The Good Trip guide · For U.S. travelers
PeruA little local knowledge.
Stand before Machu Picchu, taste your way through Lima's kitchens, and ride the Andes from Cusco to Lake Titicaca.
Do not drink untreated tap water in Peru.
Ambulance (SAMU): 106
Peruvian Sol
Exercise Increased Caution
Essential Etiquette in Peru
Key dos and don'ts every American traveler should know before arriving.
Greet before making a request
Open with “Buenos días” (good morning), “Buenas tardes” (good afternoon), or “Buenas noches” (good evening) before asking a question or making a request, even to a taxi driver or market vendor. Jumping straight to business without a greeting sounds abrupt in Peru.
Stay on paths and off the ruins
At Inca and pre-Inca sites, do not climb on walls, sit on carved stones, or leave marked paths, however tempting the photo. The stonework is irreplaceable, rangers enforce these rules, and fines and removal from the site are real consequences.
Use the polite usted form with strangers
Address staff, drivers, officials, and people you do not know with the polite “usted” form of Spanish, softened with “por favor” (please) and “gracias” (thank you). The shared Spanish phrasebook for Peru uses this respectful register, while “tú” is reserved for friends, family, and children.
Leave offerings as you find them
Small piles of stones, coca leaves, and other offerings at shrines, mountain passes, and sites such as Ñaupa Iglesia are part of living Andean religion directed to Pachamama and the apus, the mountain spirits. Look respectfully, but do not move, pocket, or build your own additions to offerings.
Essential Spanish Phrases
Respectful expressions with phonetic pronunciations to help you connect with locals.
"Hello"
"Thank you"
"Sorry / Excuse me"
"Please"
Take all 66 phrases and offline audio with you in Good Trip.
Water & pharmacies
Do not drink the tap water
Use sealed bottled, boiled, or reliably treated water for drinking and brushing teeth, including in Lima and other cities. Be cautious with ice and raw foods washed in tap water outside reputable establishments.
Local Pharmacy Rules
Widely available in major cities.
Apps to Download Before Flying to Peru
Useful apps for transit, navigation, and food delivery in Peru.
Uber
Ride-hailing in Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, and other Peruvian cities, offering a priced-in-advance alternative to unmetered street taxis, with the driver, plate, and route visible before you board.
DiDi Rider
A second major ride-hailing service operating in Lima and other Peruvian cities, often cheaper than Uber at busy times and useful as a price comparison and backup when one service has long waits.
Rappi
Food, grocery, and pharmacy delivery in Lima and other major Peruvian cities, from large chains to local restaurants, handy when you are acclimatizing at altitude or staying in for the night.
Emergency Contacts & U.S. Embassy
If you lose your passport, need urgent medical evacuation, or encounter legal trouble, keep this info accessible offline.
U.S. Embassy Lima
Avenida La Encalada cdra. 17 s/n, Surco, Lima 33, Peru
This preview comes from the Good Trip country guide. Conditions and travel advisories can change. Check the latest U.S. State Department advice before departure.
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