South & Central America
Highlights - Essential Info - Itineraries
Visa Requirements - Holders of UK passports do not require a visa for entry into Peru, but the authorities sometimes check to ensure that you have a valid onward/return ticket and sufficient funds for your visit and you should have a full passport with a minimum of six months validity from the date of your return to the UK.
Health Requirements - There are no mandatory vaccinations required for entry into Peru although Tetanus, Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A and Meningitis are recommended. A Yellow Fever Certificate is required to enter into Peru if you have come via an infected country. Even if you have not come via an infected country it is generally recommended if you are travelling to the Amazon basin. Malaria exists in some parts of Peru that are below 2500m in altitude such as the Amazon basin. It is therefore essential that you seek medical advice with regard to its treatment.
We strongly recommend that you contact your doctor or the MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Aboad) Travellers Health Line on 0870 6062782 or their website at www.masta.org for all professional medical advice.
Time - GMT - 5 hours
Money - The currency of Peru is the Nuevo Sol (S) and this is then divided into 100 Centimos
Traveller’s cheques and foreign currency can be freely exchanged at most commercial banks, hotels and lodges. The use and acceptance of credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard is growing and they are generally accepted in many of the larger hotels and lodges, but an alternative payment source such as cash is sensible, especially in remote areas.
US$ Dollars is the preferred hard currency and you should carry some small denomination bills as change for larger bills is not always forthcoming.
Flights
|
Airline |
Route |
Frequency |
Via |
|
KLM |
Heathrow/Lima |
Daily |
Amsterdam |
|
American Airlines |
Heathrow/Lima |
Daily |
Miami |
|
Iberia |
Heathrow/Lima |
Daily |
Madrid |
Climate - a rough guide
On account of its extraordinary topographical and geographical diversity, from the Pacific Ocean to the high altiplano and beyond to the low-lying jungles in the east, there is a natural variety in the weather patterns. However the principal dry Winter season is from April to October with the main rains falling in the Summer between November and March.
Lima & the Pacific Coast: The vast majority of the coast from the Chilean border all the way to well north of Lima has a dry desert climate with little rainfall and day time temperatures hovering around 80°F in summer and then the winter months see a slight fall in temperatures. On account of the cold Humboldt current from Antarctica the moisture rarely condenses and so from May to November a blanket of cloud and sea-mist hangs over the coast and over Lima itself.
The Sierra/Altiplano: The dry winter months (April to October) are the best time to visit this high altitude region as there tends to be little rain and the temperatures during the day time can reach up to around 75°F, although it can be very cold at night with temperatures slipping below freezing. The summer months (November to March/April) still tend to be reasonably dry although the occasional heavy afternoon downpour is possible and the temperatures are only slightly lower than in the winter.
La Selva (Amazon Basin): By its very definition, the rain forest of the Eastern Lowlands is the wettest region of the country with high rainfall and high humidity throughout the summer months and daytime temperatures around 90°F. The winter months tend to be marginally drier and less humid, although temperatures are still very high.
Please note also that in recent years the traditional seasons in Peru, as elsewhere in the world, have become less predictable than before, particularly when El Nino passes through.
When to go - Peru has a pleasant climate ensuring that the country can be visited throughout the year, but arguably the best time to visit is between April and October, when it tends be a little drier, although during these winter months, the temperatures tend to be slightly lower.
|
Lima |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
85/ |
85 |
86/ |
86/ |
85/ |
80/ |
72/ |
78/ |
78/ |
78/ |
78/ |
80/ |
|
Rain (in) |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
0.01 |
|
Cusco |
||||||||||||
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Temp (F) |
66/ |
68/ |
69/ |
71/ |
70/ |
70/ |
70/ |
70/ |
72/ |
73/ |
73/ |
72/ |
|
Rain (in) |
6.0 |
5.0 |
4.0 |
1.7 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.9 |
2.2 |
3.0 |
4.8 |
Temp (Fahrenheit) = Average Maximum Temperatures (day/night)
Rain (inches) = Average Monthly Rainfall
