Peru Health and Safety

Everyday dangers are often over-estimated in Peru, but street crime is common. Don't display your wallet or passport in public; a small wad of bills in your front pocket is a safe way to carry money. Thieves often work in pairs or groups - while your attention is being distracted by one, another is robbing you. Crowded places are usually the haunts of pickpockets - don't place bags on the ground unattended and be cautious on overnight buses. Razor-blade artists may also slit open your luggage when you're not looking. In hotels, lock up your valuables or use safety deposit services. Always walk purposefully, even if you're lost. If you have travel insurance, you will need a police report of the theft to make a claim. Robberies have also occurred on hiking trails near places such as Huaraz and in the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash. Military checkpoints can appear anywhere, but road blockades by terrorist groups occur only in certain remote areas.

Travelers should avoid the upper Río Huallaga valley between Tingo María and Juanjui, and the Río Apurímac valley near Ayacucho, where most of Peru's illegal drug-growing takes place. Exercise caution near the Colombian border, where incursions by armed guerrillas and kidnappings have occurred. Recently, there has also been a rise in 'express' kidnappings - armed attackers force victims to withdraw cash using their ATM cards.

The military and police (and sometimes tourist police) have a reputation for being corrupt. Most police officers are courteous to tourists.

Other hazards include earthquakes, avalanches and landmines. Unexploded ordinance (UXO) in the mountainous Cordillera del Condor region on Peru's northeastern border with Ecuador has not been completely cleaned up. Use official border crossings, and don't stray from the beaten path in this region.