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Travel advisory · PeruSome governments advise against travel to parts of Peru.The warnings cover only these areas: VRAEM (Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro River Valley), 20 km strip along the Colombian border, 20 km strip along the Ecuadorian border, Amazonian border zone with Colombia (Putumayo River).Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
Areas with warnings
  • VRAEM (Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro River Valley) · avoid all travel · Canada, Spain, France, Italy, New Zealand, UK
  • 20 km strip along the Colombian border · avoid non-essential travel · Canada, New Zealand, UK
  • 20 km strip along the Ecuadorian border · avoid non-essential travel · Canada, New Zealand
  • Amazonian border zone with Colombia (Putumayo River) · avoid non-essential travel · France, Italy

Also named by one government: Amazonas (Spain), Loreto (Spain), Abancay (France), Huánuco region (Cordillera Azul) (France), Upper Huallaga River Valley (Canada)

GovernmentAdviceUpdatedRead the advice
United Kingdom (FCDO)No advice against the whole country; advises against all but essential travel to parts of Peru (regional advisories)–Read the advice
United States (State Dept)Exercise increased cautionSep 4, 2026Read the advice
Canada (Global Affairs)Exercise a high degree of caution (regional advisories)–Read the advice
Germany (Auswärtiges Amt)Increased caution; no travel warning statedOct 13, 2026Read the advice
New Zealand (SafeTravel)Exercise increased caution due to violent crime (regional advisories)–Read the advice
France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs)No advice against the whole country (regional advisories)–Read the advice

Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.

aerial view of green mountains during daytime
South America

Peru

Go to Peru for Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, a desert coast and the Amazon rainforest, all in one country.

Start with the essentialsPlan a trip to Peru

Peru sits on the Pacific side of South America and holds three very different landscapes: an arid coast, the Andes highlands and the Amazon rainforest to the east. Most visitors arrive in Lima, the capital and largest city, on the central coast.

Machu Picchu, an Inca citadel in the Andean south, is the country's best-known site. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, the largest state in the pre-Columbian Americas. Lake Titicaca, shared with Bolivia, is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,808 m above sea level. The Amazon's source lies in Peru, and Iquitos is a river port in the rainforest. Peruvian food mixes Indigenous, Spanish, African and Asian influences, and the Lima restaurants Central and Maido have brought the country international recognition for its cooking. Mountain weather brings frequent summer rain, while the coast has low rain and high humidity and is warmer and wetter in the north.

Five things to know before Peru

  1. Book Machu Picchu by circuit

    Entry is timed and sold by circuit and route. Buy on the official Ministry of Culture site well ahead for June to August. Machu Picchu tickets

  2. Inca Trail permits go months ahead

    Only licensed operators can book them, and the classic trail closes each February for maintenance, though Machu Picchu itself stays open.

  3. Acclimatize before you hike

    Cusco is at about 3,400 m. The Sacred Valley is lower, which makes it a good place for the first nights.

  4. Go in the dry season

    May to September is dry in the Andes. November to March brings afternoon rain and fewer people.

  5. Carry soles in small notes

    Markets, taxis and small restaurants want cash, and big notes are hard to break. Money and costs

Peru travel guides

Practical guides from writers who live there.

Best time to visit Peru

Dry Andes, sunny coast and the wet months

Read the guideLima

Food, the coast and the usual arrival city

Read the guideCusco

Inca walls, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

Read the guideArequipa

The white city, Colca Canyon and a gentler altitude

Read the guideLake Titicaca

Puno, reed islands and island homestays

Read the guideVisas and entry

Check your passport rules before you fly

Read the guideTravel insurance

Altitude, trek and rail cancellation cover

Read the guide

Top places to visit in Peru

See all attractions in Peru
Museo LarcoRestaurant · LimaCafe Museo LarcoMake an online reservation, especially for a busy period.RunkurakaySight · CuscoRunkurakaybrown and gray concrete houses on green grass field under white cloudy sky during daytimeSight · CuscoInca DrawbridgeIsla AmantaníSight · Lake TiticacaIsla Amantaní

Destinations in Peru

What a day costs in Peru

Per person, in PEN

Work out your trip
BudgetPEN 88a day≈ $25 · per person

Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.

Bed a night
PEN 35
Food
PEN 35
Transport
PEN 8
Sights
PEN 10
Mid-rangePEN 325a day≈ $94 · per person

A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.

Bed a night
PEN 150
Food
PEN 90
Transport
PEN 35
Sights
PEN 50
ComfortPEN 820a day≈ $236 · per person

A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.

Bed a night
PEN 350
Food
PEN 220
Transport
PEN 100
Sights
PEN 150
Checked Oct 3, 2026 by Tomás HerreraA source for every line on the trip cost page. Flights not included. Rates By Exchange Rate APIWork out your trip

When to go

  • Rainy days
  • Days with storms
  • Best
  1. JanuaryRain27 rainy daysHigh15°Low7°Wet season
  2. FebruaryRain26 rainy daysHigh15°Low7°Wettest, trail shut
  3. MarchRain26 rainy daysHigh15°Low7°Wet
  4. AprilRain18 rainy daysHigh16°Low6°Drying out
  5. MayCloudy11 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh16°Low5°Dry, clear
  6. JuneCloudy5 rainy days2 days with stormsHigh16°Low4°Inti Raymi
  7. JulyPartly cloudy4 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh16°Low4°Dry, busiest
  8. AugustCloudy9 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh17°Low5°Dry, busy
  9. SeptemberRain13 rainy days3 days with stormsHigh17°Low6°Dry, calmer
  10. OctoberRain20 rainy days3 days with stormsHigh17°Low7°Showers return
  11. NovemberRain25 rainy days2 days with stormsHigh17°Low8°Showers
  12. DecemberRain27 rainy days3 days with stormsHigh16°Low7°Wet

Average daily high and low in Cusco, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to PeruPut the places you like in Peru on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Right now in Peru

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Rain

26

Feels like
30°
Humidity
92%
Wind
5 km/h
Chance of rain
100%

Peru

03:05 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-5

  1. Today29°18°100%Monday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 100%.
  2. Tue29°19°100%Tuesday: Rain. High 29°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 100%.
  3. Wed30°19°80%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 30°, Low 19°. Chance of rain 80%.
  4. Thu30°20°83%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 83%.
  5. Fri28°20°94%Friday: Rain. High 28°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 94%.
  6. Sat28°20°98%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 28°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 98%.
  7. Sun26°18°100%Sunday: Rain. High 26°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 100%.

Updated 11:23 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 3.467 PEN

PEN · Peruvian Sol

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Peru

Big events, festivals and concert tours

Events calendar
Four people in traditional embroidered clothing and hats against a bright skyJuneInti RaymiJun 24, 2027

Festivals by month

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • JunInti RaymiCusco
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • SepTrujillo Spring FestivalTrujillo
  • OctLord of MiraclesLima
  • Nov
  • Dec

On tour in Peru: Karol G Tropitour Lima, Jan 22, 2027 · Foo Fighters Take Cover Tour Lima, Mar 3, 2027 · Slipknot (sic)est Stadium Tour 2027 Lima, Sep 14, 2027

Before you go to Peru

Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley toursGuided days, trains and entry sortedCompare tours
Stays in Lima and CuscoSleep low before the high stopsCheck availability
eSIM for PeruCoverage is patchy in the AndesRead the guideInsurance for Andean tripsCheck altitude, trek and rail coverRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Peru, checked
Check passport validity and entry requirements on your government's travel advice before you book flightsRead more
Machu Picchu needs a timed ticket booked ahead; check the official site for current entry rules
Protected natural areas have their own entry rules; check permits with SERNANP, the agency that runs themRead moreRoad blockades and protests can close routes at short notice; check safety advice before long road journeysRead more

Stories from Peru

All stories
a mountain with a lake in the middle of itAlternativesMachu Picchu is booked out: Choquequirao, Ausangate and two quieter treksLucas Moreira · Oct 3, 2026

Peru FAQ

How far ahead should I book Machu Picchu?

For June to August, as early as you can; tickets and trains both sell out. In the wet season a few weeks is usually enough.

Will I get altitude sickness?

Many people feel it in Cusco. Sleep lower in the Sacred Valley first, go slowly, and see a doctor if symptoms get worse.

Do I need a guide at Machu Picchu?

The site rules have required most visitors to enter with an official guide. Check the current rule on the official ticket page when you buy.

Do I need a visa for Peru?

Many nationalities, including US, UK and EU, enter visa-free for tourist stays, with the days set at the border. Check the official Peruvian migration site for your passport.

How many days do I need in Peru?

Ten days fits Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Add three or four days for Arequipa and Colca Canyon or Lake Titicaca.

DestinationsWhere to go, when to go and how to get around in 221 countries. Every practical fact shows the date we checked it and who checked it.Where to stayNeighborhoods walked end to end: who each area suits, how far it is from the airport train, and the hotels we would book ourselves.PlanVisas and entry rules, travel insurance, eSIMs and rail passes, explained in plain words and rechecked when the rules change.EventsFestivals, concerts and tours with confirmed dates, rooms near the venue and the fastest way on to the next city.StoriesField reports and data stories from the road. We time the queues, count the costs and say what changed since last year.

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