Some of the most frequently asked questions and answers about Peru.
What does Turismo Exploring Peru do?
Turismo Exploring Peru – Specialist in the design of adventure, sustainable and tailor-made trips in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Our team specializes in the creation of customized multi-day trips that include transfers, guides, hotels, activities, cruises, train tickets and entrance tickets. All of our trips are customized, specially designed to meet your interests, budget and the travel time you have available.
Why should I use a travel agent to book a vacation?
A travel agent is prepared to plan a trip and uses the experience of the team of collaborators for the traveler planning a major trip, at no cost to you.
Does it cost money to get a quote?
No, there is no fee for our vacation planning services. For the creation of international itineraries, personalized participation is required.
We request a true intention to travel to begin the process.
How to get to Peru?
All international flights arrive in Lima, the capital of Peru. From the USA, there are direct flights with airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, Continental, Delta, JetBlue and LATAM. From Europe, there are also direct flights to Madrid (with Iberia) and London (British Airways). We have connections with South American countries such as Colombia (Avianca) and Chile (LATAM).
What is the best time to travel to Peru?
You can visit Peru throughout the year, due to its great geographical diversity, with jungle, coastal desert and the Andes, the climate in Peru varies from one region to another at any time of the year. The Andes and Machu Picchu have both a dry and rainy season. The dry season is from May to October with daytime temperatures of 18-25°C/65-77°F. The rainy season runs from December to May, with daytime temperatures of 20-26°C/68-79°F. The highest chance of rain is January, February and March.
Lima is humid and can be cloudier between May and October. Average daytime temperatures are 23-28°C/74-82°F. In the jungle, the dry and rainy seasons are the same in the Andes (mountains), but the temperature is higher and fluctuates relatively little throughout the year, with an average temperature of 21-30°C/70-86ºF. In Lima and the coastal desert, and the beaches of Mancora and Huanchaco, there is little precipitation.
Will I need a visa?
This depends on your passport. Citizens of most Western European countries and the United States and Canada entering Peru as tourists do not require a visa in advance and are issued visas upon arrival. However, anyone traveling on a U.S. passport does need a visa for Bolivia, though not for Ecuador. Travelers who require visas in advance can typically obtain them at embassies or consulates in their countries of residence. For specific and timely information, please contact your nearest consulate.
Do you organize tours for solo travelers?
As all of our itineraries are tailor-made, we are happy to design tours for individual travelers, whether you plan to travel alone for part of the trip or the entire trip.
Do you organize group or shared service tours?
We offer group shared service tours with fixed departures that we offer on our website. We also organize private tours, designing tailor-made tours for many groups, families, work, study, exploration and organizations visiting Peru.
How do I book and pay?
Reservation Requests must always be made in writing and sent to our office by email, 30 days in advance, especially in groups, due to the company’s work policy.
Please contact us or you can pay either by bank transfer or online payment with Visa, Mastercard or Amex.
Where can I find my itinerary once my trip is booked?
Your itinerary booked by Turismo Exploring Peru is available on our website, you can view it with your specific booking code, we are directly connected to the reservation systems of our suppliers (airlines, transport lines, hotels, cars, trains, etc.)
How do I cancel a trip?
The percentage of reservations cancelled by the client are due to unforeseen circumstances, such as: flight delays, social conflicts (strikes or riots), bad weather, roadblocks, landslides and any other inconvenience caused by third parties.
The penalties applicable for cancellations of services are:
• 30 days before the departure date 10% of the total.
• 30 to 07 days before the departure date 50% of the total.
• 06 to 0 days before the departure date 100% of the total.
The penalties are applicable due to services such as; airline tickets, train tickets, entrances to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Hotels, transportation, etc. They are purchased and reserved in advance and many of them do not have the option of cancellation or refund.
Important Note:
Hiking and climbing costs are not refundable, this includes entrance tickets to the Inca Trail, train tickets, guides, porters, cooks and muleteers (Cusco, Huaraz, Arequipa). This is because the services are reserved and paid at the time the reservation is made, which is why the required deposit is not refundable.
No show We will retain the full amount and are not responsible for the client’s non-show due to delay or cancellation of their flight. The company is not responsible for damage or loss of luggage, accidents, unforeseen expenses, unavoidable delays, services provided by third parties or direct causes beyond our control. In the case of no show for unforeseen causes, the company will provide a certificate to the client for processing with their insurance company.
Important note: In the event that the client leaves the tour for any reason or reason, the extra expenses are the responsibility of the client and the company is not responsible for any refund.
Can I change the date of my reservation?
In the event of a pandemic such as Covid or similar, we are flexible, in case something happens on your trip and for any reason you cannot come to Peru and cannot perform the service due to flight delays or cancellations, social conflicts (strikes or riots), bad weather, roadblocks, landslides and any other inconvenience caused by third parties.
You will have the option to change and move the date of your trip to any other date in the future, without any additional tax or payment.
If you need to change the date of your reservation, please contact us. (+51 998831355) or send us an email to info@exploringperu.com indicating; name, reservation code, travel date, all changes are subject to availability, the sooner you request the change, the greater the chances of finding availability on other dates.
Date changes must be made 30 days or more before the scheduled date.
Changes are not accepted after 30 days.
How do I know I can trust this travel provider?
We are dedicated to providing personalized service at all times. We choose to work only with well-known and trusted providers to maintain a quality service standard.
• Best price guaranteed.- Our prices are competitive with the current market price quality / service, they may vary depending on the number of participants.
• 100% Peruvian company.- we generate a job opportunity for our community
• Direct deal.- By negotiating directly with us, forget about surprise costs, hidden commissions, without intermediaries, direct and immediate confirmation of your reservation.
• Modification of a reservation.- You can modify the dates and other details of your reservation through the confirmation email or by contacting us.
• Confirmation via email / WhatsApp.- You will receive a confirmation email of your reservation and if you wish, we can send you a message to your cell phone.
• We work 24/7 to answer your requests and questions.
• We speak your language.
Do I need any vaccinations to travel to Peru?
No specific vaccination is required to enter Peru. However, for those traveling to the jungle, the yellow fever vaccine is recommended by the CDC and WHO. Traveling to the jungle regions of Peru previously required the yellow fever vaccine, and while the rules are less strict, it is not uncommon for certification to be requested. The vaccine is normally required or recommended for all rainforest regions around the world and must be administered at least 15 days before arrival. If you are continuing your travels directly from Peru, check to see if a valid vaccination certificate is required to enter your next destination. Also, for certain areas of the rainforest, anti-malaria pills are recommended but not mandatory. It is best to check with your doctor before traveling.
Altitude Sickness:
There are different ways to alleviate side effects that may occur during your trip from being at a high altitude. Diamox can help when taken a couple of days before ascending and a couple of days once at altitude. Once you are in Peru, a natural remedy is coca tea, which will be helpful during your high altitude stay. You should also drink plenty of water before your high altitude flight and during your stay. Eating lightly before and after you arrive and resting also minimizes the effects of altitude, which can include headaches, shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, or loss of appetite. Arriving a few days before the start of a hike or climb will help you adjust to the altitude more easily will help your body acclimatize naturally.
Personal First Aid Kit:
We have a basic medical kit but you may want to bring some of your own medications, especially for hiking or adventure activities, anti-diarrheal pills (Imodium), Pepto Bismol for stomach pain, antihistamines (both capsules and balm), painkillers, band-aids and blister plasters, and insect repellent. There are pharmacies in all cities and towns in Peru, but if you have specific medical needs, bring your medication with you.
Will I need travel insurance?
Travel insurance is not a requirement, but we recommend that you have insurance. Turismo Exploring Perú recommends that all passengers have accident and/or travel insurance and, if possible, evacuation insurance.
We do not provide an accident or travel insurance policy and it is not included in our costs. If a passenger or member of a group becomes ill or an accident occurs, we will transfer them to a nearby clinic for proper care.
In case of accidents or when evacuation is necessary, we organize all rescue and evacuation logistics; in both cases the expenses are the responsibility of the client or their insurance.
We recommend that companies and Tour Operators verify if the passengers they send come with travel insurance.
Can I rent a car in Peru?
Renting a car in Peru is possible with a tourist visa, on our trips a driver is included. There are certain disadvantages to renting a car in Peru, the more rural areas do not have signage and correct location on googlemaps, some roads are of poor quality, depending on the regions you visit, and in general, driving standards are less rigorous in Peru than in more developed countries, so you need to be a very experienced and confident driver.
What kind of currency do I need to bring?
The Peruvian Sol is the country’s currency. Although US dollars are often accepted in hotels, shops and larger restaurants in larger cities and tourist destinations such as Cusco, they are not always accepted. We recommend that you always travel with local currency, especially for smaller purchases in local shops, markets and restaurants. Exchanging dollars and euros into Peruvian Soles is possible at banks, by official money changers on the street (who can be recognised by their vests and official ID cards), at the airport, hotels, money exchange offices and in some shops (in small towns). The exchange rate is generally the same with the exception of hotels, where it tends to be set at a slightly less advantageous rate. Note that $100 bills can be difficult to change, so it is best to have smaller bills. Dollars are easier to change than Euros. Any torn dollar bills (small rips) are generally not accepted. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are also generally accepted in Peru, although Visa is more widely accepted. When making purchases with a credit card, you may have to pay a 5-6% surcharge and may need to present your passport to make the purchase.
We recommend changing traveler’s checks at
the bank, and for security reasons we especially recommend using ATMs at airports and hotels instead of the ATMs on the street, in some countries in the region counterfeit bills are found (both dollars and local currency) so be sure to check your bills or ask us.
What should I pack?
Due to its diverse geography, you will probably experience several microclimates during your trip. For this, wearing several layers of clothing works very well, especially in the Andes, in the main tourist destinations, travelers tend to dress casually, even in hotels. We recommend that you bring suitable footwear for walking around the cities.
Here are some suggestions:
• Comfortable sneakers or hiking boots
• Short and long sleeved polos
• Raincoat
• Fleece jacket
• Jeans or casual pants
• Camera and perhaps binoculars
• Backpack
• Insect repellent, eye drops, lip balm and sunscreen
• Sunglasses
How much should I tip?
Tipping is entirely at your discretion. All of our guides and drivers are paid fairly, so it is not a requirement, although it will always be welcomed. It is best to leave a tip in cash.
Will my cell phone work during the trip?
Phone and internet coverage is fairly good in the cities and even in some rural areas, although there is no phone coverage on the train ride to Machu Picchu. Most foreign smartphones work in the region if you have a data and international calling plan. If your phone is unlocked, you can purchase a local SIM card that will work for use while traveling.
We provide a free phone and SIM card for local calls for the duration of your stay. We can also purchase SIM cards with data plans in your name so you can get online upon arrival.