Peru travel advice

Booking flights and arranging travel can be confusing, but the Operation Wallacea team are here to help. There are a number of starting points which Operation Wallacea would recommend based on the experience of the past few years.

Updated: 25 February 2011

Start and finish times

All expeditions start and finish in Iquitos.  The expeditions to Pacaya Samiria during the high-water season (March and April) begin on a Sunday at 12:00 and finish on a Friday at 20:00.  Only 2-week expeditions for General Surveyors are available during this period.

The expeditions to Pacaya Samiria during the low-water season (June to August) also begin on a Sunday at 12:00 and finish on a Friday at 20:00. You can book your flight arriving into Iquitos at least by noon on the Sunday your expedition starts. Flights to Iquitos will require a stop in Lima where you will need to recheck your luggage. Further, most students arrive on the Saturday and overnight in the beautiful Casa Morey house. This will give you the chance to relax, explore the city a little and also gives you a bit of a buffer in case of flight delays. You can fly out of Iquitos any time on the Saturday after your expedition ends.

Booking international flights

Our travel agents will book your flights straight through to Iquitos, which will involve a stop in Lima the capital.

From the UK/Ireland
For the last few years the majority of volunteers have booked through the dedicated Op Wall booking service at STA Travel (0871 468 0668 or email opwall@statravel.co.uk). STA Travel offer group flights at competitive prices negotiated directly with the major airlines specifically for Operation Wallacea. It is always worth checking prices with a couple of other travel agents and STA have agreed to match prices wherever possible and you can book the flights by just paying a small deposit with the balance due 10 weeks before you fly. However, fares are not guaranteed until you pay the full sum. It is therefore in your interests to pay the full fee for your flights as soon as possible.   

Once you have booked your flights please email your flight itineraries to your local Opwall office.  

From North America

For US volunteers check out http://www.statravel.com/opwall or call STA Travel on (877) 777-8717 for some cheap flight deals. However there is no exclusive deal with STA Travel, so you are best advised to shop around for well priced flights. If you find any good deals tell us about them! You can do this by contacting the US office on (973) 920-0487. Don’t forget to post good flight deals on the Op Wall US Facebook Group.  

Once you have booked your flights please email your flight itineraries to your local Opwall office. 

Baggage allowances

Baggage allowances vary depending on airline.  American Airlines and Continental allow 2 pieces of luggage up to 32kg each but are very keen in ensuring hand baggage is measured and weighed.  Please contact your airline prior to departure to clarify the baggage allowances for your ticket.

Last year a few volunteers lost luggage in transit.  On most occasions it was because they had connecting flights in which were so tight that the passengers made it but some of the bags didn’t.  It is a wise precaution to make a description of each of your bags and their contents before checking in as well as ensuring there are loads of identifying labels all over and inside them.  Then if a piece of baggage does get lost, the desk handling at Lima or Iquitos airport has all the information necessary to trace the missing bag and get it to you as quickly as possible. 

UPDATE. It is important to remember that you will need to physically pick up your checked-in luggage at the Lima airport and re-check them in at the LAN counter in the Lima airport before boarding your internal flight to Iquitos. This happens regardless of whether you are told at your home airport that your bags are checked all the way to Iquitos! Failure to do so may result in your bags getting delayed or possibly lost.

Once you arrive at the Iquitos airport, look for our staff with an Operation Wallacea sign. Opwall will not be sending porters to carry your bags; so if you accept one, be prepared to tip them

Accommodation outside expedition dates

Most people arrive in Iquitos the day before the expeditions and stay the night. AmazonEco our partners in Peru can organise, pick up from the airport, bed and breakfast for $30. If you want to book accommodation  you can do this through STA whislt booking your international flights or if not using STA it can be then please email Jeni Love (jeni.love@opwall.com) and she will book you in seprately. You would be placed in one of four hotels in Iquitos Hostal Pascana, Hotel Casa Morey, Hotel Cauchero or Hotel Doral Inn. Payments can be made on site by Visa, Electron, Mastercard or Maestro credit and debit cards or in cash. Alternatively if it is a group travelling then advance payments can be made by bank transfer to Peru.

When booking by email please state the following:

1. Your full name

2. Date, time and flight number of your arrival

3. Exact dates you will require accommodation

If you do need to overnight in Lima we would suggest using Condor Travel to book your accommodation and transfers. They have English speaking agents and can be contacted on info5@Go2Peru.info. 

Travel insurance

We have purchased Medical and Repatriation cover to a value of £1 million each on behalf of all our volunteers and staff to ensure they are correctly covered. The cost of this is met by us and provided to you free of charge within the overall cost of your expedition. If you want to obtain additional insurance (eg loss of baggage, flight cancellation) then you would need to take out an additional insurance policy either when you purchase your flights or from another insurance provider.

Visas

British, Canadian and US nationals are issued a Peru visa for up to 90 days on arrival in Lima, so there is no need to apply in advance for a visa.  This also applies to 16 other European Union member countries, 8 non EU member European countries and 10 South & Central American countries.  If you do not travel on a British, Canadian or US passport, it is worth contacting the Peruvian Consulate for confirmation of any visa requirements. Regardless of your nationality, you MUST tick tourism as your reason for visiting Peru.   

When you depart Peru you will need to pay a US$33 exit tax, as well as a US$6 tax for each internal flight (Lima-Iquitos AND Iquitos-Lima).

For US volunteers please contact the US office on (973) 920-0487 or e-mail northamerica@opwall.com for further visa information. Canadian Volunteers can get further visa information by contacting the Canadian office on (905) 231-2095 or email canada@opwall.com. Alternatively, visa information can be obtained through several sites on the web, including www.visaconnection.com.

Transiting through the US
If you are transiting through the US, most Europeans (and some other nationalities) will need to register for an ESTA before travelling (see full list of countries). The ESTA costs $14, and can be paid online during the online application process. Nationals of other countries should check with their local US embassy. Without an ESTA or US Visa you will not be allowed to board your flight to the US. For a full explanation, and to apply for the ESTA see Electronic System for Travel Authorization. The ESTA and visa's for the US do not apply to nationals of Canada, Bermuda or Mexico, who are normally free to travel into the US.

Passport

Your passport must have at least 6 months left (counting from your proposed departure date from Peru) before the expiry date, otherwise you will be refused entry.  It is worthwhile carrying a photocopy of your passport with you because if it is lost you will have a much easier time getting a replacement. If you are travelling through the US, you must have a machine readable passport.

Money

You will not have the opportunity to spend much money whilst on the project in Peru. However, the research vessel sometimes stops in local communities along the way, and you may be able to purchase additional provisions, so you will need enough money (in US$) to cover expenses here for the duration of your stay. The local currency in Peru is Nuevo Soles (S/.). You may find it difficult to purchase Soles outside of Peru (although some US airports such as Miami will exchange Dollars for Soles), and so you should take the opportunities to use the ATMs in Lima and Iquitos airport. You should also use every opportunity to break the larger S/.50 and S/. 100 notes, as they are not readily accepted outside of the big cities.

The expedition costs cover all the accommodation and food costs from the start to the end of the official expedition, transfers between sites, and participation in any of the research projects or training courses. The costs paid to Operation Wallacea do not include:

• Costs of return flights to Iquitos
• Any hotel, food, or transport costs outside the official expedition "Start" and "End" dates.
• Additional insurance cover beyond the £1 million medical and evacuation cover provided by Opwall.
• Exit taxes of approximately US$33 plus US$6 for each internal flight (i.e. US$12 for a return flight Lima-Iquitos)
• Spending money
• Please also consider arranging a contingency fund to cover any emergencies, and check with your bank that your card will work in Peru if you plan on using it.

Using an ATM card with Visa or Cirrus logo is the easiest and most cost effective way of getting local currency.  There is an ATM at the Lima airport and this is by far the easiest place to change your money. You will need to withdraw all the money you will need before leaving Iquitos.  We advise against bringing travellers cheques as you will be in places with banks only at weekends when the banks are closed.  If you do bring cash to change with money changers then bring US dollars, as the exchange rates for other currencies in the Lima airport (i.e. CAD$, £ or €) are well below market rates, and you are often limited in the amount that you can change. It is advisable to change your money in the Lima airport before you depart for Iquitos.   

Remember to carry all personal documents and cash safely in a concealed money belt  

Cultural Advice

In general, the South American culture is very relaxed and Western volunteers should have no problems with the Peruvian culture. However, as is the case wherever you are travelling try to remember that, particularly in remote areas where the locals very rarely see Westerners, the impression that you make will likely be a lasting one. Treat all locals with respect and courtesy and behave in a responsible manner. Excessive drinking is frowned upon, and NO DRUGS are tolerated anywhere in Peru.