Peru - Hiking and mountain climbing in the peruvian Andes

In Peru, ancient, colonial and modern traditions meet to form an unforgettable cultural experience. Its ancient sites, beautiful landscapes and diverse ecosystem makes the country one oft he most popular destinations in South America. Lima, the symbol of Peru’s Spanish colonial history, Cusco, the original seat of power of the Inca empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Macchu Piccu are all powerful attractions. Hiking the Inca Trail to Macchu Piccu, trekking in the Andes, exploring Colca Canyon and visiting Lake Titicaca give you the natural side of Peru and its many wonders.

About Peru:

Geography & Landscape of Peru

Peru is made up of three distinctive types of landscape: "Costa" (coast), "Sierra" (Andes and highlands) and "Selva" (rainforest). The Humboldt Current has an influence on the coastal region - it is very dry and largely resembles a desert. Close to the Chilean border, in the south of the country, you’ll find the Atacama Desert, the driest desert on earth. On the coast, the farther north you get from Lima, precipitation increases slightly.
Behind the narrow coastal strip, the mountainous highlands are dominated by the Andean Mountains. The Sierra includes several eco-regions and is stretched across several altitudes. The northern Andes are lower and have a wetter climate, while the central Andes are the highest and steepest. The highest mountain in the country, 6768 m high Huascara?n, is located there, as well as the country‘s largest glaciers. In the southern part of the country you not only find the ruins of the famous Inca citadel Machu Picchu but the Andes widen to form a few steep mountain ranges. These are connected by hilly high plateaus, also known as the Andean plateaus. In some places, the Peruvian Andes reach heights of above 5000 m.
East of the Sierra, you’ll find the rain forest. It covers 60% of Peru‘s surface and can be divided into highland jungle (cloud forests) and lowland jungle. The rainforest area of Peru is almost only accessible by water. Some of the headwaters of the Amazon River have their sources here and flow all the way into the Amazon Basin.

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Climate & Trekking weather in Peru

Due to its geographical diversity - high mountains, coastline and rainforest - Peru‘s climate is quite varied. The coast is subject to the influence of the Humboldt Current and has a very dry climate, which results in large desert areas. Part of the Atacama Desert extends into southern Peru. In the north of the country, temperatures and rainfall are somewhat higher, while the region in central Peru and around Lima has a more moderate climate.
In the Andean region, you can find three different climate zones: "Tierra Caliente" below 1000 m with an average temperature of 25°C, "Tierra Templada" between 1000 m and 2000 m (average 15 - 20°C) and "Tierra Fría" between 2000 m and 3500 m (average 12°C, hot days, very cold nights). Above 5000 m, temperatures do not rise above zero degrees. In the eastern rainforest region with its daily, brief and sometimes heavy rainfalls, temperatures usually remain constant at around 25°C. The best season for outdoor activities is between early May and early October, which is the Peruvian winter and at that, the driest period of the year. The weather is mostly stable and sunny at that time of year, although at higher altitudes, it is a little cool. Daytime temperatures range around 15°C to 20°C, while at night, they can drop below 0°C.

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Health & Vaccinations

Vaccinations are currently not required for Peru but, as with most long-distance trips, vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid fever, polio and hepatitis A and B are recommended. If you wish to visit the Amazon region, you need to be vaccinated against yellow fever – bring your proof of vaccination, it is checked by the authorities! When travelling onwards from Peru to a third country (yellow fever region), vaccination may also be required. Please consult your doctor in any case.
In general, be aware that you will be travelling to a mountainous country with altitudes around and above 3500 m. At these high altitudes, solid acclimatisation is essential. It is very important to take it easy at the beginning of the stay in high altitudes in order to minimise the risk of altitude sickness.
Your first-aid kit should contain – among other things - treatment for insect bites, fever, pain, and diarrhoea, as well as, optionally, treatment for altitude sickness. We also recommend bringing antibiotics. Your first-aid kit should also contain dressing material, plasters and wound disinfectant.

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Drinking water

Drink only boiled/filtered/disinfected water (or mineral water). If you should decide to buy bottled water, make sure the seal is intact. Never drink water from the tap without first disinfecting (e.g. Micropur) or filtering it (e.g. Katadyn). Brushing teeth with untreated water is usually not a problem. On the trekking tour, we recommend treating the water with a disinfectant (e.g. Micropur) or filtering it (e.g. Katadyn). Boiled water (tea, soup) is usually fine.
We kindly ask our participants to refrain from buying bottled water on the trek! In order to counteract the increasing waste problem in the mountain regions and the global problem of plastic waste, we recommend that our customers refrain from buying water in plastic bottles but instead disinfect (e.g. Micropur) or filter (e.g. Katadyn) water taken from streams or wells. Thank you for your contribution!

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Language

Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Peru, being the mother tongue of most of the population. The two most widely spoken second languages are the indigenous languages Quechua and Aimara.

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Time difference

The time difference between Peru and CET is – 6 h

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Currency & Money

The official currency in Peru is the sol (PEN), the current exchange rate being EUR 1,- = PEN 3,80 and CHF 1,- = PEN 3,30. One sol is divided into 100 céntimos.

Since credit cards or traveller’s cheques are not accepted everywhere, it is best to carry travel expenses in US dollars and change the foreign currency into sol. Euros are accepted in some places, but at a less favourable rate. We recommend bringing your spending money in US dollars. Please make sure your dollar notes are as new as possible and have no markings or tears. Credit cards, above all Visa, are accepted in more and more places. In bigger towns and cities, you can also withdraw local currency using your credit or debit card (Maestro).
On the trekking tour, you will mostly need small change since in small shops and on the market, small change is often short and bigger notes are not accepted.

During the trekking tours and the days in the mountains, full board and all warm drinks are included. In the cities, towns and villages (Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, La Paz...), most meals are not included - but breakfast is always included. Please refer to the detailed program. Peru as well as Bolivia have a variety of restaurants offering different menus at all price ranges to choose from. We recommend to plan an amount of about € 350,- to € 500,- per participant for meals and drinks.

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Tipping

Our teams are paid fair wages typical for the country. However, the teams are always happy to get additional recognition for their performance. This is usually reflected in tips. It is best to pool all the participants’ tips and distribute the money at the end of the trekking tour. Gratuity should ideally be paid in local currency but can also be paid in US dollar or euro (please give only notes, no coins).

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Visa and entry procedures in Peru

All EU passport holders do not currently need a visa for Peru for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The same applies for citizens of the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and many other countries. For more information please visit https://www.peru.travel/en/useful-data/visa-and-entry-requirements.

Your passport needs to be valid for another 6 months at the end of your stay and should have at least 2 blank pages for each country you visit. It should be in good condition (to tears or marks).  

Visa requirements and charges can change without notice. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate or Department for Immigration of your destination country. (Information as of February 2020)

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