COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Restrictions to Peru

Updated 29 June, 2022

This is our interpretation of the travel restrictions to Peru as of the above date. Please note that things can change at any moment. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always check the official announcements issued by the Peruvian government, or check your government or your embassy’s official recommendations about travel to Peru.

 

Latest Updates on COVID-19 Travel Restrictions to Peru

Is it safe to travel to Peru right now? Peru was granted status as a “safe destination” by the World Travel & Tourism Council in late 2020. Peru received the virtual seal of Safe Travels, indicating that it fulfills the international hygiene and biosecurity standards to deal with COVID-19.

Peru Flight Restrictions

• Incoming international flights are permitted, except for flights from South Africa (until at least Apr 30th). Non-resident passengers travelling from or who have passed through South Africa may not enter Peru.
  • Peruvians and foreign residents arriving from South Africa, or who have transited these countries, must show proof of vaccination AND provide a negative molecular test with the results provided no more than 48h prior to departure.
  • The National Health Authority may perform PCR tests on passengers arriving from countries where there is community transmission of variants of concern. They may further implement other sanitary measures in the case of positive results.
• No other restrictions on inbound international flights.
• It is required to wear two masks on every flight (into and within the country) and in the airport. Face shields are no longer required.
• It is also required to maintain a minimum distance of 1m inside the airport.
• Note that land borders are still closed. Peruvians and foreign residents are allowed to enter Peru by land-based points of entry.

Entry Requirements for Peru

(in force until as of 1 April, 2022)

All Travellers

• A completed declaration of health (filled in online), available at the link.
• There is also now an optional Immigration App which you can download to speed up the entry process into Peru

Vaccinated Travellers

• All incoming passengers 18 years or older must show valid proof of vaccination (3 doses).
• Youth 12-17 years or older must show valid proof of having received 2 doses of vaccine.

Unvaccinated Travellers

• A negative COVID-19 PCR test for every unvaccinated or not-fully-vaccinated traveller over the age of 12. This is a nasal swab test.
  • The official test results must be stamped with the date and time.
  • Results must be received no more than 48h prior to the departure of your flight to Peru.

NOTE:

• The official Peruvian decree states that it is the time of the results that matter (which can take 24-48h to receive upon taking the test). However, some airlines have been interpreting the rules differently. It is advised that you consult your airline in advance about the timing of the PCR test.
• For Peru, the test results must be 48h prior to your departure from your country of origin. They will check the time at Immigration.
• For your return travel, check the requirements of your home country. For some, the test may need to be taken within 24-72h of your arrival to your home country.

Special Cases

• Children under 12 must be only be asymptomatic in order to enter Peru. They do not need to show proof of vaccination nor a negative PCR test.
• If you have already had and recovered from COVID-19, you need to present a letter from your physician indicating that you have recovered from an infection within the last 3 months, have been released from self-isolation and cleared for travel.
• If your flight is delayed, meaning that your COVID-19 test has officially “expired,” you will still be allowed to enter the country, provided that the delay is not more than 24h. They will compare your original boarding passes with the actual flight times at Immigration.

Quarantine Regulations

There are currently no quarantine requirements for incoming travellers.

On entering Peru, health authorities at Customs & Immigration will take your temperature. If you show any symptoms, you will be further evaluated by a health professional. If deemed necessary, you may be transferred to a health facility for treatment or to a location to complete a period of isolation.

Health & Safety Restrictions Throughout Peru

Country-Wide Restrictions

• Social distancing (1.5m), masks, regular hand-washing and use of hand sanitizer are MANDATORY everywhere throughout the country, including outside, except in a couple of districts.
• The use of double masks (surgical mask with a cloth mask overtop) OR a single KN95 mask is required to circulate on public roads and in enclosed spaces. This includes malls, grocery stores, banks, etc. The use of double masks and a face shield is recommended.
• It is MANDATORY for anyone resident in Peru over the age of 18 to show proof of vaccination to enter into any enclosed public space. Details below about what is meant by “proof of vaccination”.

Domestic Travel

New restrictions have been announced for people travelling domestically, either on interprovincial public transit (trains, buses) or domestic flights.

• All passengers 12 and over travelling domestically must present EITHER proof of vaccination (2 doses) OR a negative molecular test (such as PCR), with a result date no more than 48h prior to the time of departure.
• Peruvian resident passengers 18 and over (who are able to receive the vaccine) must have had 3 doses of vaccine to be considered “fully vaccinated”.
• Masks are required during the course of travel.

Vaccinations

• More than 88% of Peru’s population have received at least one dose of vaccine to-date, of which nearly 83% has received the complete vaccine protocol (two or three doses), according to the latest data released on June 25th. (See Our World in Data for up-to-date vaccination stats).
• People of all age groups are now eligible to receive vaccines, and to receive their booster shot if their second dose was received at least 5 months ago. Soon, a 4th dose will be made available for everyone 40 and over.
• Vaccines being administered include Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm.
• Everyone over the age of 18 who is resident in Peru must show proof of vaccination in order to enter most public enclosed spaces, including banks, malls and grocery stores. For the full list of spaces where proof of vaccination is required to enter, see this great summary in English of the new rules (scroll about half way down for the list).
• A person is considered “fully vaccinated” if they have two doses of vaccine EXCEPT for Peruvians and Peruvian residents. Every eligible Peruvian resident who is 18 years of age or over must have proof of three doses of vaccine in order to enter any public, enclosed space.
• Negative tests or proof of recovery from COVID-19 are NOT being accepted as a substitute for vaccination for entry into public, enclosed spaces.

Tourist Attractions: What’s Open and What’s Not

Peru opened up many tourist attractions, including most archaeological sites and Machu Picchu, in November 2020. Capacity limits are still in place in most places but they regularly increase these limits.

• Permits for the 4-day Inca Trail in 2022 opened for sale on October 11^th and permits for most Machu Picchu circuits have been open since late 2020.
• Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail are both currently being sold at full capacity but the Ministry of Culture may choose to limit capacity at any time.
• Inca Trail permits that include entry to Machu Picchu are currently being made to follow Circuit 3 inside the Inca Citadel, rather than the more complete Circuit 2. In order to tour the complete site along Circuit 2, Inca Trail hikers are being made to purchase an additional Machu Picchu entry.
• The Circuit 3 + Machu Picchu Mountain ticket has recently been reopened.
• The Inka Bridge, Inti Punku and the Templo de la Luna at Machu Picchu remain closed.
• Some access points to Rainbow Mountain are currently closed due to a community dispute. Alternative access points may be accessible but not guaranteed. Alternative attractions like Palccoyo are currently accessible.
• The Huanipaca detour from the Choquequirao ruins is currently closed due to rockslides following the 2022 rainy season which have rendered the trail impassable. The standard 4-day Choquequirao circuit is still open.

We can’t guarantee that every site or touristic activity will be open when you wish to visit, or that the experience will be the same as pre-pandemic travel.

Strikes & Unrest

• In early January, 2021, some local people were protesting the cost of Peru Rail to travel to Machupicchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), which temporarily blocked train service to Machu Picchu. That situation was resolved, though the dispute about train prices for locals continues and there may continue to be occasional service disruptions.
• There are ongoing agrarian disputes in some regions of Peru, causing short-term disruptions to ground transportation between provinces.
• Similarly, there have been disputes with mining companies in certain areas causing short-term disruptions to ground transportation and road blockages between some parts of Cusco and Puerto Maldonado.
• Peru held a presidential election in June, 2021, the results of which were hotly contested, it being nearly a 50/50 tie between both candidates. There has been no major unrest since then but there have been occasional protests against the government, especially due to rising prices.
• Starting in April 2022, there have been strong protests, mostly in Lima, against rising prices and general displeasure with the government.
• There have also been occasional, scheduled, short-lived transportation strikes. Efforts have been made by local governments to make sure that these strikes do not affect tourist routes.

Things to Keep in Mind When Planning Future Travel

• Anything could change at any time. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that the pandemic is unpredictable and the situation can change from one day to the next.
• As an example, Arequipa was placed on a 15-day lockdown on June 24^th, 2021 due to the detection of the Delta variant there. All ground and air travel to/from the area was suspended during this period.
• We don’t know what any country will decide to do as the pandemic evolves, but we suspect that travel will be more complicated and more limited for some time. This might include needing to obtain another negative PCR test and/or quarantine for a period of time when you return home.
• We have no indication of what the Peruvian government would do if/when there is a new surge of infections in the country, or in other countries. Last time, the government took swift action and locked down the country with very little notice. There is a risk that they might do that again, if they feel it is necessary.
• Although vaccinations are underway throughout the world, it could take until as late as 2024 to distribute the vaccine to everyone on the planet.
• Apus Peru has implemented a number of safety protocols for travel during the pandemic. See our page on travel confidence for more details.

What We Recommend Before You Book Any Travel

1. Check ALL relevant change & cancellation policies

Apus Peru has implemented flexible booking & cancellation policies, for your peace of mind:

• Apus Peru is offering free date changes through 2022, meaning that you can reschedule your booked travel for any other date in 2021 or 2022 up to three times, free of charge.
• You also don’t have to pick your final travel date until as late as 30 days prior to that departure, giving you the flexibility to monitor the situation and see what will be best for you. (This does not include Inca Trail treks which are subject to permit availability.)
• If you need to cancel and don’t want to rebook, we will refund 50% of your deposit.
• For more details, see our Booking Conditions page.

We are not responsible for the change and cancellation policies of OTHER agents, such as airlines, hotels, etc. Make sure you check these thoroughly before committing to any travel dates.

2. Get travel insurance

Look for the most comprehensive policy you can that will cover you in the event of last-minute changes or cancellation, medical emergencies or evacuation. We provide all the details you need to know about purchasing travel insurance for your trip to Peru.

3. The later you plan your travel the less likely it is to get cancelled

Our policies are designed to let you make changes with ease and reduce travel-related stress, but if you need more certainty to feel comfortable or are not able to easily change your plans once they are set, then we recommend waiting until later in the year.

 

Stay Up to Date on the Latest Travel Restrictions to Peru

We will keep our clients up to date on all pandemic-related travel restrictions to Peru and other relevant news as it affects their travel.

If you haven’t already done so, we recommend you sign up to our mailing list to make sure you always receive the latest information. You can also contact us any time at [email protected].

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