Is Peru Safe to Go to? (Updated 2025)

Peru, the third-largest nation in South America, was receiving over 4 million friends yearly sooner than the pandemic.

Whether or not or not it’s to go to Machu Picchu, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, the Nazca Traces, or the colorful capital metropolis of Lima and its blossoming meals scene, Peru has a ton to see and do.

And it lives as a lot because the hype. I fully cherished my go to proper right here. It was each little factor I assumed it may be!

Nonetheless, I moreover usually hear and look at vacationers getting mugged or their points being stolen. I get nervous emails from vacationers questioning if Peru is protected to go to on account of present political unrest.

Proper this second, I have to reply their questions:

Is it protected to go to Peru? What do you must look out for? What precautions do you must take?

On this submit, I’ll share each little factor you must know to soundly go to Peru.

10 Safety Options for Peru

Usually, Peru is a protected place to go to. You’re not going to get kidnapped or murdered there so don’t concern about any violent crime as a traveler. Nevertheless Peru does require you to be a bit further vigilant than totally different places on account of there’s a great deal of petty crime.

Listed below are some options that may help you propose and put collectively for a protected go to to Peru:

1. Avoid displaying any pricey belongings – Maintain your jewelry out of sight (and even go away it at residence). Don’t flaunt valuables. Be significantly aware of taking out your phone, as phone theft is rampant (over 4,000 telephones are reported stolen day by day). Don’t even placed on AirPods on the street. In short: on a regular basis regulate your stuff. Minimizing the aim in your once more that claims, “I’m carrying a great deal of useful stuff” is crucial.

That’s significantly try in major cities like Lima and Cusco the place petty theft is further frequent. When you occur to’re out inside the day and likewise you see people with telephones and such out, it’s perhaps protected nonetheless for individuals who’re alone, be careful. Thieves will come by on scooters and take stuff out of your fingers and drive off.

2. Take note of thieves or muggers working in pairs or small groups – The trick of distracting you (as an illustration, anyone “unintentionally” bumping into you, or a bunch of children participating in or stopping near you) is normally used so that an accomplice can rob you while you’re not listening to your belongings. Don’t fall for distractions and protect your guard up.

3. Hold watch over your belongings at all times – In crowded places or on public transit, keep in mind that thieves may be looking for to truly determine your pocket or slash your bag. Maintain some small funds in a separate pocket, so that when you’re paying for points, you don’t should put your full pockets or purse on present.

4. Maintain your valuables separate – Whilst you’re going out for the day, go away some financial institution playing cards and cash locked in your lodging. Which means, for individuals who lose your pockets, you’ll nonetheless have cash and taking part in playing cards once more at your hostel. Usually, it’s a superb suggestion to make photocopies of your passport to take with you and lock up your passport in your hostel locker. Maintain digital copies of your passport in your electronic message inbox too merely in case.

5. Acquire the Prey app to your phone and laptop computer laptop – If each gadget will get stolen, you’ll be able to monitor it and remotely flip in your digital digicam to {{photograph}} the thief (you may too wipe the information and message the thief too). It costs merely $1.10/month.

6. Avoid touring alone at evening time – There have been incidents of people being mugged as they go away a taxi at evening time inside the cities, and repeated experiences of bandit train after darkish in some areas, just like Tingo María, northwest of Lima, on the doorway to the Tingo María Nationwide Park. Try to journey with mates or totally different vacationers at evening time as there’s safety in numbers.

And that’s very true in cities at evening time too. In some areas of Lima like Miraflores and Barranco, there’s a lot of individuals out at evening time so it’s a lot much less of a problem nonetheless this moreover the two nicest and most touristy areas of Lima so it’s a scorching mattress for thieves.

7. Choose a superb bus operator – Sometimes probably the most value efficient alternative isn’t the simplest one. Various the low value bus companies have most likely probably the most reckless drivers and plenty of breakdowns, and since Peru has a couple of of the world’s worst guests accident fees, you’re typically safer using a barely pricier bus agency. Various probably the most revered bus operators embody Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Civa, and Movil Excursions. Furthermore, take into consideration PeruHop, which is a hop on/hop off bus tour operator catering to travels (and customarily locals) that might be very protected, makes use of unimaginable drivers, and has no theft draw back.

8. Don’t use medicine – Since Peru produces a great deal of cocaine, vacationers (significantly youthful backpackers) are prone to do a great deal of it proper right here. It’s not positively well worth the menace, nonetheless, since if authorities even suspect you of using medicine, you may be detained for as a lot as 15 days. Looking for medicine proper right here helps organized crime, so be good and skip the medicine.

9. Examine some Spanish – Being able to converse some main Spanish will make it simpler to in a lot of circumstances, nonetheless for individuals who get in hassle and wish help, then you definitely positively’ll really respect it. Start with an app like Duolingo to understand some main vocabulary. Google Translate app is usually a will need to have app (receive the Spanish language to your phone so that you probably can translate offline).

10. Buy journey insurance coverage protection – Points can go unsuitable on the freeway. That’s why I certainly not go anyplace with out journey insurance coverage protection. From theft to accidents to delayed flights, journey insurance coverage protection is there to be sure to don’t go broke. It’s solely a pair bucks a day (usually a lot much less) and affords peace of ideas. Don’t journey proper right here with out it!

I prefer to advocate SafetyWing for vacationers beneath 70, whereas Insure My Journey is the one choice for vacationers over 70.

It is best to use this widget to get a quote for SafetyWing:

For further knowledge on journey insurance coverage protection, attempt these posts:

With these journey options, you’ll be able to maintain protected while you go to or backpack spherical Peru! Furthermore, listed beneath are options to some ceaselessly requested questions we get.
 

Is Machu Picchu protected?

Machu Picchu is such a normal vacationer trip spot that you just simply’ll most likely be safer proper right here than one other part of Peru. Chances are you’ll be climbing with a bunch or in a crowd, so pickpockets and totally different petty thieves are unlikely to be spherical. It’s far more essential to be vigilant in cities like Lima or Cusco.

The additional mandatory safety drawback in case you’re climbing to Machu Picchu is to care on your effectively being. Make certain you’ve a great deal of water, and use sunscreen and hats to care for the heat. When you occur to’re not acclimatized to the altitude, then altitude sickness usually is a draw back; you must take it considerably for individuals who start to actually really feel sick. Avoid this by staying in Cusco for at least a couple of days sooner than visiting Machu Picchu.

Lastly, for individuals who use a info, which is helpful when climbing, be sure that they seem to be a licensed operator, as you usually hear of unlicensed guides taking you the unsuitable route and holding your climbing enable value for themselves.
 

Is Peru protected to journey alone?

Solo journey is pretty frequent in Peru, and likewise you’ll usually uncover a great deal of totally different solo backpackers to spend time with, so it’s unlikely you’ll be alone that lots.

Bus journey and being out after darkish anyplace is safer in a bunch, nonetheless mainly, solo journey in Peru isn’t any further dangerous than touring with mates or a affiliate.

Merely deliberate to avoid standing out and looking out like a vacationer. Don’t robe in fancy clothes, don’t wave your pricey gadgets spherical, and for individuals who get misplaced, don’t stand there observing a map. Principally, avoid protruding like a sore thumb, and likewise you’ll reduce the potential of a petty thief deciding you’re their subsequent sufferer.
 

Is it protected to journey to Peru with youngsters?

On your complete, it’s not significantly unsafe to take your youngsters to Peru. Family and youngsters are important inside the Peruvian custom, so that you just and your youngsters could be made to actually really feel very welcome.

Be careful with notably infants, though, on account of they’re further susceptible to getting sick from unfiltered water, as an illustration. It’s moreover not useful to take youngsters beneath three to extreme altitudes just like Machu Picchu.
 

Is Peru protected for female vacationers?

It’s not unsafe to be a solo female traveler in Peru, though you is prone to be the sufferer of some undesirable consideration, largely inside the kind of catcalling. Native girls in Peru not typically exit to bars with out males, so in case you’re a women-only group in a bar, you may get some additional consideration. Nevertheless there’s a great deal of solo female vacationers inside the nation so that you just’ll meet others to hold round with. Peru doesn’t require any further precautions than you will take anyplace else.
 

Can you drink the tap water in Peru?

No, don’t drink the tap water in Peru (though it’s super to brush your tooth with). Use a Lifestraw, which not solely ensures that your water is on a regular basis protected to drink as a result of it has a inbuilt water filter inside the bottle nonetheless helps you avoid single-use plastic.
 

Are taxis protected in Peru?

Taxis are comparatively protected, nonetheless remember to solely use licensed taxis and that you just acknowledge the velocity upfront. When you occur to desire a taxi, have your hostel or lodge title one for you and uncover out what the velocity is upfront. Make certain you agree on the fare with the driving force upfront, as taxis don’t use meters so it’s easy to get overcharged for individuals who’re not paying consideration. That talked about, Uber is everywhere inside the nation now and you will title an Uber for individuals who don’t have to flag a random taxi down.

Peru is an incredible trip spot it does not matter what your pursuits, with a rich custom, welcoming people, beautiful landscapes, and fascinating historic sights.

You do must be cautious about your non-public safety, nonetheless. The most common factors vacationers face there are petty theft and pickpocketing, nonetheless by exercising a little bit of further vigilance and customary sense, you probably can lower your menace. You may wish to simply make sure you’re not carrying valuables in an obvious means and don’t have large sums of cash in a single place.

Don’t let the tales put you off. The fantastic factors of curiosity will definitely make your journey worthwhile! Peru is an incredible place and with some frequent sense you acquired’t have any factors! I didn’t.