We have tried to balance flexibility and convenience regarding meal options. For this reason, we include meals on any of our tour days when you are traveling off the beaten path where restaurant choices are limited. For example, tours visiting Lake Titicaca and the Amazon will have meals included on these days. In the major cities, where there are a wide variety of restaurants, we generally do not include meals, to allow our travelers the flexibility of choosing their own food preferences. Your tour leader will always recommend some great restaurant options and will usually offer to join any group members who would like to go out to eat together. Your hotel will also provide a light continental breakfast.

Our Peru tours utilize a variety of transportation including private vans/ cars, comfortable tourist buses, flights, canoes, etc. We use a mix of private/ public transportation to provide travelers with the safest and most efficient transportation in each area. Occasionally, we may include non-typical transportation modes (rickshaw, bicycle taxi, "chicken bus", etc.) for short distances to give travelers a sense of local flavor. Each tour itinerary page has a description of the transportation included on that tour. If you have additional questions, just ask!

Staple foods in the highlands include potatoes, corn, rice, and meat dishes, often with a spicy sauce. In jungle areas, fresh fruits, fried plantains, and other vegetables are also common. Though vegetarians can be easily accommodated in all areas, options typically leave out the meat rather than adding vegetarian mainstays such as tofu, beans, or nuts.

Travelers can visit Peru any time of the year. Dry season runs from May to November and this is typically the time that is most recommended. However, this is also the cooler time of year. Nighttime temperatures can drop to below freezing at the height of the dry season. June, July and August are the most popular months to visit so you will tend to encounter much larger crowds during these months.

In the wet season (December to April), you can expect showers three to four afternoons a week. For travelers that don't mind a little drizzle and muddy trails, this time of year offers smaller crowds and greener hillsides, with wildflowers and orchids often in bloom.

The shoulder seasons, April to June or September to November can often provide the best of both worlds. They typically have fewer crowds and warmer temperatures than the height of the dry season, but still tend to have relatively little rain.

We have had travelers age 18 - 75 on our Peru tours. However, we often encourage families traveling with young children to book private departures so our most common travelers are age 20s-60s. We tend to get a wide variety of ages on most of our departures.

Yes, all our tours are great choices for solo travelers - the sleeping arrangements are for twin-share so if you are a single traveler you will be paired up with someone of the same sex. This ensures that whether you are traveling solo or with friends, everyone is paying the same rate.

All our trips include an airport transfer upon arrival and departure, very welcome especially after an exhausting flight. At time of booking please let us know your international flight details and we will take care of everything for you.

Tips are not required on any of our tours. However, it is customary in Latin America to offer a small tip for exceptional service. Tipping amounts vary widely, though some travelers report that ~$2-$10/ day for your guide and ~$1-$3/ day for your driver is common. Other travelers opt to bring small gifts from their home to give to service providers along the way.

You can book your Peru tour at any time and generally the earlier you book, the better. Booking early (4 months or more recommended) is especially important for travelers visiting during the height of the dry season, June to August, as many of these departures fill up months in advance. Travelers visiting outside of these busy months can often book a bit more last minute, though 2-3 months notice is still recommended.

Further, we usually recommend that you wait to book your international flights until after your tour is confirmed. The sooner that we arrange your tour, the sooner that you can take advantage of flight deals as they become available.

YES. Please contact us if you are not able to travel on the set departure dates listed on-line. Most tours can be arranged on alternative departure dates for a minimum of two travelers as long as lodges/ hotels are available.

You will receive a detailed packing list after you book your tour. Since the Peruvian climate varies dramatically depending upon elevation and season, it is difficult to offer many generalizations. Comfort is the rule and fancy clothes are not necessary for any of our Peru tours. Peruvians are used to seeing travelers so shorts, sandals, and jeans are perfectly acceptable.

Altitude affects each traveler differently and until you have visited an area with high altitude, it is impossible to predict how your body will react. For this reason, all of our Peru hiking tours include at least 2 days at high altitude with mild activities before travelers begin hiking. This time allows your body to begin acclimatizing (though full acclimatization would take several months) and provides travelers a good indication of how they will feel once they begin hiking (as altitude symptoms are generally the worst on the first day or two at elevation).

Commonly, our travelers report mild altitude symptoms such as fatigue, headache, or light-headedness during their first day or two at elevation. Many of our hotels at altitude have oxygen available for travelers feeling the effects of the elevation.

Severe altitude sickness is rare. In this case, the best treatment is to go down in elevation as soon as possible. We have never had a traveler that had to be evacuated to low altitude. Many severe cases of altitude sickness are the result of a pre-existing condition that is aggravated by the altitude. It is important to ask your doctor whether or not travel to high altitude is advised, especially if you have a pre-existing heart or lung condition such as high blood pressure, asthma, angina, etc. You might also want to ask your doctor about prescription Diamox, a diuretic that many travelers swear by to help them adjust to the altitude more readily.

Peru has a stable government and tourism has boomed in recent years. With the added tourist dollars, the government has made a concerted effort to keep travelers and their valuables safe. There have been no terrorist attacks in Peruvian tourist areas in over a decade and the activities of the Shining Path are generally assumed to be isolated to a remote area of the Department of Ayacucho that most travelers would never visit.

Travelers should take the same precautions that they would in a major city in your country. Pay attention to the advice of your tour leader and hotel reception and take common-sense precautions such as not going into unfamiliar areas alone, especially at night.

Petty theft is common in busy tourist areas such as airports, markets, and other tourist sites so be aware of your valuables and don't leave them unattended. Monetary scams also sprout up occasionally so beware of any offers that sound too good to be true. Your tour leader is from the local area and is an excellent source of information and advice.

The tap water is generally not safe to drink in Peru. Bottled water is readily available at tourist sites, hotels, and restaurants. Don't forget to use bottled water when brushing your teeth as well! Ice is not always made with boiled/ bottled water. Order your beverages without ice ("sin hielo") or ask your tour leader if the ice is safe in a particular restaurant.

Most restaurants, markets, and other service providers readily accept US dollars as long as they don't have any rips. They will generally give you change in local currency. The local currency is the Sol. It is handy to use local currency in markets as you will have smaller denominations to bargain/ tip with and don't need to worry about your currency looking pristine (ripped Soles are common and readily accepted). Check out our Currency Converter for the latest exchange rates.

Most travelers bring a small amount of US cash with them and withdraw from ATMs as they need it along they way. ATMs are readily available in the larger towns and cities. Travelers can withdraw US dollars or local currency at fair exchange rates. Traveler's checks are fine, but they can be more difficult to exchange and you will usually receive a poorer rate or be charged an additional fee. Credit cards are accepted only in the larger restaurants and stores. Although it is helpful to bring a credit card along for emergencies, don't count on using it for most purchases.

No immunizations are currently required for visiting Peru. Hepatitis A and Typhoid are recommended on most of our Peru excursions. Yellow fever and malaria preventatives are also recommended on our Amazon journeys. For the most current information, please consult your doctor and/or check out the Center for Disease Control web-site at www.cdc.gov.

Travelers will all need a passport valid for at least 6 months after they depart. Currently, citizens from the US, Canada, Scandinavia, Western Europe, Japan, Latin America, South Africa, South Korea, and the Caribbean (except Cuba) do not need a visa. Australians and New Zealanders do need a visa. Travelers from other nationalities should check with the Peruvian Embassy for visa information. Entry requirements change with surprising frequency. It is each traveler's responsibility to check with the consulate for the most up-to-date visa information.

On all of trips you will need to ensure that you have comprehensive medical insurance. For well priced adequate cover we can recommend World Nomads travel insurance. Read more below and if you are interested click on one the links to go to their website.

If you're planning an adventure then World Nomads travel insurance is the perfect companion to keep you travelling safely. World Nomads travel insurance covers a range of adventure activities such as skiing, white water rafting and scuba diving. World Nomads also provides members with a free travel journal and SMS security alerts to make sure you well informed on the road and keep travelling safely.