Peru
Travel Destination – Peru
Peru’s landscapes range from the snow-capped Andes and sacred Inca sites to the dense Amazon rainforest. Cities like Cusco and Lima, along with vibrant local markets, offer rich cultural immersion. Planning ahead, including altitude preparation, travel health precautions, and guided trekking, ensures a safe and seamless journey through this diverse country.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Peru, scheduling a visit with a travel doctor is an important step in preparing for a safe and healthy trip. A doctor can create a tailored health plan for your itinerary, whether you’re touring Lima, trekking to Machu Picchu, or spending time in high-altitude Andean regions. They will review your vaccination history, recommend any travel vaccines for Peru, and provide prescriptions for required medications. Ideally, book your appointment six to eight weeks before travelling, but even last-minute travel health consultations can offer accelerated vaccination schedules and essential advice to keep you safe in Peru.
Insect avoidance
In Peru, mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Malaria, and Zika are present in many rainforest and lowland regions. Effective prevention begins with avoiding insect bites: select accommodations with screened windows or air-conditioning, or sleep under a permethrin-treated net where these are not available. Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants outdoors, and apply repellent with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Using permethrin-treated clothing and reducing stagnant water near your accommodation also helps control mosquito breeding.
Food and water hygiene
Peru’s world-famous cuisine, from ceviche to highland soups, is best enjoyed when mindful of food and water safety. Always wash your hands or use hand sanitiser before eating to prevent infections like gastroenteritis. Choose freshly cooked, piping-hot meals and avoid raw or reheated dishes unless you are confident in their preparation. Street food is safer when made to order and select fruits and vegetables you can peel, like bananas and mangos. Drink only filtered, boiled, or bottled water, and avoid untreated tap water and ice from unknown sources.
Rabies prevention
Australia may be free of rabies, but Peru still has the virus in dogs, bats, and other mammals. Staying away from animals is the most important protective measure, particularly in rural regions and the Amazon basin. A travel doctor can advise whether pre-travel rabies vaccination is recommended for your itinerary, especially if medical facilities may be hard to reach. Should you be bitten or scratched in Peru, obtain medical care urgently. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is nearly always fatal, so early treatment is essential.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Peru?
Yellow Fever
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Yellow Fever is a virus carried by mosquitoes, causing fever, muscle pain and headaches. Severe cases of Yellow Fever can have a fatality rate of 30-60%, and other symptoms include yellow skin and failure of the kidneys and liver. Vaccination is recommended for those travelling below 2,300 metres elevation, as well as the Inca trail and Machu Picchu. Discuss your travel plans with your doctor to determine whether vaccination would be recommended for you.
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver transmitted through food or water contaminated with the virus. It may cause fatigue, nausea, stomach discomfort, yellow skin, and dark urine. In a small number of cases, the illness can be life-threatening. Peru’s higher prevalence of Hepatitis A compared to Australia means that unvaccinated travellers face an increased risk. Those who have not completed the two-dose Hepatitis A vaccine series should be immunised before travelling, particularly if visiting remote districts, staying with local families, or eating outside tourist-oriented establishments.
Typhoid
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Typhoid is a systemic bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi, acquired through contaminated food or water. It can lead to prolonged fever, stomach pain, and digestive symptoms. Peru has a higher typhoid risk compared to many countries, especially in regional and rural locations. Travellers who have not previously been vaccinated are advised to get immunised before their trip, particularly if visiting remote communities, eating street food, or staying outside urban tourist areas. Combining vaccination with strict food and water precautions helps reduce the chance of infection.
Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B is a viral liver infection spread through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Risky situations include unprotected sex, sharing razors, and receiving tattoos or piercings with unsterile equipment. Although many younger Australians are vaccinated, a significant portion of adults are not fully protected. Travellers to Peru who are unvaccinated are encouraged to discuss Hepatitis B vaccination with their travel doctor, especially those planning longer stays or activities that may involve increased exposure. Your doctor can confirm your immunity and advise whether vaccination is recommended.
Routine vaccinations
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Measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus are uncommon in Australia thanks to widespread immunisation, but Peru continues to see periodic circulation of these illnesses. Travellers should confirm that their standard vaccines are up to date and consider additional boosters where required. A travel health consultation can help determine whether booster vaccines should be updated before your trip, including measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus, influenza, or COVID-19.
Peru
Other health risks in Peru
Malaria
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Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted through mosquito bites and can lead to high fevers, fatigue, muscle aches, and potentially life-threatening complications. In Peru, malaria is most common in Amazon regions and some rural low-altitude areas, while cities and highland destinations such as Cusco are malaria-free. Travellers entering risk zones should discuss with their travel doctor whether they are advised to take antimalarial tablets, some of which must be started before travel. Preventing mosquito bites, particularly at night, remains essential for reducing the chance of infection.
Dengue
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Dengue fever occurs in several regions of Peru, especially in the Amazon and other low-altitude tropical zones. It is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and can produce symptoms including fever, marked fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and skin rashes. While many infections resolve within one to two weeks, subsequent infections can progress to severe dengue, which carries risks of bleeding and shock. Since dengue-carrying mosquitoes are most active during the day and breed near homes in stagnant water, prevention focuses on reducing mosquito exposure and eliminating possible breeding sites.
Rabies
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Australia may be free of rabies, but Peru still has the virus in dogs, bats, and other mammals. Staying away from animals is the most important protective measure, particularly in rural regions and the Amazon basin. A travel doctor can advise whether pre-travel rabies vaccination is recommended for your itinerary, especially if medical facilities may be hard to reach. Should you be bitten or scratched in Peru, obtain medical care immediately. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is nearly always fatal, so early treatment is essential.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis is common among visitors to Peru due to bacteria present in contaminated food or inadequately treated water. Thorough handwashing and avoiding foods and beverages with higher contamination risk offer the best protection. Frequently identified organisms include campylobacter, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli or salmonella. Symptoms typically appear within 24 to 72 hours, including diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, or stomach cramps. Replacing fluids with oral rehydration solutions is crucial, as dehydration can develop quickly. Most travellers improve on their own within a few days, but persistent or severe symptoms, or difficulty staying hydrated, should prompt medical care. Antibiotics are reserved for severe situations.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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The Australian government’s Smartraveller website should be consulted regarding current risk levels in Peru. Violent crime is more common than Australia and public demonstrations can increase the risk.
Altitude sickness
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Peru is home to many high-altitude destinations, including Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and trekking routes in the Andes, so travellers should be aware of altitude sickness risks. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) affects around one in four people who ascend rapidly above 2,450 metres without acclimatisation. Early symptoms can include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, and reduced appetite. These often improve within 12 to 48 hours at a consistent altitude, but if they don't, descent is advisable.
More dangerous altitude-related illnesses are rarer and are more common above 4,300 metres. High-Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE) can cause confusion, difficulty walking, or changes in behaviour, while High-Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE) can lead to shortness of breath, coughing, and reduced exercise tolerance. These conditions can be life-threatening without immediate descent and urgent medical support.
To reduce your risk when travelling in Peru’s highland regions, plan a gradual ascent, include acclimatisation days, and allow your body time to adjust. A travel doctor may prescribe preventive medications, particularly for itineraries involving very high-altitude treks. Travellers unfamiliar with AMS, HACE, or HAPE who intend to hike above 4,300 metres should consider joining an experienced guide who understands how to recognise and manage altitude-related illnesses.
According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the key rules for safe high-altitude travel are:
1) Recognise early symptoms and respond promptly.
2) Do not ascend to sleep at a higher altitude if symptoms of altitude sickness appear.
3) Descend immediately if symptoms worsen or fail to improve at the same elevation.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Prolonged air, road and rail travel all carry with them the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This involves a solidifying of blood inside a blood vessel, caused by relative stasis in the flow of blood. Prevention involves getting up to move around at regular intervals during a long trip, staying well hydrated and, for those at risk of DVT, below-knee compression stockings can be worn. DVT is usually treated with blood-thinning medication.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Part of travelling is trying new activities and going on new adventures. But before setting out, it is wise to know the risks and take measures to reduce them. When contemplating motorbiking overseas ensure you have the necessary skills to ride, be aware of the road rules and always wear a helmet. For other road transport options, choose alternatives with functioning seatbelts. If surfing or diving for the first time, choose an instructor who is well versed in all the necessary safety aspects. And if unfamiliar with hiking, wear boots which are already worn in, use sunscreen and insect repellent, pack light and stay within your limits when choosing your route. Regardless of what you are planning, it is a good idea to have travel insurance which covers the cost of medical repatriation.