito net, most of the hotels used by Trips will provide them free and automatically in affected areas. If you prefer to take your own then they can be bought in most camping and outdoor shops. Its always helpful to take some sellotape to stick over any holes there might be in the net. You should also spray the mosquito net with repellent for further protection. Mosquito coils are ok in small rooms but no use in large ones or outside. They also have a tendency of burning out half way through the night leaving you at the mercy of the mosquitoes! Electrical appliances are no good, as most lodges will not have plugs or even electricity.

(Strong concentrations of DEET can be fairly corrosive and damage leather and some plastic goods, keep it in a non-glass container and wrap it in thick plastic bags.)

Vaccinations:  Please consult your GP for the most up to date advice.  If you are travelling on to Bolivia you will need a Yellow Fever certificate.

Communications

Post: Peru’s postal system has improved recently but it still takes 2-4 weeks for a letter to reach the UK. Sending letters is more expensive in Peru than in many developed countries and costs between $1-$1.30. The main post office is in Lima: Centro de Clasificación de Correos, Tomás Valle, block 600, Lima, open Mon-Fri 0900 – 1330.

Telephone: Telefónica del Peru is the Spanish owned telephone company. They have offices in most large and medium size towns, the larger offices will have fax and even email facilities. You can make international calls from the offices or from phone boxes. If you use a phone box then it is advisable to buy a phone card first as the phone boxes only accept small coins. A call to the UK will cost approximately $3 a min.  Don’t do a reverse charged call back to the UK as these cost about £5 a minute! Internet cafes are quite easy to find in Cusco, Lima, Arequipa.

Useful numbers: From Peru to the UK: 00 + 44 + area code minus the 0 + number. To Peru from abroad: 00 + 51

Media

There are hundreds of local papers produced in Peru but they are only useful if you want to find out what local events are happening. The main daily newspapers are El Comercio, which has good international news and La República. There is also a monthly magazine in English called the Lima Times.

Food and Drink

A lot of tourist restaurants serve international food but Peru has some interesting dishes for the more adventurous eater. There are two major types: Chifa is Peruvian version of Chinese food. The Chinese were brought to Peru as workers and have introduced and adapted the food to Peru. The cheapest most filling meal is noodles (tallarines) and it is often served as part of a set lunch called El Menu. The other main type is Creole food, which is often spicy due to their love of chilles. Roast guinea pig (cuyi) is a specialty of the mountains and ceviche, raw fish marinated in lime juice, is typical of the coast. Peru is the home of the potato and there are many local dishes that liven up this humble vegetable! Fruit is another abundant foodstuff that is readily available both in markets and as delicious juices in cafes. Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink although the local brew is called Chicha. (Look out for the red plastic bags on poles outside houses which means it can be obtained within.) Pisco is the national drink and is often drunk as a Pisco Sour, when it is mixed with egg white, lemon juice and sugar. 

Warnings

Peru is a poor country and has some dangerous areas, these are mainly in the shanty towns on the outskirts of the cities but care should also be taken in city centres. Central Lima has a bad reputation but has been cleaned up a lot in the past few years, however be aware of your surroundings and leave any valuables in the hotel, preferably in the safe. The market in Arequipa is another black spot, people have been covered in paint and chewing gum to distract them while they have their wallets lifted. Most crime in Peru is opportunist theft so can be avoided by not leaving your luggage unattended and being vigilant when in crowded areas such as bus and train stations and markets.

What To Take

Take resilient luggage and a small daypack that you can wear on your back or shoulder leaving your hands free.  The maximum weight accepted by international airlines is 20kg.  Clothes can be worn in layers and is the best way to cope with the temperature changes so pack plenty of t-shirts and shorts but also includes long sleeved tops and trousers and a light rain jacket.  We have seperate kit lists for the jungle and for trekking.

You might also want to include the following items - camera, film, spare battery, books, small phrase book, chep watch/alarm, sunglasses, small torch, penknige, water bottle, small binoculars, insect reppellant, basic furst aid kit - anti-diarrhoea tablets, antiseptic cream, lipsalve, sunscreen, plasters, asprin, normal toiletries and a small towel. 

We recommend that you avoid taking jewellery.  It is also a good idea to keep important documents in sealable plastic bags to protect them from sweat and rain.