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GENERAL TOURS
Clothing: warm jacket for cool evenings, wool sweater, flannel shirt, pants, (two short & two long) cotton shirts, hat with brim, rain coat, socks & underwear. Note - Winter / Dry Season ... June to August Summer / Rainy ... November to April.
Comfortable walking shoes or boots.
Camera, film, extra batteries, flashlight & binoculars.
Personal medications / written prescriptions.
Sun screen. ( min. SPF 15 )
Personal snacks. (Power Bars, granola or gum ect . . . )
RAFTING TRIPS
A swimsuit or cut-off shorts.
A pair of tennis shoes/sandals
A light nylon shell jacket
A towel and change of clothes.
Plastic bag for personal items... wet / dry clothing, jewelry, money, ect.
Personal medications / written prescriptions sun screen. ( min. SPF 15 )
Personal snacks. (Cliff Bars, Power Bars, granola or gum ect . . . )
BACK PACKING TRIPS
Clothing: warm jacket for cool evenings, wool sweater, flannel shirt, pants, (two short & two long) cotton shirts, hat with brim, rain coat, socks & underwear. Note - Winter / Dry Season ... June to August Summer / Rainy ... November to April.
Comfortable walking shoes or boots. ( BROKEN IN )
A good sleeping bag & foam pad.
Day pack or fanny pack & water bottle.
Duffel bag or frame less backpack for your clothes.
Camera, film, flashlight, binoculars, extra batteries & extra flashlight bulb.
Toiletries, plastic bags for wet / dry clothing.
A small hand & bath towel.
Personal medications / written prescriptions, Insect repellant with high deet / itch reliever & sun screen ( min. SPF 15 ).
Personal snacks. ( Cliff Bars, Power Bars, granola, beef jerky, gum ect . . . )
AMAZON TRIPS
Clothing: light weight pants and shorts, short & long sleeved shirts, swimming suit, rain jacket or suit, sun hat with a brim, socks & underwear. Note - Winter / Dry Season ... June to August Summer / Rainy ... November to April.
Comfortable boots or tennis shoes. (water resistant)
Sleeping bag & foam pad. ( for camping trips )
Day pack or fanny pack & water bottle.
Duffel bag or backpack for your clothes.
Camera, film, flashlight, binoculars, extra batteries & extra flshlight bulb.
A hand & bath towel.
Toiletries, plastic bags for wet / dry clothing.
Personal medication's / written prescriptions.
Insect repellant with high deet / itch reliever & sun screen ( min. SPF 15 ).
Personal snacks. ( Cliff Bars, Power Bars, granola or gum ect . . . )
PERSONAL FIRST AID SUPPLIES
Calamine lotion, hydrogen peroxide, safety pins, band- aids, thermometer, scissors, foot padding & a antiseptic. Toiletries : toothpaste / brush, soap, shampoo, deodorant, razor /shave cream, sanitary pads
VACCINATIONS
Currently Covid 19 vaccines are required as are negative test for entering into & leaving Peru For other vaccines several are recommended and we suggest to consult your physician or local traveler's clinic. As for general travel, typhoid, infectious hepatitis, polio are commonly advised. Keep in mind it is safe travel with a peace of mind.
Here are a couple of links to assist if you do have a doctors opinion...
C.D.C Center for Disease Control - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
W.H.O World Health Organization - Foreign travel immunizations.
Note: Reports on these two web sites are not always up to date.
We have daily contact with each country and can request a current report on health issues & concerns.
TOILETRIES
Biodegradable soap, shampoo, deodorant, razor and shaving cream, tweezers, nail clippers, zip top bags for storage. If appropriate: Sunglasses, heating pad, contraceptives, Tampons or sanitary pads, contact lens solution and lens case.
REGIONAL INFORMATION
Arequipa: Better known as the White City, where colonial buildings constructed with white volcanic stone have been beautifully preserved. A stay of two days is recommended to visit the Colonial mansions and churches as well as Santa Catalina Convent, Cayma, Yanahuara, and the Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, where majestic Andean condors can be frequently seen carving lazy circles in the air.
Chiclayo: Home to the newest archeological Moche discovery, The Tomb of the Lord of Sipan, is among the finest gold treasures ever unearthed in the Americas. Excavation for many other tombs believed to be equally rich is just beginning. A stay of two days is recommended to visit Sipan, Sican, and Tucume excavation sites and the Bruning Museum where many unearthed Moche treasures are exhibited. Cuzco: Located at 11,150 feet above sea level, no visitor will want to miss Cuzco, the Inca Capital destroyed by the conquistadors who then built churches and mansions on the foundations of Incan temples and palaces. Giant fortresses such as Sacsayhuaman ring Cuzco as well as markets that include Pisac and Chincero in the Urubamba Valley. �The Archaeological Capital of the Americas� has amazing Inca architecture combined with beautiful colonial buildings. Several days are needed to visit the city and its surrounding Inca monuments of Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Chinchero, Tambo Machay, Ollantaytambo and many others. The entire area of Cuzco bears an exceptional wealth of Inca constructions being the most interesting and accessible those lying north of the city.
Machu Picchu: The legendary Lost City of Macchu Picchu is without a doubt, the most important tourist attraction in Peru and one of the world�s most impressive archaeological sites. A 27-mile journey by rail from Ollanta Station travels over the Andes via a series of spectacular switchbacks through the Urubamba Valley to the semi-tropical jungle at the base of Machu Picchu. On arrival, small buses take travelers 2,350 feet to the entrance of the ruins at an altitude of 8,200 feet. Legend has it that Machu Picchu was a flourishing ceremonial and agricultural site, probably the gateway to the jungle marches of the Inca Empire. Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca�s best kept secrets, since they did not leave written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel, it remains a mystery. American Yale professor Hiram Bingham discovered the site in 1911. The central buildings were erected using polished stone works of the Cuzco Imperial Style, although the site was probably occupied well before the Incas began their expansion. The site is closely associated with an earth cult revolving around the coca leaf, its use restricted only to the royal family and priests. Machu Picchu does not owe its reputation to colossal dimensions; no single building is more than three stories high, though some structures take advantage of the slope to build up complexes in tiers. Rather, it is beautifully proportioned in relation to an equally magnificent setting. It fits into the contours of its surroundings, at times appearing suspended in the mist, shrouded apparition of the past.
Huaraz: In the Cordillera Blanca, offers one of the most spectacular Andean scenery. The area, also known as Callejon de Huaylas, was the center of the ancient and powerful Chavin civilization, which left impressive constructions at Huantar. The Huascaran National Park is unique, home of the highest peak in Peru: Huascaran glacier (22,205 ft.) preferred area for mountain climbers worldwide.
Iquitos-The Amazon Rain Forest: Iquitos is a short distance from where the Ucayali and the Maranon rivers meet to form the mightiest of all rivers on the planet -- the Amazon. The city of Iquitos is the capital of Loreto, and is located on the northwestern Amazon plain. Loreto is the largest region of Peru, and covers 30% of the national land mass. The city has 250,000 inhabitants.
Puno: On the banks of Lake Titicaca, Uros Indians live on artificial floating reed islands as they have for hundreds of years. With lofty snow-capped peaks rising above distant shores, the vast blue lake at the dizzying altitude of 12,600 feet presents one of the most breathtaking panoramas of the Andes. Visits can be made to the Sillustani burial grounds, Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca, and the stone carved churches of Juli and Pomata.
The Nazca Lines: Spread out across the dry plains of the southern coastal desert, one of the greatest mysteries of mankind. These gigantic figures of stylized animals and geometric drawings made presumably by the ancient Nazcas, are only visible from the air. Two hours north of Nazca there is another place worth visiting: the Paracas National Reserve. This reserve is the first marine conservation center of the country. Boat trips to the Ballestas Islands are available for observation of the most prolific marine life in Peru, Humboldt penguins, flamingos, blue footed boobies, and even condors that dwell in the area along with hundreds of sea lions and many other sea mammals.
Lima: Lima, the capital of Peru, is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, in the middle of the country coastline. It has a population of 6 million. Lima is the gateway to visit Peru. Almost 80% of passenger arrivals into Peru come through Lima�s Jorge Chavez International Airport. Lima, the colonial center of Spanish power in the New World, is the focal point that draws the country into one land. The capital includes the historic Plaza de Armas, around which stand the cathedral with Pizarro�s remains, the Presidential Palace, and the Archbishop�s Palace. The capital also has beautiful churches, such as La Merced, San Augustin, and San Francisco, all with golden interiors. City museums are rich in pre-Columbian and colonial treasures.
Trujillo: Moche and Chimu cultures have left us extraordinary constructions such as the Huaca del Sol y de la Luna and Chan-Chan, the largest pre-Hispanic adobe city in the world. Located in the central Plaza in Trujillo are many well preserved colonial houses. The beaches of Huanchaco and Chicama are popular among surfers all over the world. It is said that this is the birthplace of surfing. Locals have used �reef horses� (caballitos de totora) since pre-Inca times to ride on the crest of the waves.
Amazon: The Amazonia is the ecosystem of the Amazon River from the upper areas of the watershed in the Andes to the right rainforest that extends through the north part of South America in the countries of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Guyana. The Amazon River is over 4,000 miles long with more than 1,000 tributaries. One sixth of all the fresh water that flows on earth moves through the Amazon basin�s system. This is greater than the next eight largest rivers combined and contains over 2,000 species of fish.
TIPPING
Noted is a basic guide line to what is a reasonable tip for noted services.
These amounts are only examples and you are not required to tip if it is not your custom or prefer not to.
All our contracted workers are paid well for their services and earn reasonable wages based on the local economy.
TRANSFERS Short...$1.00 - $2.00 ea.
TRANSFERS Long...$2.00 - $3.00 ea.
BAGGAGE Hotel...$.50 - $1.00 ea. ( per bag )
RESTAURANTS Waiter...$.50 - $1.00 ea.
GUIDED TOURS 1/2 day...$2.00 - $3.00 ea.
GUIDED TOURS Full day...$3.00 - $5.00 ea.
INCA TRAIL Guide...$5.00 - $6.00 ea. per day
INCA TRAIL Porters...$2.00 - $3.00 per day (1-2 porters per person )
INCA TRAIL Cook...$3.00 ea. per day
ADD ON SERVICES ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING USA OFFICE. Price will depend on requested services.
(For job security our contracted Peru guides & land operators are NOT permitted to sell direct to our customers.)
$ EXCHANGE $
The exchange rates are better in Peru than that of your bank and airport cambio.
In fact it is easily able to use the US $ with many of the vendors & stores in major cities of tourism.
Take smaller bills such as $1.00-$20.00 bill�s they are easier to exchange and as well purchase with.
Be careful of exchanging your money in the street, there have been counterfeit US & Peruvian bills circulating.
Also, the cambios as well as banks are very reluctant on exchanging any U.S. money that has "rips or marks" on it.
Try to bring "fresh bills" with you, or you will get a much lower rate than usual. Here is a link to a
Currency Converter that can give a "rate of exchange".
WEATHER
Peru is divided into three distinct major regions: coast, mountains (sierra) and jungle (selva).
A narrow desert takes up most of the coastal strip except for the northern end, which merges into
equatorial tropical mangroves. Most of the country�s major cities are located along the coastal
stretch and inland into the more fertile valleys irrigated by rivers descending from the Andes.
The weather throughout these regions varies greatly. MOUNTAINS - Mid April � October: This period is
the dry season, with hot, dry days 68��77� F (20-25�C) and cold, dry nights, often hovering just
above freezing, particularly in June and July. May is perhaps the best month with the countryside
exceptionally lush, yet with superb views and fine weather. Peru's peak season run from June to September.
November - Mid April: This is the wet season with most rain in January and February. It's usually clear and
dry most mornings with heavy rains in the afternoons. Daily temperatures typically average 64�F (18�C)
with only a small drop at night, 59� (15�C). The Inca Trail is much less crowded during this period
and there's a more abundant fresh water supply, but travelers still need to be well equipped for
rain. Some roads may become impassable. COAST December - April This is summertime on the coast
where the weather is hot and dry, ideal for swimming and sunbathing. Temperatures on average range
from 77�-- (�25 - 35�C). May - November From May to November, temperatures drop slightly and sea
mist engulfs the coast from the south right up to about 200 km north of Lima. Only northern beaches
near Tumbes are warm enough to provide pleasant swimming. JUNGLE April - October This is the 'dry'
season with daily temperatures averaging �30-35�C. Cold fronts from the South Atlantic, however,
are common when temperatures may drop to 59�F during the day and �13�C at night. This is the best
time to experience the jungle regions, when mosquitoes are fewer and rivers are lower. It's also a
good time to see nesting animals at close range, as they stay close to the rivers and are more easily
seen. November - March Wet season is hot and humid. Heavy rains happen anytime, even though it only
rains for a few hours at a time. Water proof boots are a must though, as some of the jungle trails can become small rivers.
Here is a link to a weather web site Cuzco Weather - For a more reliable report call TAMBO TOURS.
LIMA TEMPS
JAN 71.....FEB 74.....MAR 73.....APR 69.....MAY 66.....JUN 62
JUL 60.....AUG 58.....SEP 59.....OCT 62.....NOV 65.....DEC 68
CUZCO TEMPS
JAN 58.....FEB 57.....MAR 57.....APR 56.....MAY 53.....JUN 52
JUL 51.....AUG 52.....SEP 56.....OCT 58.....NOV 58.....DEC 59
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