Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
stopped soon after by plainclothes police officers and accused of talking to a drug dealer.
Should you be stopped by a plainclothes officer, don't hand over any documents or
money. Never get into a vehicle with someone claiming to be a police officer, but insist on
going to a bona fide police station on foot. Peru has draconian penalties for possessing
even a small amount of drugs; minimum sentences are several years in jail.
If you are imprisoned for any reason, make sure that someone else knows about it as
soon as possible. Extended pre-trial detainments are not uncommon. Peruvians bring food
and clothing to family members who are in prison, where conditions are extremely harsh.
If you think that you were ripped off by a hotel or tour operator, register your complaint
with the
National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intel-
lectual Property
(Indecopi; 01-224-7800;
www.indecopi.gob.pe
,
in Spanish)
in Lima.
Maps
The best road map of Peru is the 1:2,000,000
Mapa Vial
published by Lima 2000 and
available in better bookstores. The 1:1,500,000
Peru South and Lima
country map, pub-
lished by International Travel Maps, covers the country in good detail south of a line
drawn east to west through Tingo María, and has a good street map of Lima, San Isidro,
Miraflores and Barranco on the reverse side.
For topographical maps, go to the
Instituto Geográfico Nacional
(IGN;
01-475-3030, ext 119;
www.ign.gob.pe
;
Aramburu 1190-98, Surquillo, Lima;
8am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat)
, with reference maps and others for sale. In January, the
IGN closes early, so call ahead. High-scale topographic maps for trekking are available,
though sheets of border areas might be hard to get. Geological and demographic maps and
CD-ROMs are also sold.
Topographic, city and road maps are also at the South American Explorers' clubhouses
in Lima (see the boxed text,
Click here
)
and Cuzco (
Click here
)
.
Up-to-date topo maps are often available from outdoor outfitters in major trekking cen-
ters such as Cuzco, Huaraz and Arequipa. If you are bringing along a GPS unit, ensure
that your power source adheres to Peru's 220V, 60Hz AC standard and always carry a
compass.
