Useful information for travelers

TIME

The time in Peru takes 5 hours late with the schedule of Greenwich.

Electrical supplies

Peru operates with 220 volts. Bring your own converter and adapter if possible. Whenever we need a small flashlight, especially in the jungle.

WATER

Always take bottled water. The fruit juices are delicious, but only are safe in the hotel establishments.

WEATHER

Peru has variety of climates, from warm to cold Amazonian jungle of Lake Titicaca. There are two seasons: the dry and rainy. The best months to travel around the country are from May to September, in the dry season (especially if you are travelling by road). However, if you want to travel to the Pacific beaches, the months are January and February. The rest of months there is a thick fog (Garua) that covers the entire coastline.

In the Andes, temperatures range between 25 º C during the day and -5 th at night. In the jungle of the Mother of God but it's hot during the dry months arrive sporadically icy winds of Patagonia (friajes) falling temperatures. Travel always with clothes for the cold but will warm areas.

HEALTH

To prevent insect bites, it is necessary to use repellent lotions (although not as effective as advertised).

FOOD

The Peruvian cuisine is very diverse, especially on the coast. The soups and stews are usually very good. The sea fish and the river is in many menus, and seafood is a national pride. Do not forget to try the cebiche few days if it passes near the sea. In the jungle is not very advisable to try traditional dishes fish, unless appropriate sea. The Amazonian rivers are quite contaminated with mercury and other waste from gold mining, although the authorities do not seem to take action. However, the wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are produced are delicious, especially pineapple, papaya and mango (in season). If you visit Cusco can get to know 300 varieties of potatoes (potatoes). Maize is also varied, is sold on street posts as corn. The chicken is the national dish, chicken found everywhere in any city. Vegetarians will have no trouble finding salads, soups and even tofu dishes based. Beef lovers can try fillets flame, own curiosity of the Andes. The pizza is also common in any city, as well as hamburger.

Schedules are often: breakfast from 7 to 8:30 am. Lunch from 12:30 to 15:00 and dinner at 20:00. If you're in a tourist hotel there may be more scheduling freedom.

TIPS

It is a custom of the country expect a tip for all sorts of services, especially in restaurants. There is no need to give itself in taxis, but the price agreed upon before starting. The tour guides and their assistants tend to rely on the tip as part of their monthly salary.

EMBASSIES

Embassy of France. Calle Los Nogales 326 San Isidro, Lima.

Embassy of Italy. Av. Giuseppe Garibaldi (ex Gregorio Escobedo) 298 Jesús María Lima 11 Teléfono: (0051-1) 463-2727 Fax: (0051-1) 463-5317

German Embassy. Av. Arequipa 4210, Miraflores (Lima).

U.S. Embassy. Avenida La Encalada cdra. 17 s/n Surco, Lima 33, Peru

Embassy of Canada. Calle Libertad 130, Miraflores, Lima

Embassy of the United Kingdom. Embajada Británica Torre Parque Mar, piso 22 Av. José Larco 1301 Miraflores, Lima Perú

Getting Around

We recommend always hire taxi service insurance within airports in the counters. There are several bus companies with good quality places that offer bed and meals on board. (Cruz del Sur). To travel to the jungle it is best to travel by plane. The last 90 minutes daily flights from Lima (with a stopover in Cusco). (Always leave in the morning). The airlines that fly to Puerto Maldonado are Aerocondor and Lan Peru.

www.lan.com

www.aerocondor.com.pe

Trip to the jungles of Madre de Dios

The city of Puerto Maldonado is at the confluence of rivers Madre de Dios and Tambopata. It is the capital of Madre de Dios department, which stretches to the borders of Brazil and Bolivia. Its estimated population exceeds 50,000 people, but the level of services offered by the city is poor compared with other cities such as Cuzco, Arequipa, Iquitos and Lima. The city was founded in the nineteenth century to supply the then flourishing rubber industry. The gold continues attracting prospectors in rivers and creeks, often in violation of environmental protection laws. Oil and gas have replaced the rubber as a natural resource, even if logging continues to boom.

Tourists visiting the city just more than a step towards the numerous lodges that exist in the jungle. But his main square congregate every night to many residents and some tourists. The port captain, a huge aparcadero stores with wood, chestnuts and rice, is a unique site that all visitors crossed for boarding to other destinations in the jungle. The new tourist pier has not yet been used since its inauguration.

The river can be seen two huge pillars of cement for the construction of the bridge Billinghurts, linking both sides allowing the transoceanic a new road with the Atlanta Pacific.

Tambopata Candamo National Reserve.

It was created in 1990 under pressure from foreign conservation groups. It covers all the Tambopata River basin, highlands and subtropical forests in the lower reaches of the river, near Puerto Maldonado. It includes many lagoons and lakes that are paradise river wolves, alligators and many other animals.

The trip by the Madre de Dios ( Amaru Mayu, or "river snake" in league native) until Corto Maltes Amazonia, or at Lake Sandoval, is very beautiful. Occasionally we see alligators, turtles and white herons. The water level fluctuates almost ten metres from the rainy season to dry. With the lowest level there are deposits of volcanic rock and bathing beaches where the inhabitants of the banks. The boats typical of the jungle are pekepeke, with its engine characteristic long tail to navigate in waters with little depth.

The bird lovers found their paradise in this jungle. You see kingfishers, herons, Shanshan, hawks and countless other birds. At dawn and dusk spend buzz flocks of parrots and parakeets.

Unfortunately, this jungle is so threatened as a whole ecosystem of the Amazon basin because of the oilfields and mining, so do not miss the opportunity to visit as soon as possible.

CORTO MALTES AMAZONIA

The lodge offers all services needed for their stay. It has two bungalows fitted with kingsize bed bungalows and twenty-four doubles or triples. Each bungalow has a terrace with hammocks can be seen from where the landscape of the jungle and Madre de Dios River. Private bathroom with hot water 24 hours. Windows with mosquito nets to prevent unwanted visits from insects and are spaced to provide sufficient privacy to guests at his residence.

The kitchen of the lodge offers continental breakfast, lunch and international dishes within their planned programme. You can ask for coffee or tea without charge. It has a bar where you can enjoy exotic cocktails and other beverages, (count separately).

To keep a souvenir for their relatives and friends within the Lodge Corto Maltes Amazonia will find a wonderful boutique with crafts typical of the jungle and Ande: clothes, postcards, cerbatanas, native bows, embroidery Shipibo and other souvenirs that will delight the fans of purchases, besides collaborating with producers who provide local natives.