PERU

GETTING THERE:

When traveling to Peru from the US, plane is the way to go. Delta, Continental and American airlines are the most common airlines to fly to Peru. Most flights to Peru from the US leave from Miami, Houston or Atlanta. Most cities in the US are able to book connecting flights from these cities to Peru. Many flights arrive in, then depart to home from the Jorge Chavez Airport in Lima, Peru's capital city. A round trip to Peru can be rather expensive. The high season for purchasing plane tickets is roughly between late May and early October.

ONCE YOU ARE THERE:

Once you are in Peru, the most popular and useful form of transportation is taking the bus. Walking is also a good option for getting from place to place. Trains are used on a limitted basis and should not be counted on for transportation. There are not many paved roads in Peru. The two main roads are the Pan-American Highway and the Marginal Jungle Highway and they run the whole length of the country from north to south. 

CURRENCY:

The currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol. One Sol (S) is equal to .3 American dollars. When you go to Peru, you are going to have to trade in your American dollars for Peruvian soles. For every one American dollar, you will get S3.33.

CUSTOMS:

Spanish and the indigenous languages, Quechua and Aymara are the official languages of Peru. People with more formal educations often speak English as well. Not evryone in Peru speaks all three of these languages. In fact, some of the people don't speak even one of these three languages, but they are just the most common languages. Aymara is most frequently spoken in the southern part of Peru. 

When two people of the opposite gender greet eachother, they often shake hands. Men usually shake hands or pat eachother on the back. Women, or close freinds/family usually kiss eachother on the cheek. Buenos dias (good morning), buenas tardes (googd afternoon), and buenas noches (goognight) are some commonly used greetings used by Peruvians. Friends and family adress eachother by first name and professionals are adressed by their working title. When adressing elders, it is polite to use Senor (Mr.) and Senora (Mrs.) followed by their last name. 

WHAT TO KNOW:

If you are planning on visiting the highlands in Peru, take into consideration that spring and fall are good times to visit because those are the least crowded times. In February, the Inca trails are closed becasue it is the rainy season. Many of the other highland parks are closed through May for cleanup after the rainy season. Daily costs can range anywher from S300-S550 ($90-$165) dpending on how much you chose to spend on meals and hotel rooms. Higher end food and hotels, are of corse more expensive than the lesser hotels and restaurants. Don't except torn money because it most likely will not be excepted by other Peruvians. Exchanging money on the streets is not a good idea beacuse counterfeits can be a problem.