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Workshops > FAQs about Peru
Quechua woman. Photograph © Audrey Stein, Bridges mentor

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PERU
Entry & Exit Requirements:
A valid passport is required to enter and depart Peru. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the first day of your visit.  Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel.  US citizens do not need a visa for a tourist related stay of 90 days or less.  An airport exit tax of $28 per person must be paid in U.S. currency when departing Peru. There is also a $5 airport fee for domestic flights.

High altitude:

Cuzco is 3,360 meters = 11,000 feet.
People can experience some discomfort at this altitude.  The symptoms of altitude sickness are headache, dizziness, stomach upset and tiredness.  These symptoms can be managed by drinking lots of fluids, eating light meals and getting plenty of rest.

Ultraviolet rays are extremely powerful at high altitudes.  The air is also excessively dry.  Therefore make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and moisturizer. There are no mosquitoes at this altitude so malaria is not a problem.

Immunization:
Peru does not require proof of immunization for entry; however, your local County Health Department is a good place to check regarding what shots you might need. 

Weather:
July is part of the dry season, with hot, dry days (20-25C) and cold, dry nights.

What to wear:
Dressing should be in layers since it will be warm during the day but will get cooler at night. T-shirts are acceptable but no one should wear sleeveless tops.  Even though this is the dry season, there might be a light intermittent rain so a light rain jacket would come in handy.  Evenings can get cold – so a warm jacket might be needed.
Since trails are old and uneven and streets are cobble-stoned, sturdy shoes (i.e. hiking boots) are needed. 

Official language:
Spanish – 73% of the population
Quechua spoken by 24%

Electricity:
220V, 60HZ  (US is 120V, 60HZ so an adapter will be needed)

Weights & Measures:
Metric

Telephone dialing code:
51

Currency:
Nuevo Sol
Exchange rate:  Easiest foreign currency to exchange is American dollar.  The exchange rate as of 6/21/05: 1 PEN (Peru Nuevo Sole) = .307456 USD; 1 USD = 3.25250 PEN.  Traveler’s checks are not used often.

Average costs:
Internet café           1.00 an hour
Taxi                           .75
Local transport          .20
Meal in a restaurant 2.50
Beer in nightclub      1.75
International call      3.00 per minute

Time:
Peruvian time is five hours after the GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and it’s similar to the EST (Eastern Standard Time) – Peru does not observe Daylight Savings Time.  During our workshop, Peruvian time will be two hours ahead of the Pacific Time Zone i.e. 10 AM in Seattle is 12 Noon in Peru. 

The US Consular Agency in Cuzco

consagentcuzco@terra.com.pe
(51-8) 24-51-02
(51-8) 23-35-41
Binational Center
(Instituto Cultural Peruana Norte Americano, ICPNA)
Avenida Tullumayo 125, Cuzco, Peru
The Consular Agency can provide information and assistance to U.S. citizen travelers who need assistance, but it cannot replace lost or stolen U.S. passports, which are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Lima.  
The U.S. Embassy is located in Monterrico, a suburb of Lima, at Avenida Encalada, Block Seventeen; telephone 51-1-434-3000 during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), or 51-1-434-3032 for after-hours emergencies; fax 51-1-434-3065, or 434-3037, or 434-4182 (American Citizen Services Unit); Internet web site - http://peru.usembassy.gov.