Although Peru has rich natural resources and many great places to visit, many of the people live in poor conditions 36% of the population live under the poverty line The rich, consisting mostly of a Hispanic or "Criollo" elite, live in the cities Nevertheless, most Peruvians are great nationalists and love their country with pride largely stemming from Peru's history as the center of both the Inca Empire and Spain's South American Empire Also, many Peruvians separate the state of Peru and its government in their minds Many of them distrust their government and police, and people are used to fighting corruption and embezzlement scandals, as in many countries
The Peruvian economy is healthy and quite strong, however, still some Peruvians see their economy as stuck in a rut It is indebted and dependent on industrial nations, especially the United States This dependence, combined with US foreign policy decisions in recent years has contributed to a widely held negative view about the United States government in Peru, but not against individual US citizens
The word gringo, is used commonly, but is not generally intended as offensive The original meaning encompassed all white-skinned people who do not speak Spanish Many people use the word gringo exclusively for Americans or American look-alikes It's not uncommon for blonde people to be called gringo Peruvians do not hesitate to greet you with "¡Hola, gringo!"
Generally, people are very friendly, peaceful and helpful When in trouble, you mostly can rely on getting help But as with any setting, it is always good to watch out for yourself and try to avoid bad situations If you get into an argument, it is a good idea to remain amicable, but firm Most of the time, you can find a compromise that satisfies everyone
Peru is not exactly a haven for efficiency Do not expect things to be on time, or exactly as they intend to be Outside of the more upscale tourist services and big cities like Lima, English is uncommon and the people, trying to be friendly, can give wrong or inexact advice, a translator can always be helpful in this cases Plan ahead and leave plenty of time for traveling
You may also want to see Tips for travel in developing countries for some useful hints
Like most of South America, the official language of Peru is Spanish
In tourist centers like Cusco and Machu Picchu or in high class hotels, English and sometimes other languages are spoken If you intend to visit other sites, or other areas of the country, you'll need Spanish Like every other Latin American country, Peruvian Spanish replaces vosotros and its 2nd-person plural conjugations with ustedes 3rd-person plural For example: ¿Cómo están? instead of ¿Cómo estáis? South American Spanish likes diminutives gringuito is more affectionate than gringo
If you learn languages easily, try to learn Quechua, the language of the Incas It will be highly appreciated in the countryside of the Sierra, where many indigenous speak it as a first language On the Altiplano, the unofficial language Aymara is widely spoken Aymara was the language of the Tihuanacu culture
With 84 of the earth's 104 known life zones, Peru is rich in wildlife diversity The Amazon basin is home to pink dolphins, jaguars, giant river otters, primates, 4,000 types of butterflies and one-third of the world's 8,600 bird species
The diversity of Peru's people and cultures is reflected in a rich tradition of festivals, dance and music In the Andes, the plaintive wail of the flute and beat of the drum accompany songs depicting indigenous life while dancers masked as devils and spirits are a marriage of pagan and Christian beliefs In the jungle, ceremonial music and dance are a window into tribal life And along the coast, a blend of elegant Spanish sounds and vibrant African rhythms reflect the Conquest and later slave labor of the New World
The currency of Peru is the nuevo sol As of 16 July 2010, US$1 is worth S/282 S/ is the symbol for "nuevo sol" Coins are available in five, two and one sol, and in 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 centimo 5 and 1 centimo coins are not normally accepted outside of big supermarkets or banks, so avoid them or bring them home for a collection or to give to friends Notes are available at 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 soles denominations; 200 soles notes are uncommon and will not be accepted in the same places that will not accept a 100 USD note or a 50 pound note
Counterfeiting is common: take time to get familiar with the money and do not hesitate to reject any note or coin especially the 5 sol coins that look suspicious, just like any Peruvian would do In other words, if you want to look like a savvy foreigner, take 10 seconds anytime you receive a paper note to look it over All bills have a watermark and security stripe, and the large number on the extreme right denoting the denomination of the bill will change from purple to green when viewed at an angle Don't take any note that is ripped; you won't be able to use it anywhere else but a bank
If you are stuck with a counterfeit coin or note, if you try to use it at big stores they may want to confiscate it Don't accept damaged/ripped bills, since you will have to take them to a bank in order to change them into new ones before you can spend them Be especially careful when exchanging money with money-changers on the street a common way for counterfeit money to enter the money supply or at the border notably the one with Ecuador
Typically, small bills are very helpful to carry around Change large bills into small ones as often as possible If you only have 50 and 100 Soles notes on you, consider changing them at a bank Local merchants and taxistas often claim to not have any change on them, forcing you to wait in public while they search for some potentially dangerous and sometimes with the hope that you'll grow impatient and let them keep the change
Travelers checks or credit cards are usual Although cash has a ca 2% better change rate, you are strongly advised not to carry large amounts of cash on your journey The Banco de Credito BCP gives good rates on traveler checks Rates in change offices are often somewhat worse It's always worth comparing them before changing your money When changing your money in change offices, check their calculations Most of them make calculations on the fly for the amount you want using an electronic calculator in plain view, even showing you the process step by step unless they are brutally obvious, like changing tens or hundreds If they don't show, keep the money in your pocket and find someone that does Even in the bank, check your bills for authenticity
ATMs are available in big cities, upmarket hotels, and touristic areas With a Cirrus or Maestro sign on it, you can withdraw cash easily Make sure nobody is trying to see your PIN code The exchange rate is the same as credit cards but fees are much lower Most banks do not charge a fee for getting cash from their ATM's, however some do Stay away from BBVA Banco Continental - their ATM's charge very high fees and don't tell you until it's too late the fee is printed on the receipt, but not on the screen or next to the ATM as it is in other countries
In smaller towns, it can happen that there are nobody who will accept your credit card or traveler checks For this case, you should have taken care that you have enough cash with you Nice new Dollar bills not too high,10 or 20 US$ bills are fine can help, too, since they are easier to change than travelers checks In Peru, it not as common for US$ to be accepted in transactions as in other countries such as Ecuador Often in small towns, local shops will change money for you If so, it will be clearly marked Take only US$ bills in good condition since bills slightly torn or even old-looking will not be accepted
As a low budget traveller, you can live on US$ 15 per day without problems Basic hotels or hostels hospedajes can be easily found in all Peru The cost per night is about US$ 3 - 6
There are a lot of very cheap restaurants US$ 050 - 150, but maybe this is not the best place to save your money In somewhat better restaurants you can get lunch and dinner menus for US$ 2 - 3 Of course, in every city you can find restaurants where you can spend US$ 20 and more if you want
Buses are not very expensive The usual price for a 10 h bus ride in a normal bus not "Royal Class" or something like that is about US$ 6 However, you'd do well in paying the extra buck, the difference between a $6 ticket and a $12 is enormous Again, avoid bus companies that allow travellers to get into the bus outside the official stations They are normally badly managed and can be dangerous, due both to unsafe practices or to highway robberies, which are unfortunately not uncommon This should be heeded especially by female travellers going on their own Get information at the hotel, hostal or tourist information booth before catching a ride
Trains except the ones for Machu Picchu, which are relatively expensive run for similar fees
Don't forget to retain your exit fee of US$3025 They do accept USD or Soles for the fee and be sure to pay the exit fee before you get in line for security checks or you'll get to wait again
Peru is famous for a lot of different, really nice and relatively cheap handicrafts Keep in mind that buying handicrafts support traditional skills and helps many families to gain their modest income Look for:
Do not accept any handicrafts that look like or actually are precolumbian pottery or jewelry It is illegal to trade them and there is the possibility not only of them being confiscated, but of being prosecuted for illegal trading, even if the actual artifacts are copies or fakes Dealing with the police from the criminal side is messy and really unpleasant
Buyer beware: Watch out for fake BambaAlpaca wool products many items sold to the unsuspecting gringo are actually synthetic or ordinary wool! That nice soft jumper in the market for $8 or so is most certain to be acrylic Even in places such as Puno there is no easy way to tell if it is made from Alpaca, sometimes it might have a small percentage of Alpaca mixed in with other fibres Baby Alpaca is not from baby animals but the first shearing and the fibre is very soft and fine Generally Alpaca fibre has a low lustre and a slightly greasy hand to it and is slow to recover from being stretched Shop and compare; real Alpaca is expensive
Bargaining is very common If you are not used to it, respect some rules If you intend to buy something, first ask the price, even if you already know what it actually should cost Then check whether everything is all right Does the pullover fit you? Do you really want to buy it? Is the expiration date on the cheese exceeded? etc If the price is OK, pay it If not, it's your turn to say a lower price, but stay realistic First get an idea about how much you would expect to pay Then say a price about 20-30% lower It's always good if you can give some reason for that Once you have said a price, you cannot give a lower one later This would be regarded as a very impolite behavior If you feel that you can't get your price, just say "No, gracias" and begin to walk away This is your last chance If you are lucky, the seller will give you a last offer, if not, say "No, gracias" again and go on walking Realize that most of the products in touristy markets ie the market in Pisac will be sold in nearly every other market throughout your travels in Peru and South America, so try not to worry about never again finding that particular alpaca scarf
You have a way for bargaining without saying an exact price, and it's saying "¿Nada menos?", then you will be asking just if they can lower a bit the price
Keep in mind: Never begin to bargain if you don't really want to buy! It is similarly important not to over-bargain Poverty can force a vendor to sell, even without making a fair profit In fact, when dealing with vendors in poorer areas of the country it is worth considering whether getting the "best price" is really what is most important to you
Supermarkets can only be found in cities and are somewhat expensive In every town, there is at least one market place or hall, except Lima that has a dense concentration of supermarkets, malls and department stores In cities, there are different markets or sections of one big market for different articles
Stores with similar articles tend to be grouped in the same street So, if you once know the appropriate street when looking for something special, it shouldn't be no more problem to find it quite soon
Giving tips in restaurants at least when basic or middle-range is not very common but 10% for good service is polite In the cities, you will always find some beggars, either sitting on the streets, or doing a musical number on the buses Many of them really need help, especially the elderly and handicapped Usual givings are about 010 - 020 Soles US$ 003 - 006 This is not much, but some unskilled workers don't get much more than 10 Soles for a hard working day Whether you want to give money to child beggars or not is your decision But consider that doing so may make it more attractive for parents to send their children begging in the street instead of sending them to school Buy them food instead, they do need it
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, spaniard, african, asian 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 since the rivers supply fresh fish but beware of contamination in the area known as high jungle or selva alta, where most of the cocaine is made and strong chemicals get dumped into rivers; mining is a minor source of pollution in this area In the Sierra, trout truchas are bred in several places A very common fish dish is ceviche, raw fish prepared by marination in lemon juice Popular variations of the dish can include shellfish, and even sea urchin The exact recipe and mode of preparation of ceviche will vary from region to region Definitely worth a try, especially in summer, but cleanliness and sanitation make all the difference Use care when buying from street vendors and remember that it is often served spicy
Throughout Peru there is a wide variety of potato dishes papas, not patatas as in Spain, the traditional Andean vegetable Papa a la Huancaina is a tasty dish of potato slices and diced boiled egg topped with a thin, creamy yellow sauce, and usually includes a lettuce leaf and an olive or two A similar green sauce, called Ocopa, can be served over potatoes or yuca Papa rellena is mashed potato reformed into a potato-like shape, but with meat, vegetables, and other spicy filling in the middle Aji de gallina is shredded chicken in a thick, spicy, cheese-based sauce over sliced potatoes, often with an olive and slice of hard-boiled egg Causa is mashed potato layered with mayonnaise-based tuna salad mixed with hot peppers
Many Peruvian dishes can be very spicy and heavy, so if you have a weak stomach, proceed with caution
Nowadays, the transport routes from the flat jungle areas are good enough to supply all the country with vegetables and fruits Nevertheless, vegetables still have the status of a garnish for the meat Vegetarian restaurants exist in all cities, but are relatively rare In most areas, there is a rich offering of tropical fruits and fresh squeezed juices
The natives typically eat in small restaurants or Chinese eateries "chifas"; a menu there costs 5-8 Soles and includes a soup, a choice of main dish, and a drink
If you count on international fast food chains, you will be disappointed You find them almost nowhere except in the largest cities, and the prices are uniformly astronomical
Peruvians are quite proud of their desserts, especially in Lima Try them with care, since they tend to be extremely sweet and loaded with sugars, eggs yolks and similar ingredients Try mazamorra morada, or purple custard, made from the same purple corn used for chicha morada drink; together with arroz con leche rice with sweetened condensed milk is called a combinado combination Picarones are a sort of donut, made from fried yams dough and served with chancaca, a very sweet sugarcane syrup And the sweetest dessert suspiro Limeño is perfect if you are in sore need of a high-calorie glucose shock
The Pisco-Nasca 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, currently 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 traveling with a group or to meet locals if you are traveling alone It can also lead you to get completely falling-down-drunk by accident, so be careful
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 uncommon outside of Lima 4 star hotels are usually a bit on the expensive side > US$30 per night and not common, but in large cities 3 star hotels are a good compromise between price and quality and usually US$10 - US$30 2 and 1 star hotels are very cheap < 10 US$, 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 a backpackers
While there a very limited options for unskilled work and local wages are very low, teaching English or other language tutoring is an option
Avoid paying for volunteering Simply contact a bunch of NGOs and let them know you are interested in working for them Sometimes you can also get a paid job after doing some volunteer work Just be clear that you are able to stay a fixed amount of time for unpaid work, and that you would need some money to continue your work
| Meal in inexpensive restaurant | 9.8 PEN |
| 3-course meal in restaurant (for 2) | 68.15 PEN |
| McDonalds meal | 16.65 PEN |
| Local beer (0.5 draft) | 5.64 PEN |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 7.28 PEN |
| Cappuccino | 6.06 PEN |
| Pepsi/Coke (0.33 bottle) | 1.97 PEN |
| Water (0.33 bottle) | 1.28 PEN |
| Milk (1l) | 4.23 PEN |
| Fresh bread (500g) | 5.02 PEN |
| White Rice (1kg) | 2.83 PEN |
| Eggs (12) | 5.88 PEN |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 23.61 PEN |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 20.52 PEN |
| Apples (1kg) | 6.69 PEN |
| Oranges (1kg) | 4.8 PEN |
| Tomato (1kg) | 3.81 PEN |
| Potato (1kg) | 2.53 PEN |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.9 PEN |
| Water (1.5l) | 2.8 PEN |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 26.95 PEN |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 bottle) | 4.88 PEN |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 7.51 PEN |
| Cigarettes | 8.26 PEN |
| One way local bus ticket | 1.37 PEN |
| Monthly pass for bus | 128.32 PEN |
| Taxi start | 5.31 PEN |
| Taxi 1km | 3.84 PEN |
| Taxi 1hour waiting | 23.13 PEN |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 3.98 PEN |
| Utilities for a "normal" apartment | 187.1 PEN |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 23.32 PEN |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 985.16 PEN |
