There are several things you can do to ensure that your vacation is safe and that you stay healthy and active during your trip. We have included details on many of these below.
Visiting a travel clinic before you travel to Peru is very important as they will be able to answer all your questions, administer any immunizations and get you prescriptions for the proper medications. The three links to the right should also provide plenty of information on health and safety.
Immunizations
There are several recommended immunizations for travel to Peru – this includes all routine vaccinations (MMR, Tetanus, etc) as well as both Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid. Yellow Fever and rabies are also recommended for travel to the rainforest/jungle areas. Your travel clinic should be able to answer any questions you have about specific vaccinations and will be able to administer any that you have not had.
Check out the vaccinations page of the CDC website for full details on recommended or required vaccinations: CDC page for Peru
Altitude sickness
Many popular destination in Peru are at high enough altitudes that altitude sickness can be a problem – these include Cusco (and the Inka Trail/Salkantay Treks), Puno and the Colca Canyon and to a lesser extent Arequipa and Machu Picchu. To ensure you have a safe and healthy trip, we recommend consulting with your doctor about the best ways to combat altitude sickness – including getting a prescription for Acetazolamide. Other typical remedies for altitude sickness include drinking coca tea and/or chewing coca leaves (which is what the locals do) as well as spending several less-active days at elevation so you body can get acclimated before hiking the Inca Trail, etc.
Check out this useful link for additional advice: The Travel Doctor tips on altitude sickness
Malaria
The rainforest is one of the few places in Peru where you could encounter malaria. We strongly encourage travelers to take all necessary precautions including taking malaria medicine, wearing long sleeves and pants and using strong mosquito repellent. Your travel clinic should be able to answer any questions you have about malaria and help you obtain a prescription for the appropriate medicine.
There is a section on malaria on the CDC’s Peru page: Malaria info from the CDC
Traveler’s Diarrhea
Traveler’s Diarrhea is common whenever you visit a developing part of the world. While most restaurants in Peru have extremely sanitary food preparation methods, there is always the chance that you will come across something that doesn’t agree with your system. So we recommend bringing the proper medications to combat any issues and insure you don’t lose several days of your vacation on the toilet. This includes Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to help you stay hydrated when sick, anti-diarrheals such as Imodium and antibiotics such as Cipro that are prescribed by your doctor. Ask your doctor about the best to prevent traveler’s diarrhea during your pre-trip visit.
Check out this useful link for additional advice: The Travel Doctor tips on avoiding Traveler’s Diarrhea
Sun burn
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are significantly strong at higher elevation due to the thin atmosphere (in fact, Cusco is listed as having one of the highest levels in the world). This means that you will burn much quicker in Cusco, Puno, Machu Picchu and Arequipa/Colca Canyon than you would at home. So be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen plus a hat and sunglasses to protect you from the sun.
Check out this useful link for additional advice: The Travel Doctor tips on avoiding sunburn
Safety
General Safety Info
Unfortunately, Peru has gotten an unfair reputation for being a dangerous country for tourists. However, if you avoid certain neighborhoods in Lima and use common sense in popular tourist destinations, Peru is just as safe as any other South American country. Your safety is our number one concern, so all Trip Design Peru trips are designed with the utmost attention to safety.
Taxis (in Lima)
Hailing a taxi on the street in Lima is generally not recommended for tourists – as the driver will likely overcharge you and a small percentage of taxis are unsafe (especially late at night and when intoxicated). While we provide most transportation to/from the airport and to our tourist destinations, you may want to take a taxi during your free time. If this is the case, we will provide you with a list of trusted taxi companies to ensure your safety!
Valuables
Most robberies in Peru are crimes of opportunity, where the victim was wearing expensive jewelry, flaunting large sums of cash or not keeping their valuables safely hidden from plain view. So, we recommend leaving any non-essential valuables at home (expensive watches and jewelry, computers, etc). If you do have to bring these items with you, we strongly recommend using the hotel safe, carrying a secure bag/purse or moneybelt(we have had good experience with Pacsafe and being extra vigilant in crowded tourist areas. You should also leave excess cash, credit cards and your passport behind in the hotel safe – so if you are held-up, you can readily give up whatever limit cash you do have while avoiding losing important documents and credit cards!