Peru

Tourist attractions 

The Route 5 circuit starts in Chachabamba by Km 104 of Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu railway.

Along the route, visitors can find the Chachabamba archaeological site, the Sacred Trail, the Wiñayawayna and Intipunku pre-Hispanic monuments, and the Historic Sanctuary and Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu. 

*It must be noted that the whole tour consists of a 4-6-hour hike.

POPULATION

According to an estimate by the National Institute for Statistics and Information (INEI), on 30 June 2015, Peru had a total population of 31,151, 643.

As a result of centuries of migration, Peru has a very ethnically diverse population. This diversity is especially evident in its capital. This makes it a very attractive location for casting actors of all different races for scripts that reflect our country’s cosmopolitan and universal makeup.

CURRENCY

Peru’s official currency is the Sol (S). The exchange rate is favorable for the main foreign currencies: the dollar at 3.27 sols and the Euro at 3.85 sols (May 2018).

LANGUAGE

According to article 48 of the Peruvian Constitution, “Spanish is the official language and, in the areas where they prevail, so too are Quechua, Aymara and other indigenous languages”. In July 2015, the government made 24 native languages official including: Harakbut, Ese ejja, Yine, Kakataibo and Matsigenka.

CLIMATE

Peru has one of the most diverse climates in the world. A look at the main types, according to altitude, temperature and ecological area, allows us to appreciate the wide range of options for filming.

• Semitropical. This covers coastal regions in the north of Peru, such as Tumbes and Piura. The average temperature is 24°C.

• Subtropical. This covers the coastal regions from Lambayeque to Tacna. The average temperature is 18°C.

• Temperate semi-humid. This covers the ecological areas of Yunga and Quechua, at an altitude of between 1,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level. The average temperate is over 20°C.

• Subarctic. This covers the ecological areas of Quechua and Suni, over 3,000 meters above sea level and below 4,000. The average temperature is 12°C.

• Tundra. Typical climate in the cities located 4,000 to 5,000 meters above sea level, corresponding to the ecological areas of Suni and Puna. Their average temperature is 6°C.

• Snowy climate. These are the highest areas in the country at over 5,000 metres above sea level and with an average temperature below zero. This zone covers high mountainous and mostly uninhabited areas, such as the Cordillera Blanca (White Mountain Range).

• Humid tropical. Zones located in the region known as the Selva Baja (lowland rainforest) with an average temperature of over 25°C.

• Very humid subtropical or very humid semi-warm. Selva Alta (Highland rainforest) zones (also known as Mountain or forest brow) with average temperatures below 22°C. These include areas of heavy rainfall (over 5,000 mm on average).

Basic services and telecommunication

• Electricity. Peru has seen one of the greatest increases in electricity coverage in Latin America over the last few decades.
  In Peru home appliances operate at 220 volts and 60 Hertz (cycles per second).

• Water. According to the FAO, Peru ranks eighth in the world for fresh water reserves.
  93% of urban areas have access to drinking water but this is lower in other zones, especially poor rural areas (Source: The National Supervisory Body for Water and Sanitation (Sunass). 86.3% of the population has access to drinking water.

• Telecommunications. Peru has an extensive landline, satellite and mobile telephone network covering both urban and rural areas. Only in some inaccessible areas of the country is phone access limited.
  Mobile phone connection can easily be obtained in two ways: through annual contracts; or pay-as-you-go with payments determined by the user.
  Two bandwidths are used: 850 MHz and 1900 MHz in GSM.
  Internet can be accessed in hotels, cafes, and other establishments and in internet cafes: Peru has one of the highest numbers of such business in the region

More than 715,000 readers from around the world submitted their votes at the Reader's Choice Awards.

According to voting results, half of the best hotels in South America are located in Peru.

The Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) reported that our hotels, resorts and trains led the voting lists for the Reader's Choice Awards, from the international travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler. These promising results reaffirm our country as a high-class destination for travelers. Likewise, it is important to highlight that Peru is in the top 20 in the Best Countries category, obtaining the 14th position, close to emblematic destinations such as Japan, Portugal, Sri Lanka and Italy, who lead the list.

Year after year, readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine send their votes, sharing their experiences in the best cities, islands, hotels, resorts, spas, cruise ships, trains and airports in the world, and those preferences are chosen as the best of the Reader's Choice Awards.

Regarding Peru, we count on first-class services and products that, now more than ever, are on the minds of avid travelers. Indeed, the magazine specifies the importance of this 33rd edition of the awards, because, while the global situation stops the majority from traveling, the desire to revisit legendary destinations and live once-in-a-lifetime experiences is still alive.

Hotels, resorts and trains

If we talk about the best resorts in South America, those located in Peru are in the following ranking: 

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas - Top 15 Resorts in South America: Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 (CHOICE AWARDS 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023), 

Inkaterra hacienda Urubamba, Valle Sagrado (4), Explora Valle Sagrado, Valle Sagrado (11), Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado (15) and Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa (25).

Likewise, if the best hotels in South America are taken into account, the list of Peruvian representatives is led by 

Miraflores Park Belmond Hotel (READERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel (2), Inkaterra La Casona Cusco (READERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023), Titilaka, Puno (6), Country Club Lima Hotel, Lima (CHOICE AWARDS 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) and Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness, Cusco (9).

Added to the above are Hotel B, Lima (11), Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco (READERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023),

JW Marriott El Convento, Cusco (14), Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Cusco (17) and Belmond Hotel Monasterio, Cusco (READERS' CHOICE AWARDS 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023).

Finally, in the Best Trains category, the Belmond Andean Explorer (3), Inca Rail (6) and Belmond Hiram Bingham (10) stand out.