Go with a plan.
Peru's safety score rose to 62 today, though US, UK, and Canadian governments maintain a level 2 advisory. Watch for Oropouche and measles outbreaks while you travel.
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
False currency swap
Vendors may give you 5-Boliviano coins instead of 5-Soles coins in your change. Check your coins carefully, as Bolivian currency holds no value in Peru.
Counterfeit bills
False bills circulate even at banks and upscale establishments. Inspect all high-value notes for the bichrome security element, which is the only feature not yet successfully falsified.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Oropouche in the Americas
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Dial 911 for all emergency services, but dialing the old 105 can also connect you with the police.
- •Be aware of your surroundings and try to avoid unlit or unpopulated areas, especially at night.
Staying healthy
- •Food safety Enjoy the food, but be judicious, lest you contract diarrhea, dysentery, or a more serious disease such as a parasitic infestation that could ruin your trip.
- •Tap water Tap water is unsafe to drink or use for brushing your teeth in Peru, unless you boil it.
- •Insect bites Avoiding insect bites reduces the risk of contracting diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as yellow fever, dengue fever, leishmaniosis and malaria.
- •Zika virus Zika is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious birth defects.
- •Rabies There have been reported cases of rabies in Peru, so beware of animals that behave strangely around you and get treatment immediately if you are bitten.
- •Heat and sun Do not expect to become quickly acclimated to the heat, especially in the jungle.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
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
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 (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12