Traveling To Peru: Safety Tips and Traveling Information

Traveling can be hectic. If you have ever walked into an airport, you know this! It can be fast-paced, chaotic and you are dealing with a lot of people. After years of experience and a lot of learning, there are a few things you should know when traveling to your final destination- Peru.
Arrive two hours before your flight. This might seem like a silly thing, or even well known information, but people constantly forget that delays happen in and out of the airport. Give yourself plenty of time.

Be polite to the airport staff, and they will be polite to you. Americans get a bad rap, and you might get treated differently or with contempt. Be happy, smile, and be polite.

 My sister and I traveled from Peru by ourselves this summer and we found ourselves stuck at security and then again at immigration. After debating with the airport employee for several minutes we were escorted into the police office inside the airport. Both my sister and I were unprepared to deal with the situation at hand and neither of us knew the language well enough to communicate beyond what I had already explained to the immigration officer.  It took a while, but we got out of there and I even managed to thank them (albeit sarcastically) and we went on our way. I was so happy we arrived early to the airport too!

When you arrive in Peru, you will have to go through customs. Fill out the form BEFORE your arrival to make this go faster. The Lima airport is not a place you want to spend a lot of time, especially if you are tired, hungry and starting to smell like the airplane.

When you are done with customs and getting your luggage, ignore all the cab drivers holding signs or yelling out rates. Be prepared and plan ahead- have someone waiting for you. Hotels will happily set this up for you, and this is the safest way to get where you want to go.

I've had three years of experience living in Peru; and three years worth of scary stories to go with it. I've  heard true stories of kidnappings, ransom demands, and thefts during my years in Peru. I even know some of the victims.  Don't go worrying, or fretting about the what-ifs, and don't go thinking Peru is dangerous; it's only as dangerous as any other place you might go. No matter where you travel, be it Idaho, Rome or Peru you should always be aware of your surroundings, the dangers, and know how to stay out of bad situations.

Simple Tips to Keep you Safe:

• Do not carry large amounts of money with you.
• Do not carry large handbags.
• Do not wear flashy or expensive jewelry.
• Carry your wallet or phone in your front pockets.
• When walking on the sidewalk, stay close to the buildings and keep your bag away from the street. People have had their purses or cell phones snatched right out of their hands.
• When in a car, keep your window rolled up, especially when waiting at an intersection. Keep your purse on the floor, out of sight from view. This applies to both purses or bags and electronics.
• When riding on a micro or bus wear your bag or backpack on your front and keep a hold of your stuff at all times.
• If you are traveling with children go over stranger danger rules and teach them what to do in an emergency.
• If you are traveling in a group select a destination you will meet at if anyone gets lost or separated from the group.
• Do not take a street taxi unless absolutely necessary. If you must take a street taxi, never ride alone. You are more vulnerable in such situations. Try to plan transportation before you go, or call a reliable taxi company.
• Keep your passport and identification on you.
• Program the U.S. Embassy into your phone, in case of emergencies.

For other tips visit:

The US Embassy located in Lima:
http://lima.usembassy.gov/

The US Department of State and Bureau of Consular Affairs:
http://travel.state.gov/content/travel/english.html