El Cóndor Pasa – we all know it, the music of Peru, which is gently and rhythmically accompanied by pan flutes through our pedestrian zone in our homeland. Or is it not? Peru is much more…! Peru is pure hospitality. Peru is so wonderfully colorful. Peru is delicious food and sometimes a pisco sour. Above all, Peru is also home to the many llamas and alpacas and the Inca city of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the land of the Quechua, Aymara and several hundred other indigenous cultures, there is a lot to discover.
High and even higher in the beautiful Andes
Particularly shaped by the millennia-old Inca culture and influenced by the conquest of the Roman Catholic conquistadors, Peru has an extremely interesting history, archaeological finds worth millions and varied nature. There is everything here that makes an exciting trip to South America. The kilometer-long coastline, the breathtakingly high Andes mountain range and the tropical green rainforest are an ideal combination for all visitors to Peru.
Travel information in brief
Travel time
In principle, Peru can be visited all year round. The sun shines almost every day. However, one can differentiate between dry and rainy seasons. The rainy season, November to March, is also summer in Peru. However, the coasts are mostly dry all year round. The dry season, from April to October, is a popular travel time, especially for hikers.
Currency / money
Nuevos Soles is the generally accepted currency in Peru. Prices are generally given in Nuevos Soles or US dollars. In restaurants and hotels, credit cards can often be used for payment. Make sure you always have some Nuevos Soles and US dollars in cash with you. Credit card payments are not common in rural areas. It is also important to always have some “change” (banknotes up to 20 Nuevos Soles) in your pocket.
Vaccinations
From our own experience, it is advisable to check and complete the standard vaccinations such as tetanus, influenza, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough). It can also make sense to get vaccinated against hepatitis A before traveling to Peru. If you are planning a trip to the Peruvian Amazon, you should also consider getting a yellow fever vaccination.
Visa / entry
German citizens can stay in Peru for up to 183 days. The passport should be valid for at least another 6 months when entering Peru. A visa in the form of an entry card (“Tarjeta Andina de Migración”) is issued upon entry into Peru. Occasionally, when entering the country, you will be asked for a return or onward ticket. Please note the provisions of the Federal Foreign Office.
Peru – that is Costa in Lima, Sierra at Machu Picchu & Selva in the Amazon!
In Peru, one travel highlight follows the next. Of course, headed the list of the most popular tourist attractions in Peru is the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu! Machu Picchu is surrounded by an incredibly powerful aura that has a magical attraction for so many visitors from all over the world. Every year around 600,000 travelers come to what is probably the most famous place in Peru. A photo for the loved ones at home, with the Huayna Picchu mountain rising steeply into the background, is the goal of every trip for all visitors. The mysterious stone ruins were discovered in 1911 by the researcher Hiram Bingham. Back then it was completely overgrown and covered with tropical plants, but today the city has been completely exposed and restored.
To be once on Lake Titicaca, that is also the wish of most visitors to Peru. A lake as close to the sky, as wide as the sea, with its islanders, as colorful as the rainbow. Hospitality is the islanders’ greatest asset on Lake Titicaca. Our guests are warmly invited by the inhabitants of the reed islands to get to know the simple life. On Amantani you even have the opportunity to experience real Peruvian life in the farmhouse of a host family.
But also from an archaeological point of view, Peru has a lot to offer. The most famous finds are the Nazca Lines. By chance, only in the 20th century, the mysterious kilometer-long indentations were discovered during a flight over the desert near the city of Nazca. How the lines got into the ground has not yet been clarified. From the air they form whole pictures such as B. a monkey and an astronaut.
If you like to hike, you are in the right place in Peru. In addition to classic multi-day hiking routes such as the Inca Trail, there is even the option of combining a multi-day walk with lively white water rafting in the Urubamba River or with an action-packed bike tour. With the altitude difference, the journey can, in the truest sense of the word, take your breath away. Instead of hiking, it makes sense to relax on horseback and explore the nature of Peru. Those who like it classic can take the train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, with the goal of climbing Machu Picchu at the end.
Animal lovers also get their money’s worth in Peru. The Ballestas Islands are now called “Little Galapagós” for good reason. Because here holidaymakers can watch penguins and sea lions as well as numerous species of birds and then relax in the Huacachina oasis. Surrounded by meter-high sand dunes, in the middle of the sandy desert of Peru, a paradise for vacationers has developed around the oasis near the city of Ica. Small but fine accommodations with a pool invite you to sunbathe and relax. If you like it action-packed, you can let the wind blow around your ears with sandboarding or a rapid sand buggy tour in the vastness of the Peruvian dunes.
Those who love the warmth and the tropical will follow in the footsteps of the numerous exotic animals in the Manu Biosphere Reserve, which covers a large part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. With a bit of luck you will see colorful birds, roaring Howler monkeys, caimans and sloths as well as a wild jaguar scurrying through the wet reeds on the Amazon river bed. And after the great experiences, it’s Salud! The experience is toasted with a traditional Pisco Sour. Incidentally, to this day the Chileans still argue with the Peruvians about who should benefit from the title of pisco as a national drink.
In addition to pisco, the many culinary delicacies tempt you to feast in the various local restaurants. Ceviche, Pachamanca and Cuy (guinea pigs), as well as the more than 3,000 different types of potatoes, are just a few examples of the versatility that Peruvian cuisine has brought to its world-famous taste portfolio. Peru actually offers everything that makes your dream vacation a reality!
