Peru Basic Travel Info

Population: 28,000,000 souls, most of which live in Lima, the capital

Religion: 99% Christian/ Catholic, 1% Tribal

Government: Corrupt, nearly impotent “democracy,” perennially on the verge of revolution

Language: Spanish, Quechua and other dialects

Visas: No problem for most countries. Walk in, they stamp the passport for 90 days, renew for another 90 days for $20 or cross the border and come back in.

Climate: Tropical to Arctic, largely depending on altitude, Peru has almost every climate imaginable. The high mountains hold the largest amount of tropical glaciers in the world, and you’d better hurry if you want to see them before they’re gone.

The jungle is hot, humid, and uncomfortable, but slightly more tolerable in the dry season. The coast is cool during the “winter,” from April to October.

When to go to Peru: Rainy season in the mountains starts in October and continues into early April. The coast is dry year round, but warmer from October to April. Dry season in the jungle parallels that of the mountains, lasting from late April to early September, but expect rain year round.

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