Is Peru Safe to Travel to?
While I never encountered any major problems in Peru, like anywhere in South America you need to exercise more caution following the region’s turbulent history, which has largely dissipated and hasn’t affected major tourist areas for over a decade. However, it is good to be aware of petty crimes and scams that can still occur and to keep up to date with any Peru travel alerts from your home country.
Safety Tips for Peru and Scams to Avoid
‘Express Kidnappings’ – This is where travellers are taken to an ATM and forced to withdraw money, normally as much as they can get and effectively you are held against your will until you can extract the money. This is said to be a common occurrence, particularly at Lima airport.
Muggings – This form of petty crime in Peru usually occurs in more dark and isolated areas, and there have been some cases at major monuments such as at Sacsayhuaman in Cusco, the hilltop monument in Arequipa at sunrise and sunset when the crowds disperse. I also never walked alone in Lima at night, even in Miraflores away from the busy areas like Parque Kennedy.
Something-On-Your-Shoe Distraction – There have been a few stories of someone spilling something on your shoe or dropping money in front of you where you feel inclined to help and pick it up. Distraction is the greatest tool for those wanting to commit petty crime. Don’t fall for it.
Short-changing – I encountered this on many occasions in both shops and in hostels. Always, always check your change. I’ve had everything from being given four 10 cent coins when my change should have been four Sole coins to a hostel receptionist giving me change in coins and conveniently leaving out the 10 Soles note that should have come with it. Refuse to leave until you get your right change. I never gave in.
Always carry a photocopy of your passport and not the real thing! I used a Pacsafe Portable Safe the entire time I was in Peru and locked it to the bathroom sink pipes and/or furniture attached to the wall. I also had photocopies of my travel insurance, vaccinations and relevant trip documents.
Only carry enough cash that you need for the day. I also only took my credit or debit cards with me when I knew I had to withdraw cash. I didn’t carry them around with me daily and kept them stored away with my passport in the safe mentioned above.
Keep your bag with you and in sight at all times. I always had my daypack/handbag slung over my shoulder or on my lap, especially in crowded places.
Avoid travel at night in Peru. Travelling by night is still not considered the best option, as armed holdups on buses and other transport routes still occur, more so in the far northern reaches of the country and on the Peru-Bolivia border at Lake Titicaca. I only travelled overnight on the Peru Hop tourist bus.
Be aware of what border crossings are accessible or not. For example, a lot of official websites mention that the border to Colombia is best avoided due to narcotics (drug) trafficking.
Don’t withdraw money from ATMs at night and don’t withdraw money from an ATM in an unpopulated or dodgy feeling area. Withdraw enough money from an ATM in the centre of major cities so that you have enough with you to last through less busy and remote areas.
Don’t flash your valuables. This might sound obvious, but the number of travellers I saw with a camera hanging off their neck or dripping in expensive jewellery and clothing was abundant. Don’t make yourself an obvious target when you already look ‘gringo’ enough. And especially hide your stuff in less affluent and less touristic areas.
Use Uber, especially at night. As a solo female traveller in Peru, there were times I met friends in town for drinks but didn’t want to walk back through quiet, narrow streets at night, especially in Cusco. Uber was a great choice and I never had any issues. My Peruvian friends always recommended it.
Hold onto your bag when riding local buses and don’t put it in the overhead compartment. There are countless stories of theft on buses as well as a classic tale of someone telling you that you absolutely have to move seats when you don’t (this is a strategic move in order to be able to rob you more easily).
Travel in Peru and the capital. Is Lima Safe?
The smaller cities in Peru, as in South America generally are no more of a major threat than other large cities in the world, however, the Capitals have a lot of major no-go areas. Therefore in Lima, you absolutely need to know where you can and can’t go and what areas are absolutely and completely off-limits.
It’s wise to do some digging on Lima before you arrive. A handful of neighbourhoods in Lima, in particular, should be avoided like the Callao district next to the airport and Rimac just across the bridge from Downtown Lima and the Presidential Palace.
Miraflores is the touristic neighbourhood and where you should stay in Lima. It is the more affluent one where locals can afford security guards at both their homes and to sit guard outside of their business premised all night. Miraflores is therefore fine to roam by day, although I would still exercise caution at night when the residential streets are quiet and there is not a security guard on every corner like those roaming at Parque Kennedy. Barranco, the more artsy and bohemian neighbourhood south of Miraflores is also a good choice to either visit or stay when in Lima.
When a new district turns into another, it is not marked and it is easy for your curiosity to get the better of you. A friend and I accidentally wandered into the neighbourhood of Rimac during our day exploring Lima Downtown. If it wasn’t for a local woman on a balcony furiously waving for us to get the hell out, who knows what might have happened. A Peruvian friend later told me we would have 100% been robbed if we were just one more block east.
Semi-dodgy neighbourhoods back onto the ‘good’ ones like Miraflores and the city then spreads to include some very dangerous places. For example, next to the Mercado on the fringes of Miraflores is the neighbourhood of Surquillo. Wander too far in and you may just stand out too much. One traveller’s curiosity saw him robbed and beaten, as was his wife who was wearing a camera around her neck. Lima is not the place to show your riches. You can feel the atmosphere drop to another level. Don’t take the risk if you haven’t done your research.
On the other hand, Lima is developing and social enterprise schemes and local tours are booming, helping the areas to regenerate and educating visitors about Peruvian politics, society, culture and what is happening today. I visited an art project in Callao and the San Juan favela/barrio in the east, guided by locals and with genuine insight into how things work and the changes taking places that could really turn things around for those less prosperous here.
Lima is so complex and it is all too easy to dismiss by spending two days in Miraflores before leaving altogether.