Immunisations
No immunisations are currently compulsory for those going on holiday in Peru. However, as with travel to any developing country, it is alwsys recommended that you make sure your immunisations for the following are up-to-date:
- Tetanus
- Typhoid
- Polio
- Hepatitis A
In addition to these common immunisations, some medical professionals also recommend that you have been innoculated against Hepatitis B and some may also suggest rabies innoculations. As always, check with your travel clinic for the best advice but most professionals advise that these jabs aren't necessary for most holiday-makers in Peru.
Yellow Fever and Malaria in Peru
If you are travelling in jungle areas east of the Andes, for example on our Andes to Amazon trip, then your travel clinic will probably advise you to be innoculated against Yellow Fever and Malaria. Both these mosquito-borne diseases are present east of the Peruvian Andes at altitudes lower than 2,400m although it is very rare for travellers to contract either disease during short trips. Our jungle lodges are screened but on some of our more adventurous trips there is some camping involved (although nets are provided) and on all our jungle trips we recommend liberal use of a good insect repellent with a high 'deet' content.
Altitude Sickness on your Peru Holiday
Many people experience some degree of alitude sickness when visiting places like Cusco and Puno on their Peru holiday. When we are designing your holiday itinerary for you, we try and ameliorate these effects as much as possible by taking you first to an "in-between" location such as Arequipa, where your body can start to acclimatise easily.
If you are planning to do any trekking in Peru, for example the Inca Trail, we always make sure you have a decent acclimatisation programme and will advise you accordingly. In addition to this, there are also drugs you can take to ameliorate the symptoms such as Diamox - which is available over the counter at most pharmacies in Puno and Cusco - but it is important to remember that these drugs only mask symptoms and don't actually help your body to acclimatise any quicker. Possibly a better solution is to drink lots of water (this usually speeds up the process), and to avoid large meals, alcohol and cigarettes. A tip that's definitely the Real Peru is to drink the coca tea - an infusion of (legal!) coca leaves that many people find helps them adjust.
Travel Insurance
Of course, you should always make sure you carry appropriate medical insurance. Peru does have reasonable hospitals, particularly in the major cities but it is a purely private health system and so you must ensure that you are covered for all eventualities - particularly if you're thinking of enjoying any of our adventure sport options on your holiday in Peru.
To go back to our main guide to Peru click here
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