Peru
Perú
Lima is the gateway, but Cusco is the launching point for Machu Picchu. Cabify and Uber both work; inDrive is a third option.
🚖Rideshare & Taxi
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Strong in Spain and Latin America. Often more reliable in mid-size cities.
Reliable in Lima.
The most widely available rideshare service globally. Works in 70+ countries.
Wide coverage in Lima and Cusco.
Driver-negotiated rideshare popular in Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan.
Price-negotiable rides, widely used across Peru as a cheaper alternative.
🗺️Navigation & Maps
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Works almost everywhere except mainland China. Offline maps are critical when roaming.
Solid.
📱Messaging
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The dominant messenger in Europe, Latin America, India, Middle East, Africa.
Universal — tour guides, drivers, hotels.
🍱Food Delivery
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Latin America super-app: food, groceries, pharmacy, cash withdrawal.
One of the two main food delivery apps in Lima, alongside PedidosYa.
Latin America's home-grown delivery app — the most used in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and several Central American and Caribbean countries.
Neck and neck with Rappi for food delivery in Lima.
✈️Travel Planning
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Activities, attractions, and SIM cards across Asia. Better than GetYourGuide in Asia.
Useful for Machu Picchu and Inca Trail bookings.
Is Peru one stop of several?
Add your other destinations and get one combined app list, with the adapters and currencies for the whole trip.
The practical basics
Power & plugs
- Plug type
- A / B / C
- Voltage
- 220V
- Frequency
- 60Hz
- Type A: Two flat parallel pins. Common in North America, Japan, parts of Central America and Asia.
- Type B: Two flat pins + grounding pin. Standard in North America for grounded appliances.
- Type C: Two round pins. Used across most of Europe, South America, parts of Asia and Africa.
Mixed — most outlets accept multiple types.
Tipping
Tipping is appreciated but modest in Peru; 10% at restaurants is generous if service isn't already included. Round up for taxis (which are unmetered and negotiated) and tip guides and hotel staff a few soles.
CurrencyPEN
Spanish you'll actually use
Etiquette and scams to know
✓ Do
- Greet with a handshake or, among acquaintances, a single cheek kiss for women.
- Use a friendly 'buenos días/tardes' before launching into questions or requests.
- Dress respectfully and modestly when visiting churches, villages, and rural Andean communities.
- Ask permission before photographing people, especially Indigenous people in traditional dress, and expect to tip.
- Be patient and avoid public confrontation; politeness and indirectness are valued over bluntness.
- Respect coca leaves and Andean traditions like offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth).
✕Don't
- Don't drink tap water; stick to bottled or purified water.
- Don't disrespect Inca and Andean heritage sites by climbing on ruins or removing stones or artifacts.
- Don't flash expensive phones, jewelry, or cameras in crowded or poorer areas.
- Don't assume all Peruvians speak only Spanish; Quechua and Aymara are widely spoken in the highlands.
⚠️ Common scams to know
- Unofficial taxis at the airport or hailed on the street; use authorized stands or apps and agree the fare beforehand.
- Rigged ATMs, card skimming, and 'broken' machines; use ATMs inside banks and shield your PIN.
- Distraction theft where someone spills something on you or creates a commotion while an accomplice grabs your bag.
- Counterfeit banknotes given as change; check soles bills for watermarks and reject torn notes.
This page was last reviewed in September 2026. Apps launch, rebrand and pull out of countries all the time, so confirm anything your trip depends on. Spotted something out of date? Tell us — here's how we check.