Practical Information

Passport

Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.

Visa

Peru

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Peru. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/peru
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/peru/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Peru.html

If you are travelling via the USA and are eligible to transit under the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to register in advance for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). There is a US$21 charge, which is only payable online.

Please note: not all nationalities have the same eligibility for travel to or transit via the USA, and you may not be covered by the Visa Waiver Program. Regulations stipulate that any person who has travelled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011, or have dual nationalities of these countries, may no longer qualify. In addition, if you have travelled to Cuba since 12 January 2021 you will not be eligible for the visa waiver program and should instead apply for a visa.

If you are in doubt of your eligibility, please check the visa requirements with your local US embassy.

Vaccinations and Health

Peru

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Additionally, Zika fever, a mosquito‐borne viral disease, is a known risk in Peru. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so you should take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Please check all vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Amazon: If you are travelling to the Tambopata reserve in the Amazon rainforest, the risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice. We also strongly recommend that you obtain a yellow fever vaccination. Additionally, dengue fever and chikungunya are known risks in the Amazon region. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

Peru's time zone: America/Lima (UTC -05:00)

Electricity

Peru's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), B (three pins: two flat, one round) and C (two round pins)– 220V, 60Hz. Please note, on camping treks, spare batteries or a solar charger may come in handy. If staying in an Amazon lodge, there is no mains electricity; a generator will provide power for a few hours a day only in the main lodge/dining area, while lanterns, torches or candles will be provided in the bedrooms. Additionally, if you stay at the Inkaterra Hacienda Conception Amazon Lodge, there is limited electricity in the cabanas; however, all cabanas have reading lights and a ceiling ventilator.

Money

Peru's currency: Peruvian nuevo sol (PEN)

ATM Availability

ATMs are available in the larger cities and towns and often allow you to withdraw either US dollars or Peruvian soles at good exchange rates. Most international credit and debit cards are accepted, but you should inform your bank you are travelling to Peru and check if your card will work in the local ATMs. There are some ATMs in Aguas Calientes, but they do sometimes run out of cash, so it is a good idea to take your spending money for Machu Picchu out prior.

Credit card acceptance is increasing, but generally they can be used only at the large (and more expensive) restaurants, shops and hotels. Check with your card provider to ensure your card can be used in Peru.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Food, drinks and similar incidentals can vary in price enormously in Peru and are relatively expensive compared to other developing nations. Allow about US$15‐US$20 per meal (without alcohol) to eat at good restaurants. Cheaper food is abundant at small local cafes, although sanitary conditions at these places cannot be guaranteed. Bottled water and soft drinks are readily available for around US$1‐US$2 each.

It is a good idea to take enough money with you to last the first few days because you set off early on Day 2. However, the bus can stop at an ATM if needed.

Optional Excursions

Your tour leader can tell you about the full range of optional excursions available throughout your trip; however, the most popular are:

• Cuzco: City tour and four ruins (five hours): From US$48 per person (based on four participants), excludes BTG. This includes visits to the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay and Puca Pucará plus a city tour, which includes the Plaza de Armas, where the cathedral is located; Koricancha ‘Sun Temple’ (entrance included); and San Pedro Market.
• Cuzco: Sacred Valley tour (eight hours): From US$58 per person (based on four participants), excludes BTG. Drive to the Sacred Valley, stopping at El Mirador viewpoint en route. Visit Pisac Market and fortress and Ollantaytambo; return to Cuzco.
• Cuzco: Stand-up paddleboarding (four hours): From US$82 per person (based on two participants). Includes private transfer, specialised guide, fruit, water and hot drinks. Price can vary if there are more participants.
• Cuzco: Zip-line (eight to nine hours): From US$60 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, and box lunch.
• Cuzco: Via ferrata (eight to nine hours): From US$60 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, and box lunch.
• Cuzco: Via ferrata and zip line (eight to nine hours): From US$100 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, and box lunch.
• Cuzco: Mountain biking excursion in the Sacred Valley (seven hours):From US$130 per person (based on two participants). Includes private transfer, security equipment, specialised guide, and box lunch.
• Cuzco: White-water rafting (eight hours): From US$140 per person (minimum of two participants). Drive to the Chiquicahuana area of the Southern Valley to start rafting in Vilcanota river. Spend two to three hours rafting and experiencing rapids level III and III+. Finish your adventure with a picnic lunch before heading back to Cuzco. Activity available from April to December.
• Inca Trail: If you wish to hike to Machu Picchu, there is an optional full-day trek that meets with the final section of the Inca Trail. This optional hike (which needs at least two people to run) must be pre-booked when you are booking your trip, as numbers are strictly limited and a permit is required. Speak to your sales representative for prices and to book.

Excursion prices vary depending on the number of people taking part. The given prices are based on four participants (unless otherwise stated) and are intended as a guideline only. Actual prices differ depending on group sizes. All tours use private transport and there will be an English-speaking guide. Please note, cash is the preferred method of payment for the optional activities. 

For some activities, a minimum number of participants may be required. Some activities may not always be possible due to weather, seasonality, national holidays or unforeseen circumstances.

The Peruvian Ministry of Tourism may increase entrance fees to archaeological sites at any time. If this happens, we inform you of the increase and the additional amount is payable locally.

Peruvian Passport or Identity Card Holders: The cost of our adventures in Peru is based on the assumption you do not hold a Peruvian passport or resident’s card. If you are officially resident in Peru or are a Peruvian passport holder, you will be liable to an additional 18 percent tax on most services, and this extra sum will be payable locally to our local partner. Other nationalities are exempt from this tax. Please notify us at the time of booking if you are legally resident in Peru or hold a Peruvian passport so we can advise you of the total cost of these taxes.

Airport taxes: Peruvian airport taxes are included in the price of your flight ticket, and there will be no need to pay these locally.

Tipping

On this Premium Adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included and will normally be taken care of by your tour leader (or in some cases through our local agent). So no need for any tipping kitty contributions, or to make your own tips during the trip.

Our ‘included tips’ will normally cover drivers, local specialist guides, certain hotel staff, and serving staff for included meals. Amounts will be in line with the local standard. Of course, if you wish to make a further tip for some extra special service you may do so.

Tips for the tour leader are not included. Whether to tip at all and the amount is entirely at your own discretion, but as a starting point we suggest around US$6 (25 Peruvian soles) per person per day for the duration of the trip.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony though practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Important Information

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.

Machu Picchu regulations

1. Tickets are valid for one entry
2. We spend approximately three hours at Machu Picchu and our guided tour lasts about two hours
3. Upon finishing our one-way Machu Picchu guided tour, we must exit the site
4. Tickets are linked to your passport, details of which we take at the time of booking. It is essential that you inform us of any passport updates before departure and pay the administration fee of £25 (US$35/CA$42/AU$52/€32). Failure to inform us of any update can result in refused entry to the site. If entry is still possible, our local operator will charge you an administration fee locally to update your details.

Please note, we visit Machu Picchu in the morning or afternoon to avoid the peak entry time (10am to midday).

Inca Trail regulations

1. Spaces on the Inca Trail are on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis and we urge you to book as early as possible.
2. If you cancel your booking more than eight weeks before departure and wish to transfer your deposit to another departure or another trip the transfer fee is approximately £150 (US$210 / CA$252 / AU$308 / €191) as we will lose the permit we have purchased on your behalf. This is an amendment to our Booking Conditions. No transfers are possible within eight weeks of departure.
3. Bookings can only be made if we are supplied with your full name, passport details, date of birth and nationality, exactly as per the passport you will be using to travel to Peru (this information is used to purchase your Inca Trail permit). If your passport details do not match those on your permit you will be refused entry to the Inca Trail by the local authorities.
4. The Inca Trail permit is linked to your passport, details of which we take at the time of booking. It is essential you inform us of any passport updates before departure. To do this, you must supply copies of both your old and new passports to us in advance of travel and pay the administration fee of £25 (US$35/CA$42/AU$52/€32). For this reason, we strongly recommend that you make a copy of your passport at the time of booking and keep it somewhere safe. Failure to inform us of any update can result in refused entry to the trail. If entry is still possible, our local operator will charge you an administration fee locally to update your details.
5. Please be aware that these regulations may change at any time, and Exodus is not responsible for the decisions made by Peruvian authorities.
6. There is a possibility the Peruvian authorities may increase the entrance fees to the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and other major sights at any time. If they do so, we will inform you of this increase and the extra amount will need to be paid locally in cash in Peru.

Please note: While your departure date may be ‘Guaranteed’, your Inca Trail permit itself will initially be ‘On Request’. If you’re travelling within the current year, we try to purchase your permit immediately upon receiving your booking. If travelling next year, we will apply for your permit as soon as they are released for sale. If we are unable to get your permit, we will contact you to discuss your options.