Country Full Name
Republic of Peru

Population
28,674,757

Capital
Lima

Languages Spoken
Official: Quechua, Spanish; Castilian

Time Zones
GMT/UTC -5 (Peru Time)

Country Dialing Code
+51

Electrical Plugs
220V 60Hz

Weights & Measures
Metric

The coastal region of Peru is cool for its latitude, and quite dry year-round. Temperatures are warmest during the summer months (January to March), with hot and humid days of around 29°C (84°F) and cool nights of just below 20°C (68°F). Winters are not too cold, but frequent low cloud may cause some to pine for sunshine. Inland, the temperature drops substantially, with less seasonal variation during the day - average highs are about 21°C (70°F) throughout the year and winter nights are chilly, particularly at higher elevations. There is also a moderate wet season here from December until May.

Name: Nuevo Sol 
Symbol: S/

Visa is the most widely accepted credit card, but all credit cards attract at least a 7% surcharge unless you're making a cash withdrawal (where Peruvian currency will be dispersed) from a bank. At ATMs, Visa and MasterCard systems are the most widely recognized networks, followed by American Express. They are the best way to extract money in Peruvian currency or in US dollars.

The easiest currency to exchange is the US dollar. Other currencies are only exchangeable in major cities and tourist centers, often at a higher commission or lower rate. Money can be changed in banks, casas de cambio (currency-exchange houses), first-class hotels or with street changers. Casas de cambio are usually the easiest places to change money. Street changers, who hang out near banks, never offer better rates than the best bank rate and have been known to cheat travelers with counterfeit bills, so are best avoided. Travelers checks are rarely accepted and are changed at a slightly lower rate than cash.

A combination of taxes and service charges are added to bills in the best hotels and restaurants and can total as much as 28%. Tipping is not expected in cheaper restaurants. A tip of 10% is fine in superior restaurants if a service charge has not already been added to the bill. Taxi drivers are not tipped - bargain hard beforehand and stick to your price. Local guides and porters should be tipped. Bargaining is a way of life in markets.

Domestic flight schedules and ticket prices change frequently. New airlines open every year, as those with poor safety records close.Flights are changed or canceled with surprising frequency, so it's worth calling the airline just before leaving for the airport.

While there's no passenger service along the coast, boat travel is of major importance around the Amazon Basin and in the Andean highlands on Lake Titicaca.

Driving can be a hassle in Peru and it's a long way to get anywhere from Lima - consider getting a taxi. Taxis are everywhere. Private cars that have a small taxi sticker in the windshield aren't regulated. Safer, regulated taxis usually have a lit company number on the roof. Always ask the fare in advance, as there are no meters. It's acceptable to haggle.

Using local buses, micros and combis , can be tricky, but is less expensive than taxis. Buses are the normal form of transport for most Peruvians and travelers. Fares are relatively cheap. Services are frequent on the major long-distance routes, but buses are of varying quality. Less-traveled and remote routes are often served by older, more uncomfortable vehicles. Local and long-distance buses can be a risk to your personal safety; fatal accidents are not unusual in Peru.    

The privatized rail system, PeruRail, has daily services between Cuzco and Aguas Calientes, aka Machu Picchu Pueblo, and services between Cuzco and Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca three times a week.

Many of Peru's festivals are based around the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar. These are often celebrated with great pageantry, especially in indigenous highland villages where Catholic feast days are usually linked with a traditional agricultural festival. Some of the major events include Carnaval, which is particularly popular in the highlands and features boisterous water fights; Inti Raymi, the greatest of the Incan festivals with spectacular dances and parades; All Souls Day, celebrated with gifts of food, drink and flowers taken to family graves; and Puno Day, which features flamboyant costumes and street dancing in the Lake Titicaca region.