🌎 Travel Guide: Peru – Bolivia – Chile

All the essential tips for a comfortable journey through South America

🛂 1. Documents & Entry

For citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and most CIS countries:

• No visa required for tourism (up to 90 days)
• Passport must be valid for at least 6 months
• Return ticket or travel itinerary may be requested
• Recommended: print hotel bookings 📄

Pro tips:

• Make 2–3 copies of your passport
• Keep digital copies in your phone or cloud

🚧 2. Crossing Borders

Border crossings can take 30 minutes up to 2–3 hours.

What to know:

• Queues are possible, especially Peru ↔ Bolivia
• Officials may ask about your itinerary
• Immigration cards may be required
• Keep your entry stamp until you leave the country
• Do not bring unmarked fruits, vegetables, or meat

Tip: Keep your documents and a pen handy; don’t pack your passport deep in your bag.

🏔 3. Altitude: Real Experiences & Preparation

Some destinations in your Peru tour reach 3,000–4,600 m:

• Cusco
• La Paz
• Salar de Uyuni

Possible symptoms:

• Headache
• Weakness
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty sleeping

What really helps:

• Coca tea or coca tablets 🍵 (Hypoxen recommended)
• 2–3 liters of water per day 💧
• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals ❌
• Walk slowly 🚶‍♂️
• Sleep early 🛌

✅ In 95% of cases, symptoms are mild and pass in 1–2 days.

💳 4. Money: How to Save & Avoid Issues

Currencies:

• Peru: Sol (PEN) 🇵🇪
• Bolivia: Boliviano (BOB) 🇧🇴
• Chile: Peso (CLP) 🇨🇱

Practical tips:

• Cash is almost always needed 💵
• Cards work in cities, not everywhere 💳
• ATMs may charge fees
• Withdraw large amounts and keep small bills
• Store money in different places
  ❌ Never exchange money on the street

📶 5. Communication, Internet & Electricity

• SIM cards available at airports and malls
• Recommended providers: Claro, Entel, Movistar
• Internet is stable, but may drop in mountains

Electricity:

• Plug types A/B (like USA) 🔌
• Voltage 220V

🚕 6. Transport & Getting Around

• Cities: Uber / InDriver / Beat — safe
• Between cities: comfortable buses, domestic flights (LATAM, Sky)
• Mountain roads: winding and may cause motion sickness — bring medication 🚧

🍽 7. Food & Water

• Drink only bottled water
• Do not brush teeth with tap water
• Avoid ice in drinks
• Peru: culinary capital of South America
• Bolivia & Chile: simpler but hearty cuisine

🔒 8. Safety & Behavior

• General safety level: moderate
  Tips:
• Keep your phone and bag close
• Don’t walk alone at night in unfamiliar areas
• Use hotel safes
• Avoid showing valuables
• Emergency: contact your guide or local tourist police

👗 9. Local Customs

• Bargaining in markets is normal
• Ask permission before photographing people
• Respect indigenous traditions
• In Bolivia and Peru, things move slowly — that’s normal

🛍 10. Shopping & Souvenirs

Recommended purchases:

• Alpaca products, wool items
• Coffee and cocoa (specialty shops)
• Wine in Chile

Prohibited:

• Archaeological artifacts
• Corals, shells
• Products made from endangered animals

🧳 11. What to Pack

Clothing (layering principle):

• Warm jacket / light down 🧥
• Fleece or warm sweater 🧶
• T-shirts + thermal layers 👕
• Raincoat / poncho 🌧
• Trekking pants 👖
• Buff, hat for high altitude 🧣
• One dressy outfit for photos/restaurants 👗
• Light clothing for Lima, Atacama, Santiago 👚

Footwear:

• Comfortable city and mountain shoes 🥾
• Flip-flops for hotel 👡
• Warm socks 🧦

Additional Gear:

• Sunglasses 🕶
• Sunscreen SPF50 🧴
• Cap / hat 🧢
• Daypack 🎒
• Water bottle 🚰
• Camera + power bank 📸
• Plug adapter A/B 🔌
• Wet wipes, sanitizer 🧻

Medical kit:

• Altitude sickness remedies (Hypoxen) 💊
• Electrolytes 💧
• Bandages, antiseptic 🩹
• Fever reducer 🤒
• Melatonin for sleep 😴
• Digestive remedies 💊
• Personal medications 🚑

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