Perú

Do

Trekking is a great way to see the country. The most widely known route is the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Other popular routes include Cordillera Blanca, Colca Canyon, Ausangate circuit and the Salkantay trail.

Trek prices can vary considerably between companies, as can their respective porters' working conditions (no pack animals are allowed, hence equipment is carried by human porters). Although there is a minimum porter wage (S/42 a day) and maximum load porters can carry (25 kg/55 lb), not all companies keep to their claims!

Beaches exist in many locations along the Pacific Coast and on Lake Titicaca, but the water in both is very cold, unless you go pretty far north.

Eat

thumb|Chanfainita is one of Peru's many beef organ dishes, mostly made of lungs thumb|Peruvian purple corn is the base for many dishes and drinks, including the popular purple sweet custard (mazamorra morada) Peruvian cuisine is among the most varied in the world. Not only does the country grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, but it does so throughout the year. Peruvian geography offers at least 8 different climates (desert along the coast, steep and high mountains, the Amazon basin). In Lima, due to its history as an important Spanish colonial port, the dishes are a mixture of amerindian, Spanish, African, Chinese, Japanese and even Italian influences that contribute to the ever changing platos criollos (creole dishes). Rice is the staple foodstuff, and expect many dishes to include rice, in the Siera it's corn and potatoes, and in the Jungle yuca. Meat is traditionally included in most Peruvian dishes. Chicken (pollo), pork, sheep and beef are common. Alpacas are actually kept for wool, not for meat. Mostly, you will find that alpaca meat is rather tough. An Andean delicacy is guinea pig (cuy). Peruvian cuisine includes dishes which use various organs, including anticuchos, a kebab made from very marinated and spicy beef heart, and cau-cau (sounds like cow-cow), made from cow stomach served in a yellow sauce with potatoes. Anticuchos are a standard street stall food, but be careful with it.

Fish can be found along the coast (of course), but also in the jungle area sinc…

Drink

The Pisco-Nazca area is famous for wine cultivating. Their more expensive vintages compare favorably against Chilean imports. Beer is nice, stronger than American brands but less full bodied than European ones. Most of Peruvian beers are made by Backus, which is owned by SAB Miller.

When drinking at bars and/or restaurants, be aware that Peruvian "Happy Hour" is a little different than in most countries. Prices for drinks will usually be posted on the walls and be a little cheaper than normal. The real differences is that you will be served 2 drinks, instead of one, for the listed price -- giving a new meaning to the term "half price." This can be a great way to save money (if you are travelling with a group) or to meet locals (if you are travelling alone). It can also lead you to get completely falling-down-drunk by accident, so be careful.

Common drinks include caliente, a hot alcoholic herbal tea served during celebrations; chicha de Jora, a cheap alcoholic drink made from fermented corn; chicha morada, a soft drink made from boiled purple corn; coca tea; emoliente; and pisco sour, an alcoholic drink mad from Pisco brandy.

Sleep

Hotels in Peru are very common and fairly cheap. They range from 1 - 5 stars. 5 star hotels are normally for package tourism or business travel, and very common outside of Lima for most visited tourist attractions such as Cuzco/Machu Picchu with amazing landscapes, Paracas (to flight over the Nazca Lines), Tumbes with great beach resorts, and of course in Lima with international and Peruvian companies. All of them under international standards and expensive, but really worthwhile to try them. 4 star hotels are usually a bit on the expensive side (>US$80 per night) and common in the large cities. 3 star hotels are a good compromise between price and quality and usually US$30-50. 2 and 1 star hotels are very cheap (<US$30), but don't expect hot water or a particularly safe neighborhood.

In many cities there are hotels in residential areas, but they are not tourist hotels but "couples" rooms for lovers. They are usually signed as "Hostel", which can confuse the unaware traveller thinking it was for backpackers. Lately there has been a huge development of guesthouses, backpackers lodging, bed and breakfast, and also vacation rentals (apartments for short term rent). So, the lodging options are more varied now.

Stay safe

thumb|Night in Lima

Dial 911 for all emergency services, but dialing the old 105 can also connect you with the police. In Lima and some of the larger cities there is a sort of local police called "Serenazgo": you may ask for help but they have no tourist oriented services.

Be aware of your surroundings and try to avoid unlit or unpopulated areas, especially at night. There is a lot of petty crime that can turn violent. Avoid groups of male youngsters since there are many small gangs trying to rob passers-by. If you witness a robbery be very careful before intervening, since robbers may be armed and are quite prone to shooting if they feel threatened. Armed robberies of tourists are fairly common. A dirty old backpack with valuable contents is safer than a new one with old clothes in it. It's often good not to look too rich. Some travelers don't use wallets, but keep the bills and coins directly in their pocket. Let's say some little bills on the left side and the rest on the right side. Thus, the pickpocket's job gets much harder. Don't walk around with debit or credit cards in your pocket. Leave them in a safe place when you do not immediately need them, because tourists have been kidnapped and forced to take out money each day for a period of a few days. If you want to take large amounts of cash out with you, a neck wallet is always a good idea - you can hide it under your shirt. Watch out for false bills. Every bank has posters that explain what to check for when getting…

Stay 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. Thoroughly cooked food is most likely to be safe. Food that's been left out too long or landed on by flies could make you sick. Seafood can go bad particularly easily. Raw fruits and vegetables can be dangerous unless you can safely peel them without touching the pulp inside, or at least wash them in safe (not unboiled tap) water. Bananas and papayas are the safest fruits.

Tap water Tap water is unsafe to drink or use for brushing your teeth in Peru, unless you boil it. Bottled water is cheap and tastes better than boiled water. Check the bottle to make sure that it has not been opened and refilled. In restaurants, (if you don't trust them) you could ask for the bottle of water to be opened in your presence. Ice cubes are ideally made with purified water, however avoid ice if in doubt.

Insect bites Avoiding insect bites reduces the risk of contracting diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as yellow fever, dengue fever, leishmaniosis and malaria. Consider wearing long sleeves and read Pests#Mosquitoes for other useful advice.

Zika virus Zika is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious birth defects. Travellers who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should avoid travel to Peru or follow strict mosquito bite prevention measures.

Rabies There have been reported cases of …

Respect

Don't use the word indio, even though it's Spanish. For natives, it's very much like the English n-word, since it was used by Spanish conquerors. The politically correct way of speaking is el indígena or la indígena — although, like the n-word, very close people inside a circle of friends can get away with it. Another word to be careful with is cholo, chola, or cholita, meaning indígena. This may be used affectionately among indigenous people (it's a very common appellation for a child, for instance), but it's offensive coming from an outsider. The n-word is used, but in a funny/playful way, so If you hear it in the street, don't be offended right away.

Even if you have about 20 No Drugs t-shirts at home, accept that people — especially from the countryside — chew coca leaves. See it as a part of the culture with social and ritual components. Keep in mind that coca leaves have much lower concentration of cocaine than cocaine used by drug addicts, and are legal in Peru. You can try them to experience the culture. If you don't like to chew them, try a mate de hojas de coca (also quite effective against altitude sickness). However, coca leaves and its derivative products are considered drugs in other countries, so you should never bring them across the border. Moreover, the use of coca leaf tea may lead to testing positive on drug tests within the next few weeks: see our article on Coca for more information.

Officially, most Peruvians are Roman Catholic, but especially in the …