ORIENTATION BEFORE TRAVELING

PERU AND ITS PEOPLE

GEOGRAPHY

Peru boasts surprising beauty and biodiversity, from an arid coastal plain to the large mountain ranges of the Andes and on to the tropical jungles. It is a diverse country full of exciting customs, beautiful landscapes and colonial cities. Many tourists visit Peru not only for the history of the Inca Empire, but because of the many other attractions of this fabulous country. Peru is also known as a place of great power, energy and magnetism. It is believed that the Andes Mountains have more than any other in the world and are an exceptionally good place to meditate or practice spiritual exercises.

Peru has large cities: Lima is the capital and is located on the West coast and has approximately 8 million inhabitants. Arequipa is in the southeast of Peru and is the second largest city with approximately 1 million people. Cusco, a city with around 500,000 people is located in the Andes and is a popular place for tourists as it is the point from which you depart for the famous sanctuary of Machu Picchu and many other interesting sites.

TERRITORY

A total of 1,285,218 kms2 (496,220 miles), distributed across 3 large geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.

POPULATION

24,500,000 inhabitants who are descended from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In Lima alone 8 million of these inhabitants reside.

LANGUAGE AND RELIGION

The main language spoken here is Spanish, spoken by 80% of the population, however in the major tourist areas many people speak English. Quechua is one of the native languages that is also spoken in many parts of the country mainly by the mountain population, especially around Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and is considered an official language. Aymara is spoken in the areas around Lake Titicaca. The natives of the Amazonian regions speak different languages and dialects.

It is estimated that 90% of the population is Catholic.

ELECTRICTY

If you plan to bring a hair-dryer or other electrical object with you, it is important to know that the electrical current in Peru is 220 V and 60 Hz and that a transformer is necessary for these voltages.

CURRENCY

The Sol contains 100 cents (centimos). There are 5, 2 and 1 Sol coins as well as 50, 20, 10 and 5 cent coins. In the same way there are 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Sol notes. The US Dollar is accepted in major cities. The most accepted credit cards are: Visa, American Express Mastercard and Diners Club.

THE WEATHER

Peru has two seasons: the rainy season starts in November and finishes in April and the dry season lasts from May to October. Given that Peru is in the Southern hemisphere, summer is during the rainy season. Along the coast the summer months are hot with light drizzle, but as you move inland to the Andes, the summer months have strong rain and cold days and nights. During the winter months the coast has a temperate climate while the mountainous regions have warm sunny days with very cold nights.

POLITICAL SYSTEM

Peru is a Democratic Republic where the President and Congress are elected every 5 years.

SYSTEM

Metric Decimal System.

SECURITY

As with any other tourist destination, crime is something to be aware of when traveling in Peru. If you use common sense, nothing bad should happen. It is important to carry identification with you at all times, but it is a good idea to keep your passport, credit cards, plane tickets and any other object of value in the hotel safe when you are not using  them. A copy of your passport is generally sufficient identification. It is not recommendable to carry large amounts of cash with you. You should try to carry some change with you and keep your money in a belt-bag or pocket. In big cities you should be aware of pickpockets and only take licensed taxis. If something happens around you try not to be distracted and always keep an eye on your luggage. Women shouldn’t wear excessive amounts of jewelry or carry a handbag that could be easily torn away. Women should anticipate some comments from men, especially if traveling alone.

TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT -5 hours

REQUIRED VACCINATIONS

Some vaccinations are required in order  to enter countries in South America. It is highly recommended that you consult your doctor for information on this topic. If you are thinking about visiting jungle zones during your travels in Peru, you should have a vaccination certificate for yellow fever.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Valid passport and visa for citizens of some countries.

You are required to have a yellow fever vaccination to visit jungle regions and also for those who are traveling on to other countries after visiting Peru. An International Drivers License is accepted.

THE CLIMATE

• Coast: Winter (May-October, Average 14 º C - 57 º F)

Summer (November-April, Average 27 º - 81 ºF)

• Mountains: Temperatures range from 18 º C (64 º F) during the day to 3 º C (37 ºF) during the night.

 The rainy season is from December to March.

• Jungle: Hot and humid with sporadic rain all year round.

FOOD AND DRINK