Practical Information

Visa

Peru

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Peru. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/peru
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/peru/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Peru.html

If you are travelling via the USA and are eligible to transit under the Visa Waiver Program, you are required to register in advance for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). There is a US$21 charge, which is only payable online. Please see our website www.exodus.co.uk/usvisa for further information.

Please note, not all nationalities have the same eligibility for travel to or transit via the USA, and you may not be covered by the visa waiver program. Regulations stipulate that any person who has travelled to Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen since March 2011, or have dual nationalities of these countries, may no longer qualify. In addition, if you have travelled to Cuba since 12 January 2021 you will not be eligible for the visa waiver program and should instead apply for a visa.

If you are in doubt of your eligibility, please check the visa requirements with your local US embassy.

Vaccinations and Health

Peru

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Additionally, Zika fever, a mosquito‐borne viral disease, is a known risk in Peru. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so you should take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Please check all vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Amazon: If you are travelling to the Tambopata reserve in the Amazon rainforest, the risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice. We also strongly recommend that you obtain a yellow fever vaccination. Additionally, dengue fever and chikungunya are known risks in the Amazon region. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

Peru's time zone: America/Lima (UTC -05:00)

Electricity

Peru’s electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), B (three pins: two flat, one round) and C (two round pins) – 220V, 60Hz.

There are no charging facilities on the Inca Trail, so we recommend you take spare batteries or a solar charger with you. In Amazon lodges, there is no mains electricity; a generator provides power for a few hours a day only in the main lodge/dining area, while lanterns, torches or candles are provided in the bedrooms.

Money

Peru's currency: Peruvian nuevo sol (PEN)

ATM Availability

ATMs are available in the larger cities and towns and are particularly recommended since they often allow you to withdraw either US dollars or Peruvian soles and exchange rates are generally good. Most international credit and debit cards are accepted, but you should inform your bank you are travelling to Peru and check if your card works in the local ATMs. There are some ATMs in Aguas Calientes, but they do sometimes run out of cash so it is a good idea to take your spending money for Machu Picchu with you on the trek itself. Credit card acceptance is increasing, but generally they can be used only at the large (and more expensive) restaurants and shops. Check with your card provider to ensure your card can be used in Peru.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

Most major currencies including British pounds, euros and US dollars can easily be changed into local currency (sol) at money exchanges in Peru, although US dollars usually attract the best exchange rates. Torn, damaged or marked foreign bills are often refused in Peru.

We recommend either taking cash with you to change into sol locally or using local ATMs to withdraw money in Peru as you go, so you are not left with excess at the end of your trip. It is a good idea to change a small amount into sol at the counters in the baggage hall upon arrival. Change is often in short supply, so ask for small denomination banknotes and try to break up any large notes at the earliest opportunity.

It is possible to obtain Peruvian sol before you travel but exchange rates can be lower than exchanging money locally in Peru. Some larger establishments and hotels accept US dollars, but the vast majority of places only accept sol.

Food, drinks and similar incidentals can vary in price enormously in Peru and are relatively expensive compared to other developing nations. Allow about 55-75 soles (US$15-US$20) per meal to eat at tourist-class restaurants. Cheaper food is abundant at small local cafes, although sanitary conditions at these places cannot be guaranteed. Bottled water and soft drinks are readily available for around 4-8 soles (US$1‐US$2) each.

Peruvian airport taxes are included in the price of your flight ticket, so there is no need to pay these locally.

Please note, there is a possibility the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism may increase entrance fees to archaeological sites at any time. If this happens, we will inform you of the increase and the additional amount is payable locally.

Peruvian passport or identity card holders
The cost of Exodus trips in Peru is based on the assumption you do not hold a Peruvian passport or residents card. If you are officially resident in Peru or a Peruvian passport holder, you will be liable to an additional 18 percent tax on most services. This extra sum is payable locally to our local partner. Other nationalities are exempt from this tax. Please notify us at the time of booking if you are legally resident in Peru or hold a Peruvian passport so we can advise you of the total cost of these taxes.

Optional excursions

Your tour leader can tell you about the full range of optional excursions available throughout your trip; however, we have listed the most popular below.

Prices of excursions vary depending on the number of people taking part. The prices given within these Trip Notes are based on four participants and are intended as a guideline only. All tours use private transport and there will be an English-speaking guide. Please note, cash is the preferred method of payment for any of the optional activities. 

A Partial Tourist Ticket (BTG) is required for entrance to the sites in and around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley – this is not included in the excursion prices below but can be purchased locally from 70 soles (approximately US$21).

For some activities, a minimum number of participants may be required. Some activities may not always be possible due to weather, seasonality, national holidays, or unforeseen circumstances.

• Nazca: Nazca Lines scenic flight (approximate 35-minute flight):From US$100 (plus 25 soles airport tax). Please note, there can be up to four hours of waiting to board your scenic flight. Please also note that anyone over 198lb (90kg) might be charged for a second seat due to weight restrictions and regulations. Peruvian sol is the preferred currency for this payment.
• Cuzco: Sacred Valley tour (eight hours): From US$58 per person (based on four participants), excludes BTG. Drive to the Sacred Valley, stopping at El Mirador viewpoint en route. Visit Pisac Market and fortress and Ollantaytambo; return to Cuzco.
• Cuzco: South Valley tour (seven hours): From US$63 per person (based on four participants), excludes BTG. Visit the little-known valley to the south of Cuzco, including the terraces at Tipon, the pre-Inca ruins of Pikillaqta and the Sistine Chapel of the Americas in Andahuaylillas (entrance included); return to Cuzco.
• Zip-line (eight to nine hours):From US$60 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, box lunch.
• Via ferrata (eight to nine hours):From US$60 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, box lunch.
• Via ferrata and zip line (eight to nine hours):From US$100 per person. Includes transport, security equipment, specialised guide, box lunch.
• Mountain biking in the Sacred Valley (seven hours): From US$130 per person (based on two participants). Includes private transfer, security equipment, specialised guide, box lunch.
• White-water rafting (eight hours):From US$140 per person (minimum of two participants). Drive to the Chiquicahuana area of the Southern Valley to start rafting in Vilcanota River. Spend two to three hours rafting and experiencing level III and III+ rapids. Finish your adventure with a picnic lunch before heading back to Cuzco. Activity available from April to December.

Tipping

It has become customary in Peru for local staff to receive tips, which can be an important source of extra income for hard-working crew. Whether to tip and how much to tip should be a personal decision; however, we have included some guidelines below. Please note that Peruvian sol is the preferred currency for tips.

Tipping kitty: We recommend running a tipping kitty on this trip. A tipping kitty means we tip as a group, and individuals don’t need to worry about giving out small tips to various people who have helped during the trip (ie drivers, local guides, boatmen, hotel staff). The contribution per person per day we suggest is 15 soles (US$5).

Tour leader: Leaders are fairly paid for their role but are always grateful for recognition of their skills and hard work. Tips for your leader should be based on their performance and engagement with the group. If you’re happy with the leader’s work, we recommend somewhere around 15 soles (US$5) per person per day, but customers are encouraged to contribute what they feel happy giving – either less or more than the amount suggested above.

Trek option: On the final trek morning, trekkers distribute pooled funds among guide(s), kitchen crew and porters. Your leader will suggest how this should be divided. Porters (or horse wranglers) also appreciate receiving donations of old clothes that are in good condition, including children’s clothes.

• Inca Trail trek: In addition to the group tipping kitty, you should budget an additional 160-210 soles (US$50-US$65) for tips for your trekking crew. Approximately 200-300 soles of the group trekking kitty would be an appropriate amount for your trek leader.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers are well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
• The Inca Trail porters we work with are not directly employed by our local partner, but we work with the same communities each year. They are fairly paid and we also supply uniforms, walking shoes and provide safe transport and community support for them. Our trek manager is a leading figure and consultant for the Porters’ Federation, which campaigns for the fair treatment of porters in the region.
• We’re passionate about the welfare of our Inca Trail porters. Alongside setting the golden standard for fair treatment, we’ve taken the next step with our pioneering Porter Project. In Peru, despite trekking the Inca Trail numerous times, most porters never have the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu. We’ve taken the initiative to fix this and in 2018 started a project to ensure each of our porters has the opportunity to experience an important part of their own cultural heritage. We can now proudly say more than 164 porters have been involved this project, and our mini-documentary Carried Away about our porters has helped raise awareness of the awesome job these porters do.
• Funded by the Community Kickstart Project, our operator is working with Medlife to deliver emergency food parcels to the households of porters and other staff members who have continuously worked hard to guide our clients along the Inca Trail.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• When visiting Machu Picchu, the costs of permits and for our guided tour go towards the upkeep and maintenance of the site.
• We adhere to all Machu Picchu regulations. There are limited permits to reduce overcrowding and damage due to footfall, but our guides and porters are still very mindful of how we treat the environment. We have a strict ‘leave no trace’ policy, meaning we have respect for wildlife and the landscape, separate rubbish and take all waste back to a proper disposal place.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles. Our local operator provides water boxes instead of water bottles to provide water to the passengers. The boxes are taken back to the office in Cuzco for proper recycling.
• We operate a zero-impact policy on the Inca Trail removing all waste from campsites and separating it so it can be easily recycled or composted. This ensures no rubbish or plastic is left behind in the places we visit.
• Our local operator has been certified and verified by Rainforest Alliance since 2015.
• Our Animal Welfare Policy ensures all our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regards to working animals and wildlife viewing.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Through our Planet Promise, we have pledged to halve the carbon footprint of our trips by 2030 and made rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.

Important Information

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.

Inca Trail regulations

There are several important Inca Trail regulations we would like to make you aware of:

1. Spaces on the Inca Trail are on a first-come, first-served basis and we urge you to book as early as possible.
2. If you cancel your booking more than eight weeks before departure and wish to transfer your deposit to another departure or another trip the transfer fee is approximately £150 (US$210 / CA$252 / AU$308 / €191) as we will lose the permit we have purchased on your behalf. This is an amendment to our Booking Conditions. No transfers are possible within eight weeks of departure.
3. Bookings can only be made if we are supplied with your full name, passport details, date of birth and nationality, exactly as per the passport you will be using to travel to Peru (this information is used to purchase your Inca Trail permit). If your passport details do not match those on your permit you will be refused entry to the Inca Trail by the local authorities.
4. Should the passport used to purchase your permit be lost, stolen or expire before your Inca Trail start date, you must purchase a new passport and notify Exodus immediately as we will need to apply to amend your Inca Trail permit. To do so, you must supply copies of both your old and new passports to Exodus in advance of travel and pay an administration fee of £25 (US$35 / CA$42 / AU$52 / €32). For this reason, we strongly recommend that you make a copy of your passport at the time of booking and keep it somewhere safe.
5. Please be aware that these regulations may change at any time, and Exodus is not responsible for the decisions made by Peruvian authorities.
6. There is a possibility the Peruvian authorities may increase the entrance fees to the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and other major sights at any time. If they do so, we will inform you of this increase and the extra amount will need to be paid locally in cash in Peru.

Please note: While your departure date may be ‘Guaranteed’, your Inca Trail permit itself will initially be ‘On Request’. If you’re travelling within the current year, we try to purchase your permit immediately upon receiving your booking. If travelling next year, we will apply for your permit as soon as they are released for sale. If we are unable to get your permit, we will contact you to discuss your options.

Machu Picchu regulations

1. Tickets are valid for one entry
2. We spend approximately three hours at Machu Picchu and our guided tour lasts about two hours
3. Upon finishing our one-way Machu Picchu guided tour, we must exit the site

Please note, we visit Machu Picchu in the morning or afternoon to avoid the peak entry time (10am to midday).