On this article we leave you some tips to visit Peru.
The climate in Peru can be divided by zones: the western Andes that has a dry and cold climate in winter and its very rainy during the summer. The rainforest that has a hot, wet and rainy climate and the desert coast with a warm climate without regular rainfall.
The climate in Paracas varies according to the season. During summer, it is very hot and in winter the temperature decreases and there are strong winds so it is advisable to have a windbreaker at hand.
The climate in Arequipa city and the Colca Valley is dry and cold. The temperatures are between 17ºC y 24ºC in the morning and between 2°C and 6°C at night. Arequipa has sunny days and cold nights throughout the year. The rainy season is from December to March.
Cusco has a mild climate with temperatures that go from 02ºC to 23ºC with warm days and cold nights. The rainy season is from December to March.
Machu Picchu has a semi-tropical climate with warm days and cold nights. The rainy season is from November to April.
The climate is very cold and dry in Puno. The temperature fluctuates between 5ºC and 8ºC throughout the year. It is sunny during the day and very cold during the night (-10ºC).
The rainy season is from December to March.
Chiclayo city has a mild climate almost throughout the year, with higher temperatures during summer (December to March). The rainy season is from November to March and some years it causes some landslides.
Trujillo has a privileged climate, warm throughout the year with temperatures between18°C and 25°C. It is warmer during the summer (from December to March)
The rainy season is from November to March and some years it causes some landslides.
The average temperature in the Amazonia is 28 ºC. It has a tropical climate, hot, wet and rainy throughout the year. The heavy rainy season is from November to April, so we recommend being prepared.
The climate in Manu National Park is divided in two seasons: the drought season from June to September and the rainy season from October to May. You must be prepared because there could be an unexpected “friaje” (cold wave) any time of the year. The weather in Manu constantly changes, there can be rain during the drought season, so we suggest taking precautions. The average temperature in the lowest parts is 35ºC during the day and 25ºC during the night.
Tambopata has a warm and rainy climate throughout the year. The temperature can decrease in June and July because of the “friaje” (cold wave) due to the southern winds.
The weather doesn’t hold the trip back in general, except when the “El Niño” phenomenon is very aggressive.
Peru Time Zone according to Greenwich Mean Time is -5 (GMT -5), same as Bogotá and Mexico throughout the year and same as New York during summer. When it is midday in Peru the hour in the most important cities is:
| São Paulo | 14:00 |
| Frankfurt | 19:00 |
| Nueva York | 13:00 |
| Londres | 18:00 |
| Hong Kong | 01:00 + 1day |
| Singapur | 01:00 + 1day |
In Lima: 0 meters above sea level
In Paracas: 0 meters above sea level
In Nazca: 54 meters above sea level
In Arequipa: 2,350 meters above sea level
In the Colca Valley: 3,500 meters above sea level
In Cusco city: 3,360 meters above sea level
In Machu Picchu: 2,400 meters above sea level
In the Sacred Valley: 2,850 meters above sea level
In Puno: 3,860 meters above sea level
In Manu National Park: 365 meters above sea level
In Tambopata: 300 meters above sea level
In Iquitos: 106 meters above sea level
In Piura y Tumbes: 0 meters above sea level
In Huaraz: 3,038 meters above sea level
In Cajamarca: 2,720 meters above sea level
In Ayacucho: 5,746 meters above sea level
In Chiclayo: 60 meters above sea level
In Trujillo: 52 meters above sea level
The Peruvian Andes are at high altitudes, so it is necessary to take precautions to avoid altitude sickness or “soroche”. It is important to rest a few hours, to walk slowly and to eat light before beginning any tour. We also recommend drinking coca tea that helps with acclimatization. Even though water is potable in most cities, it is advisable to drink bottled water to avoid any problems.
To know if you need a visa to enter Peru, please go to the closest consulate (search here) since the requirement may vary at any moment. For more information, please go to: Visa types to enter Peru
Peru’s official language is Spanish, which is spoken by 80% of the population. However, there is a large portion of the population that speaks Quechua and Aymara (especially in the Peruvian Andes). Moreover, we can find 55 dialects in the Amazonian rainforest.
Electricity in Peru is 220 Volts and 60 Hertz. In some hotels, you may find dual voltage outlets, however, we suggest checking your appliances’ voltage and take precautions by having a power adapter or converter.
During the last years, the Peruvian gastronomy has become famous because of its variety and exquisiteness. Among the most known dishes you can find the ceviche, a dish made of fish and seafood marinated in lemon juice.
The famous “picanterías” stand out in Arequipa. These are typical restaurants from the past. There, we can find dishes made of cheese, milk and shrimp from the Majes Valley. The best-known dish in Arequipa is the rocoto relleno. The rocoto is a spicy fruit that is stuffed with meat and it is served with potato and cheese.
Other dishes you should try are the ocopa arequipeña, solterito de queso, chupe de camarones and adobo arequipeño (dish made of pork’s meat and chicha de jora). The city’s signature dessert is the queso helado prepared with milk, coconut and cinnamon.
You can try alpaca and trout prepared in several dishes in the Colca Valley
You can drink chicha de jora, a beverage made of fermented corn, and a shot of anisado as a digestive.
There is a new gastronomy trend in Cusco called “novoandina”. The novoandina cuisine is based on the creation of new dishes using local ingredients such as quinoa, quiwicha, potato, alpaca and trout. This way, we have dishes such as alpaca tenderloin with “quinotto” (risotto made of quinoa instead of rice) or grilled trout with sautéed vegetables and native potatoes.
In Puno, we can also find restaurants offering alpaca tenderloin and trout dishes with local vegetables and native potatoes. The zone’s pizzas also have a great acceptance due to the Andean cheese used in their preparation and the clay oven used to cook them.
The most important dishes in Iquitos are made of river fish, jerky, chonta or heart of the palm and typical fruits from the area such as cocona and camu camu.
The gastronomy in the north of Peru is one of the most important in the country. We can find arroz con pato (rice with duck), a dish made with cilantro, an aromatic herb that gives an amazing flavor to it. Among the typical dishes we can also find espesado, a corn soup with a side dish of yellow rice, tortilla de raya, which is an omelet made of skate fish with green onions and yellow chili. The white chicha is the zone’s typical beverage. In Trujillo, we can find cabrito con frejoles (goat meat served with beans), shambar (wheat soup made with pork’s skin and smoked ham), the sopa teóloga, turkey and hen broth with soaked bread, potato, milk and cheese.
Paracas and Nazca: international food restaurants, fish and sea food restaurants.
Arequipa: international and local food restaurants.
Cusco: international, local and vegetarian food restaurants.
Aguas Calientes: international and local food restaurants.
Puno: local food restaurants. Taquile only has the basic services.
Chiclayo: international, local and vegetarian food restaurants and fast food chains.
Trujillo: international, local and vegetarian food restaurants and fast food chains.
Iquitos: all meals will be provided by the lodge.
Yellow Fever Vaccine:
We recommend receiving the yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before your arrival to the rainforest. It is a must to have the vaccination certificate during your trip.
Our team will be contacting you as soon as possible.