Go with a plan.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Peru
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Counterfeit currency
Counterfeit bills are circulated even in upscale businesses and banks. Check all high-value bills for the bichrome security element, as locals do.
Bolivian coin swap
Vendors may give you 5-Boliviano coins as change instead of 5-Soles coins. These look similar but are effectively worthless in Peru, so inspect your change.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Tap water safe to drink: No — bottled/filtered only
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Visitors to Peru must obtain a visa from one of the Peruvian diplomatic missions unless they are citizens of one of the visa-exempt countries.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Terrorist attacks in Peru cannot be ruled out. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Peru, but social attitudes are generally conservative. Crimes against the LGBT+ community are not included in hate crime legislation and same-sex partnerships are not formally recognised. Same-sex couples showing affection in public may receive unwanted and negative attention. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers in Peru face tangible risks beyond typical urban crime, specifically regarding the reliability of tour operators. In the Amazon, relying solely on a guide can lead to life-threatening situations if the company is negligent, as evidenced by groups being abandoned without supplies or navigation. In Huacachina, dune buggy excursions present recurring safety concerns, including poorly maintained vehicles and inadequate safety equipment, which have resulted in fatal accidents. While travelers express anxiety about muggings and theft in cities like Cusco and Lima, the most concrete dangers reported involve the lack of accountability and safety standards within the adventure tourism industry.
“Within the first few hours, thanks to the extremely negligent (bordering on the reckless) decisions of the company and guide, we were completely lost deep in the Amazon jungle with no food, water or any safety supplies.
— r/travel
“I've seen some troubling reviews as we've been looking for a tour group to go with -- everything from vehicles in disrepair, to way-oversized seatbelts and insufficient safety checks, to the every-few-years report of somebody dying.
— r/travel
“He had nothing with him to prepare for this situation: no flare, no water, no machete, no GPS, not even a compass.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B / C · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Cash vs. Card
The currency of Peru is the sol (ISO code: PEN), symbolised as S/. It is one of the more stable currencies in South America.
Zoom in
One Peru city on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (8 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09