Peru Travel Tips: Keep Up-To-Date on Peru Travel Information
A trip to Peru is the dream for many travelers. Peru has miles and miles of desert coast line, impressive snow-covered mountain peaks, the lush and mysterious Amazon, and of course, more ancient ruins than one can possible visit in one trip-including the world famous Machu Picchu.
However, if one is planning to take a Peru tour packages that highlights several of this wonderful areas of the country, it is vital that one stay up-to-date on Peru travel information. This is because if one plans to spend to travel frequently from one place to another (to try and see everything possible in one trip), this means that a lot of the itinerary is based on the assumption that all transfers will be completed without problem.
Unfortunately, in Latin America countries, the rule is to always expect the unexpected. Due to tricky terrain, there are often not alternative road routes, meaning that if for one reason the main way to a city is blocked, delays will be widespread.
This happened recently when cotton farmers protested south of Lima, blocking the main PanAmericana highway. For travelers going from Lima down to Paracas, Nazca, or Ica, this created significant delays and caused rearrangement in travel plans.
In May 2011, numerous mine workers took to the streets around Puno to protest their working conditions. Because the runoff presidential election will be held in early June, the protesters are hoping their concerns are heard and will be addressed by the upcoming administration. Over 10,000 protesters marched through the streets of Puno and the provinces of Chucuito and Yunguyo. This has resulted in the closing of schools and markets, and obviously had affected travel plans for tourists. Puno sits right on the edge of Lake Titicaca, one of the highest lakes in the world, and major tourist attraction. Demands of the protests include lowering the retirement age and increasing profit-sharing. This protest is important for the Peruvian economy because minerals account for 60 percent of the country’s exports, and Peru is the number two producer of silver, zinc, and copper.
Although unexpected protests and demonstration can add complications to traveling in a foreign country, the best way to deal with them is to be aware. Know what areas are affected, how long they are expected to last, and if it is safe to travel in the area. If your trip is planned with an expert tour guide, they should be able to help you managed this difficult situation. Remember, this is all part of the exciting experience of traveling to Latin America!