Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Most travelers do not need visas; most nationals are granted a 90-day stay and it can be extended
Health risks: Altitude sickness, cholera, hepatitis, malaria (in the lowlands), rabies and typhoid. A yellow fever vaccination is essential if you plan to visit the eastern slopes of the Andes or the Amazonian Basin
Time: GMT/UTC minus 5 hours
Electricity: 220V, 60Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go

Peru's peak tourist season is from June to August, which is the dry season in the highlands, and this is the best time to go if you're interested in hiking. Travelers do visit the highlands year-round, though the wettest months, January to April, make trekking a muddy proposition. Many of the major fiestas occur in the wettest months and continue undiminished in spite of heavy rain.

On the coast, Peruvians visit the beaches during the sunny months from late December through March, although few beaches are particularly enticing. The rest of the year, the coast is clothed in mist. In the eastern rainforests, it naturally rains a lot. The wettest months are December through April, though travelers visit year-round since it rarely rains for more than a few hours and there's still plenty of sunshine to enjoy.

Events

Many of the main festivals favor the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. These are often celebrated with great pageantry, especially in highland Indian villages, where the Catholic feast day is usually linked with a traditional agricultural festival. Some of the major events include: Carnaval (February-March), which is particularly popular in the highlands and features numerous water fights; Inti Raymi (24 June), the greatest of the Inca festivals with spectacular dances and parades; Peru's Independence (28 July); All Souls Day (2 November), celebrated with gifts of food, drink and flowers which are taken to family graves; and Puno Day (5 November), which features flamboyant costumes and street dancing in Puno.

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