Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BOAT
» There are no passenger services along the Peruvian coast.
» In the Andean highlands, there are boat services on Lake Titicaca. Small, motorized ves-
sels take passengers from the port in Puno to the islands on the lake (
Click here
)
.
» In Peru's Amazon Basin, boat travel is the principal way of getting around. Larger ves-
sels ply the bigger rivers, while dugout canoes powered by outboard engines - known as
peki-pekis
- act as water taxis on small waterways.
BUS
» Buses are the most common form of transportation around Peru. Fares are cheap and
services are frequent, but buses are of varying quality. There are scores of companies; no
single company covers the entire country.
» The bigger companies often have luxury buses (called Imperial, Royal, Business, Exec-
utive or something similar), for which there is an extra charge. These come with express
service, toilets, snacks, videos and climate control. Some offer
bus-camas
(bus beds), in
which seats recline halfway or almost fully.
»
Económico
buses are cheaper and might lack heating, ventilation or bathrooms. These
often make frequent stops.
» For popular destinations, reserve well in advance.
» For short trips, just go to the terminal and buy a ticket for the next bus out.
» Buses can be significantly delayed during the rainy season, from January through April,
because of landslides and other conditions.
» For a rundown of recommended companies with offices in Lima, see
Click here
.
LUGGAGE
» In bus and train terminals, be sure to watch your luggage carefully. Some terminals have
left-luggage facilities. If you use this service, don't leave any valuables in your bag.
» Never leave hand luggage with important valuables (such as passports and money) in
the overhead racks of a bus since theft is common.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
It's a long ride from Lima to most destinations, so it's best to fly to most cities around the
country and then rent a car from there. But given all the headaches and potential hazards
