Overland Peru Travel
Currency to display:
Contents
At the border
Correct as of: 23 September 2010
Required Paperwork
- Passport of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Drivers license of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Original vehicle registration (original and 1 copy).
Process at border
- The owner of the vehicle gains entry at immigration (migración), by getting a tourist card, getting it stamped by the police and finally a stamp in their Passport.
- The owner must show the new passport stamp, drivers license and the original vehicle registration to customs (aduana).
- The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.
Cost of entry
Free.
Permitted length of stay
90 days.
Extension of stay
Unknown.
Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
(unknown)
Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.
Exiting with a vehicle
- The registered owner must get the Police at the border to stamp their tourist card, clearing them to leave Peru.
- The registered owner can then be stamped out of Peru at immigration.
- The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs.
Overland Essentials
Vehicle Insurance
Insurance requirements
Insurance is mandatory in Peru, however it's difficult to purchase because the vehicle will not be in the Peruvian computer system. Many people simply show the police SOAT insurance (Seguro Obligatorio Automóviles Transito) from another country (i.e. Ecuador or Colombia)
Cost of insurance
Unknown.
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase insurance
Unknown.
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
Driving license
Technically an International Driving Permit is required.
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.
Driving side of road
Right.
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.
Mandatory items in vehicle
None.
Roads
General Road quality
Roads in Peru vary greatly. Major highways are often paved and very good quality. Lesser roads are gravel and vary from good to horrendous. If you choose a back-road through the mountains, be prepared for extremely narrow, windy, bumpy, dusty gravel tracks.
Road signs
Road signs do exist, but are far from common. Most towns have at least one sign stating the name of the town and distances to the next towns. Road hazards are often un-signed.
Toll roads
Tolls are very infrequent on some highways, and sometimes only for Northbound traffic. When they are uncounted, expect to pay something like USD $2 for at least 100km.
Bribery
Police bribery is common in Peru. The Police will try many different tactics to get money from you, including your lack of insurance (they know it's near impossible to buy).
See the bribery tips page for advice.
Checkpoints
Police checkpoints are very common in Bolivia, where the Police are trying to stop the spread of stolen vehicles. Where a barrier blocks the road you will be asked to go inside and present your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border. They may also ask if you have the Mandatory items with you. It is extremely common to encounter bribery at these checkpoints. They will ask for money in a variety of ways, usually in a friendly, non-threatening way. See the bribery tips page for advice.
Traveling with pets
Unknown.
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gasoline / Petrol / Diesel
Last updated: October 2010
Price
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular (84) | S/.3.80 PEN per Gallon (US) |
| Super (90) | S/.4.50 PEN per Gallon (US) |
| Premium (95) (rare) | ?? |
| Ultra (97) (rare) | ?? |
| Normal Diesel | S/.4.50 PEN per Gallon (US) |
| Diesel (low sulfur) | ?? |
Gasoline Availability / Frequency
Purchasing gas in Peru is not commonly a problem.
Typically gas stations are not more than 200 - 300km apart.
Gasoline Quality
Gasoline purchaed from name-brand outlets (ie. PetroPeru, Repsol) is regarded as better quality than a "no name" mechanic (grifo).
External information about gasoline
(unknown)
Link to external websites with price & quality information, if available.
Safety / Security Considerations
Driving at night
Driving at night is generally not recommended, though might be OK on the larger highways.
- Poor road quality means potholes and obstacles are common.
- Dangerous driving such as tailgating, overtaking around blind corners and excessive speeding are very, very common.
- There can be many objects on and around the road that are nearly impossible to see at night, such as livestock, people, slow moving carts, cars with no lights, etc.
Vehicle parking
Parking vehicles on the street in smaller towns during the day is typically OK. Find a secure parking lot in big cities and at night.
Special driving considerations
Drivers in Peru are particularly crazy, which leads to some very dangerous driving conditions. There have been many horrific accidents in recent years (some involving Overlanders) due to large trucks and busses taking hairpin corners in the wrong lane. Sound your horn loudly when approaching any sharp corners on mountainous roads.
Don't be afraid to give a couple of short taps on your horn in heavy traffic, it's not impolite, and lets other drivers know where you are.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Peru - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping
Camping is not common or popular with local Peruvians, though many hostels in touristy areas have camping to cater for backpackers.
Prices for camping at hostels fluctuates with the tourist seasons - check a backpacker guide book.
There are many excellent sites for roadside camping around the Cordillera Blanca in central Peru.
Camping guide books
No specific book exists, though the usual backpacker guide books mention when a hostel or park has camping facilities.
Drinking water
Tap water in Peru is not safe to drink. Every corner store sells 1 and 2 liter bottles, and 20 liter bottles can be bought at most large grocery stores.
Paper maps
Maps of Peru are difficult to find, and road conditions change daily. Purchase maps before arriving in Bolivia.
GPS
- Perut (Peru Routeable): A community map project like OSM with excellent coverage for Garmin[1]
- Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.[2]
- Garmin: No map of Peru.[3]
- TomTom: No map of Peru. [4]
Directions and GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc.
- Camping Sites: Peru - Detailed list of campsites and propane filling with description, directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
- Campsite Listing - South America | PanAm Notes - List of campsites, with directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
- Andes Expedition camping Locations - List of campsites, with basic directions and GPS co-ordinates. Mostly free sites.
- Camping Log 2: South America - List of campsites, shopping, fuel, propane and border crossings with excellent descriptions and GPS co-ordinates.
- Hackney Travel SA Waypoints - Raw GPS data (in gdb or gpx format) for waypoints (including campsites, fuel, repairs, propane and more)
- The Silk Road Motocaravan Network - Raw GPS data for waypoints (camping, gas, propane, points of interest and more)
Overland Travel Interest
Special Overland interests
- Matchu Pitchu - It's not possible to drive all the way to Matchu Pitchu, but you can get pretty close and save yourself a lot of money by not catching the train.
Guide Books
Vehicle Maintenance
List Garages &/or dealerships for major vehicle manufacturers (including motorbikes).
Trusted mechanics can also be listed here.
Buying and selling vehicles
Buying a vehicle as a foreigner
A foreigner can buy a Bolivian vehicle. If you plan on leaving Bolivia with the vehicle, make certain all the papers, including any insurance are in your name. This process is often so difficult most Bolivians simply leave the name of the previous owner on the paperwork - you will not be allowed leave the country without changing the ownership papers to your name.
Selling a foreign-plated vehicle
Unknown.
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'
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