Peru uses the sol, written S/. or S/. Cash is still important for markets, local eateries, taxis, collectivos, and smaller towns, even though cards are widely accepted in Lima, especially Miraflores. ATM fees are frustrating, often around S/18 to S/36, and withdrawal limits can be low, commonly S/400 to S/700 per transaction. Banco de la Nación is usually the fee-free option, and BCP often allows larger withdrawals. Always decline charges in USD on ATMs or card terminals. Change only a small amount at Lima airport, carry small clean notes like S/10 and S/20, and watch for fake bills when exchanging cash.

Peru has three main climate zones. The coast, including Lima, is mostly dry desert, with sunnier months around December to March and a gray, damp winter from June to September. It often feels colder than the thermometer shows, usually around 15°C to 22°C in Lima. The Andes, including Cusco, Huaraz, Puno, have a dry season from roughly April to October and a wet season from November to March. Nights at high altitude are cold, often near 0°C to 10°C. The Amazon stays hot and humid all year, usually around 24°C to 32°C, with heavier rain from about December to March.

The main real danger in Peru is petty theft, especially phone snatching and robbery in cities, and Lima needs the most care on the street. Use app taxis or official airport taxis. Keep your phone away while walking, and do not show cash. Tourist areas like Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro, central Cusco, and Arequipa are usually fine if you use normal caution. Scams are more often taxi overcharging, transport confusion, or bad-value tour sales, not complex tricks. Avoid random street taxis at night, empty places after dark, and sleeping on buses with bags loose in the aisle.

Long-distance buses are the usual choice for backpackers. Cruz del Sur is a reliable option for comfort, and Peru Hop is simpler but more expensive for the Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, Arequipa, Cusco loop. redBus is the easiest booking site. Real price examples are Lima to Ica from about S/25, Lima to Cusco roughly S/90 to S/185, and Lima to Arequipa from about S/90. For short local trips, colectivos are cheap and flexible, for example Cusco to Ollantaytambo around S/10 to S/20. Uber, inDrive, and Cabify work in cities. Leave extra time in your plans. Peru is big, and transport is slower than many people expect.

Altitude is the main health issue. Cusco, Puno, Colca, and many treks are high enough to affect people quickly, so take 1 to 2 easy days before hard hiking, drink plenty of water, and go easy on alcohol. Do not drink tap water. Stomach problems are common, so choose street food carefully, carry oral rehydration salts or diarrhea medicine, and be careful with ice. For Amazon trips, especially Iquitos, ask a travel clinic about yellow fever, typhoid, and malaria prevention. Repellent is important in jungle areas. Medical care is much easier to get in Lima than in smaller towns or trekking areas.

Wi-Fi is easy enough to find in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, and bigger backpacker stops, but hostel quality varies. Check reviews or ask hosts about speeds if you need video calls. For SIMs, the main companies are Claro, Movistar, Entel, and Bitel. Official stores are the safest place to buy, not airport counters or random street kiosks. Bring your passport and expect registration, sometimes biometric. Claro sells a prepaid chip for S/5, with data packs from S/3 to S/20. Movistar has packs from S/5 to S/20, and Entel top-ups start at S/5. Coverage is good on the usual route, but weaker in remote mountains and jungle.

Spanish is the daily language almost everywhere. Quechua and Aymara are still common in parts of the Andes, especially in rural areas. English is uneven. In Miraflores, Barranco, Cusco hostels, tour agencies, and some transport counters, basic English is common enough. On local buses, in markets, in cheap eateries, and in smaller towns, Spanish usually does most of the work. Even a few polite basic phrases help a lot.

Daily life works best with polite and calm interactions. Say hello before asking for prices or help, and things usually go more smoothly. Peru is not a strong tipping culture, especially in cheap local places, so rounding up or leaving small change is enough unless you are on a tour or trek. Bargaining is normal in markets and with informal taxis, but not in supermarkets, bus counters, or fixed-price restaurants. Clothes are usually casual but tidy, and more modest in churches, rural towns, and traditional communities. First-time visitors are often surprised that prices near tourist plazas can be very direct, then drop quickly a few blocks away.

Food in Peru can be excellent if you avoid the most obvious tourist-trap areas. The budget base is menú del día, usually around S/8 to S/15, and market meals can cost under S/15. In Cusco, prices near Plaza de Armas can rise to S/30 to S/50 plus, but meals become much cheaper two to four blocks away. Mercado Wanchaq is a good budget reference there, with large meals for under S/10. Breakfasts can cost S/5 to S/20, and standard restaurant meals are roughly S/30 to S/75. Try ceviche on the coast, lomo saltado, ají de gallina, anticuchos, pollo a la brasa, and regional soups in the highlands.