🇵🇪 Peru

Inca citadels in the clouds, Amazon rainforest, high-altitude lakes and a capital that's a global food destination.

Continent: South America
Capital: Lima
Best time to go: May to September (dry season in the Andes)
Currency: Peruvian sol (PEN)
Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara

Quick guide: Peru essentials

🛂 Visa & entry

Visa-free stays for many passport holders, including Canada, the US, the UK and the EU; officers grant up to 183 days. Keep your passport handy for checks.

💉 Vaccines & health risks

Routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and typhoid. Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for the Amazon, where malaria prevention may also be needed. Cusco sits at 3,400 m, so plan a few slow days for the altitude.

🚗 Driving

Drive on the right. Bring an International Driving Permit with your licence. Driving is aggressive and mountain roads are dangerous after dark; many travellers use buses or drivers.

🏥 Healthcare & emergencies

Good private clinics in Lima, limited care elsewhere; get insurance that includes evacuation. Emergencies: 105 (police), 106 (ambulance).

⚖️ Drug laws

Possession of very small amounts for immediate personal use isn't punished, but police may still detain you and trafficking sentences are severe. Ayahuasca ceremonies are legal but unregulated; choose established centres and know the health risks.

🎉 Nightlife & party scene

Lima's Barranco and Miraflores have bars, clubs and live música criolla; Cusco has a lively backpacker club scene around the Plaza de Armas. Try a pisco sour. Drinking age 18.

Last reviewed 2026-10-17. Entry, health and legal rules change and can depend on your passport; always confirm with official sources before you travel.

City guides

Lima

A clifftop capital on the Pacific, home to some of the world's most acclaimed restaurants.

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Cusco

The former Inca capital at 3,400 m, and the base for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

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All cities in Peru (1,288)

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