Is Peru Safe to Travel to on a Group Trip?

Ancient civilizations, awe-inspiring scenery and UNESCO-listed cities and archaeological sites, few places compare to Peru for a memorable trip.

Solo travelers, small groups and university and school groups can enjoy transformative experiences in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu but is Peru currently safe to travel to?

We answer some of your questions regarding travel in Peru and the political protests. Updated January 2, 2023.

How did the protests in Peru start?

Political turmoil hit Peru when former president Pedro Castillo tried to dissolve congress and, some say, tried to grab absolute power of the country. A mere two hours later Castillo was arrested on charges of rebellion and conspiracy.

Following this, Castillo’s former Vice President Dina Boluarte was declared Peru’s new president. This caused outrage throughout various regions in the country, especially in rural areas where Castillo had gained support for his election in 2021.

Widespread protests followed around the country, causing disruption to travel.

What does the US travel department say?

The US travel department currently lists Peru as Level 3 with certain regions listed as no-go areas, while other areas have been deemed safe to travel but with caution. Of the Peru protests the website says:

¨Demonstrations occur regularly throughout the country. Public demonstrations can take place for a variety of political and economic issues. 

¨Demonstrations can cause the shutdown of local roads, trains, and major highways, often without prior notice or estimated reopening timelines. 

¨Road closures may significantly reduce access to public transportation and airports and may disrupt travel both within and between cities.¨

Is Peru safe for tourists?

For years Peru has been a popular travel destination for tens of thousands of visitors from solo travelers to families and school groups.

The most popular areas – Cusco and the iconic Machu Picchu – are firm fixtures on travel bucket lists and will no doubt be again once the political situation calms. For now, the US travel department has graded Peru as Level 3 with detailed information on their website.

Peru protests – what is happening on the ground?

The current situation is much calmer than before in Peru with an agreement within the protest groups to halt demonstrations over the Christmas and New Years vacations. On Tuesday, December 27, the Peruvian tourism board released a statement detailing how most operations in the Sacred Valley and Cusco area had restarted for tourism. It read:

¨All the regional airports have restarted their operations, with the exception of Apurimac, a service that is not commercial. Meanwhile, the airports of Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cusco and Puno have resumed their flight operations for all passengers.

¨Also, the railway operations on the Route Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu – Hydroelectric of the southeast rail, and the railway operations on the Cusco – Puno and Juliaca – Arequipa routes of the southern rail have resumed as well.¨

Can I cancel my trip?

You should be able to cancel or at least postpone your trip by contacting your travel agency. Many companies will simply offer a full refund or they will offer for you to move the dates of your trip.

In this case, and if you booked your flights through a different agency or airline, you can make contact to move the date of your flight. 

Where are the protests in Peru happening?

Protests are currently mainly happening in cities close to rural areas of the country where former president Pedro Castillo gained the majority of his votes to propel him to victory in 2021.

In general, protests are taking place in Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Cusco, Ica and Puno.

When will I be able to travel to Peru?

Complicated political situations in Latin American countries like Peru can quickly change, meaning travel can return to normal within the next few weeks or months.

In fact travel recommenced soon after the protests ended, especially in popular tourist areas like Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. On the other hand, with the new year commencing we are unsure when travel as normal will fully return.

How will the Peru protests end?

The country is still in the National State of Emergency which prohibits certain civilian rights like the right to assembly and freedom of transit.

Protesters called a stop to the demonstrations for Christmas and New Year but there was speculation a new wave of protests would begin in certain areas on January 4. How the end of the demonstration is up for debate. One local source in Cusco who works in the travel industry says:

¨The current president (Dina Boluarte) is trying to push forward elections but it takes time. Protesters want an election now but there is a long process, a lot of paperwork and even if we had an election now, who would we vote for?

¨So until then we need to keep calm and wait for congress to agree on the date for the new election.¨

At Kagumu Adventures, our team in Cusco is keeping a close eye on the situation and we are already coordinating with groups regarding their Peru trips in 2023. If you were planning on traveling to Peru but would like to rearrange, Latin America offers a whole host of different destinations offering educational travel opportunities.