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Peru Practical Travel Info

Visa rules by nationality, altitude sickness (a genuinely real concern here), money, and safety.

Most Western nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, Canada) enter Peru visa-free for 90-183 days depending on passport — check your exact entry stamp, since the number granted is at the immigration officer's discretion. Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). The single most underrated practical issue in Peru is altitude sickness (soroche) in Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and on treks — genuinely worth planning acclimatization days around, not an afterthought.

This is the unglamorous section that quietly makes or breaks a Peru trip — and here, more than almost anywhere else on this site, altitude deserves its own serious conversation, not a footnote. Also covered: whether you actually need a visa (depends on your passport, as always), what soles and centimos actually look like, safety with real nuance, and getting online.

Peru Visa and Entry Requirements (2026)
Practical Info

Peru Visa and Entry Requirements (2026)

The real answer, broken down by passport — not one generic rule.

Altitude, Money, Safety and eSIM in Peru
Practical Info

Altitude, Money, Safety and eSIM in Peru

Altitude is the practical issue most guides underrate — here's the honest playbook.

Questions people actually ask

Do I need a visa for Peru?
It depends on your passport — see the full nationality table on our visa and entry page. Most Western nationalities (US, UK, EU, Australia, NZ, Canada) need no advance visa at all, just a passport valid 6+ months, for stays of 90-183 days depending on nationality.
Is altitude sickness a real risk in Peru?
Yes, genuinely — Cusco sits at 11,152 ft (3,399 m) and Lake Titicaca at 12,507 ft (3,812 m), both high enough to cause real symptoms (headache, nausea, breathlessness) in otherwise healthy travelers who fly straight in without easing into it. See our full altitude guide for the honest playbook.
What currency does Peru use?
The Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Check a live exchange rate before you go — as a rough planning anchor, $1 has recently traded around S/3.7-3.8. Carry some cash for markets and small towns; cards work at hotels, restaurants, and larger shops in Lima and Cusco.