Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [440]
Children who are under the age of 12 receive discounts of 25% to 50% for airline travel, while infants under two pay only 10% of the fare provided they sit on their parent’s lap. On buses, children pay full fare if they occupy a seat, but aren’t normally charged if they sit on their parent’s lap. Often, someone will give up a seat on public transportation for a parent traveling with a small child, or they’ll offer to put your child on their lap (don’t be put off by this – it’s normal).
Most midrange and top-end hotels will have reduced rates for children under 12 years of age, provided the child shares a room with parents. Cots are not normally available, except at the most exclusive hotels. In addition, ‘kids’ meals’ are not offered in most restaurants, but many eateries will happily accommodate special requests (Click here). Adult portions are generally massive, so children can share an order with each other or with parents. High chairs are rarely available.
If you’re traveling with an infant, bring disposable diapers (nappies) and creams from home, or stock up in Lima or other major cities before heading to the countryside. In rural areas, supplies may be harder to find. Other things to pack: infant medicines, a thermometer and, of course, a favorite toy.
Breastfeeding in public is not uncommon, but most women discreetly cover themselves. Poorly maintained public bathrooms may be a concern for parents. Always carry toilet paper, tissues and wet wipes. While a woman may take a young boy into the ladies’ bathroom, it is socially unacceptable for a man to take a girl of any age into the men’s room.
For more advice, see Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children.
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CLIMATE CHARTS
Peru has three main climatic zones: the tropical Amazon jungle to the east; the arid coastal desert to the west; and the Andean mountains and highlands in between. In the Andes, which have altitudes over 3500m, average daily temperatures fall below 10°C (50°F) and overnight temperatures can dip well below freezing. Travelers flying straight to Cuzco (3326m), or other high-altitude cities, should allow several days to acclimatize since altitude sickness, or soroche, can be a problem (Click here).
June to August is the dry season in the mountains and altiplano (Andean plateau); the wettest months are from December to March. It rains all the time in the hot and humid rainforest, but the driest months there are from June to September. However, even during the wettest months, from December to May, it rarely rains for more than a few hours at a time. Along the arid coastal strip, the hot summer months are from December through March. Some parts of the coastal strip see rain rarely, if at all. From April to November, Lima and other areas by the Pacific Ocean are enclosed in garúa (coastal fog, mist or drizzle) as warmer air masses off the desert and drifts over the ocean where the cold Humboldt Current hits. (For more information on Lima’s fog, see boxed text, Click here.)
The El Niño effect, which occurs on average every seven years, is when large-scale changes in ocean currents and rising sea-surface water temperatures bring heavy rains and floods to coastal areas, plunging tropical areas into drought and disrupting weather patterns worldwide. The name El Niño (literally ‘the Child’) refers to the fact that this phenomenon usually appears around Christmas. El Niño is usually followed the next year by La Niña, when ocean currents that cool abnormally create even more havoc and destruction.
For more information on when to go to Peru, Click here.
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COURSES
Peru is not as well known for its Spanish-language courses than some other Latin American countries are. However, there are schools in Lima (Click here), Cuzco (Click here), Arequipa (Click here), Huaraz (Click here), Puerto Maldonado (Click here) and Huancayo (Click here). You can also