FAQ – IN PERU

Go directly to:
 

• Safety in Peru and Cusco
• Health in Peru and Cusco
• Altitude sickness

Safety in Peru and Cusco

Peru is not necessarily an unsafe country, but staying alert is a good idea. Below some safety tips and some situations you can better avoid.
You can reach us 24 hours per day, might something nevertheless happen.
For more information, see frequently asked questions, emergencies.
 
You probably arrive at Lima Airport. We advice you to not take a taxi on your own from there to the city centre. If you want to arrange your own transport anyhow, at least choose one of the official companies that have a stand in the airport itself. Under no circumstance take one of the often illegal taxis that are waiting outside the airport. The better hotels in Lima arrange pick-ups from the airport by the way. Often that’s even cheaper than arranging your own taxi. Mundo Antiguo Tours can also arrange a safe pick-up.
 
See for more information our Lima Starters Program.
 
Actually you can find our best advice for a safe holiday in the text above: avoid unknown situations in which you can get isolated from possible help. Beside that, try not to attract too much attention and to be a too easy potential victim: leave your jewellery home, don’t walk around with your wallet in your pocket, don’t have too much money with you, pay attention to your expensive camera and stay always alert. Remember that it are the busy places like markets or bus stations where pickpockets operate. Avoid places or situations that you don’t trust. A well-known trick is that you are being spit on or that someone throws a liquid on you. Don’t react, walk on, or enter a shop. It’s very likely that you are being robbed and the people that are trying to help you form in reality part of the complot.
 
Generally there are happening more non-violent (for example pocket-picking) than violent crimes, but like in every other country of the world violent crimes do occur. As a consequence it’s better not to walk around on your own, especially at night. Don’t go on a hike alone. It’s sometimes recommendable for women to dress and act neutrally in some situations and to avoid traditional ‘man-places’ (like construction grounds or some bars).
 
Going out is fun, and it will be a new experience! Beware though of accepting drinks from strangers. It happens that tourists get drugged.
In a city like Cusco tourists ‘risk’ to spend a nice evening with a local beauty (man/woman). Keep in mind though that many of those charmers are in reality after your money (or, in case of a longer relation, after a visa). Keep some distance between you and the handsome!
 
We can be short about drugs: all possession of drugs is illegal and you have to be a fool to take the risk to get caught here.
 
Use taxis, especially at night. Although most cabdrivers work illegally, that doesn’t mean they are criminals. Nevertheless, we want to advice you to take a radio taxi if possible. You will recognize those on the telephone numbers on their roofs. Ask personnel of bars and restaurants or hotels to call a taxi for you.
 
It happened to us: fake taxis and fake police. Never react to invitations of strangers to share a cab. If police approaches you to for example control your belongings: insist in walking together to the nearest police station. Whatever happens: don’t get it a car with them. Don’t trust ‘undercover’ police. They have strict orders not to bother tourists.
 
In Peru there is quite a lot of social unrest. Stay on a safe distance when witnessing a strike or a riot, don’t look for sensation. Although tourists mostly are excluded from the problems and protests are mostly passive, you’ll not be the first to get hit by a stone flying around or getting a good mouthful of tear gas.
Roadblocks form a traditional element in demonstrations and can continue for days, which can make a real mess of your travel plans. But we strongly advice you: don’t try to get through the blockades by for example taking a cab. In that case, tempers will rise. Don’t take that risk!

Health in Peru and Cusco

The key to stay healthy on a journey is the combination of a good preparation, common sense and a bit of luck.

 
The preparation
Large parts of Peru consist of rain forest. Here you can get the same diseases as elsewhere in the tropics like malaria, dengue or yellow fever. Moreover, everywhere in Peru you can get sick because of ingestion of contaminated food or water.
Therefore it’s important to take your measures already before the start of your journey: get informed about the recommended vaccinations, buy malaria pills when necessary, and acquire a good travel and health insurance.

Necessary vaccinations

Yellow Fever
A yellow fever vaccine is strongly advised to anyone who visits the Peruvian jungle. This life threatening disease (about 40% of the people who get yellow fever will die) is transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms are high fever, possible jaundice and haemorrhage. In Peru proof of vaccination is required from all travellers arriving from an area where yellow fever is endemic.

 
Hepatitis A and B
After travellers’ diarrhoea, hepatitis A is the most common travel-related infection, acquired by ingestion of contaminated food, ice or water, but also by direct contact with infected persons. As hepatitis B, it occurs all over the world, but it’s more common in developing countries. Both are viral liver infections. Hepatitis B is acquired by sexual contact or by exposure to infected blood.

 
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever is an infection in the bowels, acquired by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Symptoms are fever, stomach-, head- and muscle aches, dizziness, and sometimes diarrhoea but also constipation.

 
Tetanus
A potential fatal disease caused by a bacterium that is common in street-refuse. Tetanus is also transmitted through an animal bite. It’s difficult to treat, but it’s preventable by immunization.

 
Rabies
An almost always fatal viral infection, transmitted by bites (but in rare occasions already scratches or licks) of infected animals. You can get a series of three vaccinations, but generally it is only recommended if you travel for a long period, if you are going to work with animals, or if you travel to a remote area without access to appropriate medical care. During the incubation period you still can be treated: search medical help immediately when bitten or scratched!

Other diseases

Malaria
In Peru malaria occurs. Malaria pills are recommended when travelling to Peru, except Lima and surroundings, the southern coastal region, and the highlands (where it’s at night to cold for mosquitoes). So for places as Huaraz, Arequipa, Lake Titicaca, Cusco and Machu Picchu malaria pills are not needed. Ask your doctor for more advice.

 
Dengue
Dengue is another disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Unfortunately there is no vaccine. Normally people get sick for 6 or 7 days, with sudden fevers, headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, muscle and joint pains. As for other diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes it’s important to protect yourself: wear body-covering clothes and use insect repellent (with DEET) for the unprotected skin.

 
Travellers’ diarrhoea
Most travellers will get some diarrhoea by taking contaminated food or water. Most important risk by diarrhoea is dehydration. Use the glucose-salt preparation ORS (oral rehydration salts). You can also drink Gatorade or other rehydrating drinks. It’s recommended to seek medical attention if you have diarrhoea for more than 3 days, if you have to go more than 5 times a day to the bathroom for a longer period, if you have fever, cold shakes or body aches, or if there is blood in your defecation.

 
Cholera
As travellers’ diarrhoea, cholera is caused by taking contaminated food or water. There is a vaccine, but in most countries (like the USA) it’s no longer available, due to inefficiency and side effects. Cholera can lead to watery diarrhoea, sometimes to an extent that it causes live-threatening dehydration. Drink a lot of ORS and search medical attention!

 
See also frequently asked questions, food.

Altitude sickness