Desert Oasis

• A country in South America, situated on the western side of that continent.
• Peru straddles part of the Andes mountain range that runs the length of South America.
• It is bordered by Ecuador and Colombia to the north, Brazil and Bolivia to the east, and Chile to the south.
• The official language of Peru is Spanish. In tourist centers like Cusco and Machu Picchu or in high class hotels, English and sometimes other languages are spoken.
• Peru is rich in wildlife diversity, including 84 of the earth’s 104 known life zones.
• Rice is the staple food. Also common are corn and potatoes. Meat is traditionally included in most Peruvian dishes.
• Peru is divided into 25 different ‘regions’ and one province (the province of Lima).
• The capital, and largest city, in Peru is Lima.
• About 81% of the population describe themselves as Catholic. Only 2.9% of people identify themselves as ‘non-religious’.
• Peru was the homeland of the Inca Empire until 1533 when it was taken over by Spanish conquistadores.
• Peru declared independence from Spain on July 28, 1821.
• The Incan Empire was based in Peru, with the famous Machu Picchu in the Andes being the best known location. It was discovered in 1911.

Etiquette

• The high-end restaurants will expect you to wear something else than jeans or Bermuda shorts.
• “Sport elegante” means you will be wearing a coat but no tie.
• “Elegante” or “formal” will mean for sure you will wear a tie.
• Always wear coat and tie to a cocktail party.
• If you are invited to play golf, do NOT wear jeans as you will not be allowed to enter the course (same applies for ladies).

Dining Out

• Unless you are going to a restaurant frequented by tourists, you will be expected for lunch between 1:30 and 3:30 and for dinner between 8:30 and 11:30.

Events

• Peruvians are not known for their punctuality.
• If you are invited to a house, you will normally be expected to arrive at least 30 minutes after the invitation time.
• You should bring a bottle of wine or flowers or chocolates for the house-lady.
• Wear nice clothing, do not come wearing jeans unless you know your hosts pretty well and they say so.
• If you are invited for lunch, food will normally be served after 3 pm, for dinner after 10 pm.

FACTS

• Peru is classified as a ‘developing country’. About 40% of the population lives in poverty.
• Voting in elections is compulsory for all citizens aged 18 to 70.
• Trade to and from Peru is excepted to increase following a free trade agreement Peru signed with the United States in 2006. Peru’s main exports are fish meal, gold, copper, zinc and textiles.
• The population is expected to reach 42 million by 2050.
• Peru has a reasonable literacy rate- 92.9%
• The life expectancy at birth for people in Peru is 69.84. This is due to the poverty in the country and the lack of doctors.
• Peru’s most famous sport is Soccer, but they also enjoy tennis, surfing, beach volleyball, and sailing.
• Peru shares control of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, with Bolivia.

Cusco

• Hostel – The cost per night is about US$3-6.
• You can find a meal at a restaurant for as low as US$2 -3.
• Of course, in every city you can find restaurants where you can spend US$20 and more if you want.
• The usual price for a 10 hour bus ride is about US$6.
• 5 star hotels are normally for package tourism or business travel, and very uncommon outside of Lima.
• 4 star hotels are usually around US$60 per night.
• 3 star hotels are a good compromise between price and quality and usually cost US$30-50.
• 2 and 1 star hotels are very cheap, US$30 and down, but don’t expect hot water or a particularly safe neighborhood.
• Coffee – 5 SOL
• Small beer – 8 SOL
• Water – 2 SOL
• Glass of wine – 20 SOL
• Sandwich – 12 SOL
• Salad – 10 SOL
• Lunch – 8 SOL
• Cake/Dessert – 7 SOL
• Movie Ticker – 15 SOL
• Newspaper – 1-2 SOL
• Pack of 20 Cigarettes – 5 SOL
• Internet Café (1 hour) – 2 SOL

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Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

• In Lima dial 105 for emergency.
• In Lima and some of the larger cities the local police is called “Serenazgo”
• Be aware of your surroundings and try to avoid unlit or unpopulated areas especially at night.
• Armed robberies of tourists are fairly common.
• A dirty old backpack with valuable contents is safer than a new one with old clothes in it. It’s often good not to look too rich.
• If you want to take large amounts of cash out with you, a neck wallet is always a good idea – you can hide it under your shirt.
• Ignore any requests to carry luggage or packages for strangers. There could be illegal items or drugs in there, and you are the one who’ll be caught with them and have the problems afterwards.

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Machu Picchu

Lima

• During the winter (June to October), the city is covered with a thick, wet fog which usually lasts all the day.
• In July and August the weather is colder, and warmer clothing is recommended.
• Spring is spread out from October to December.
• From December to the end of March, it is the summer: it’s very warm during the day but more bearable in the evening.
• The hot season is in January and February.
• It seldom rains in Lima.

The Coast

• On the coast, there is a desert climate.
• It basically never rains and it has a hot
  season all year.
• The hottest months extend from December to March.
• During the evening in the winter, the air is fresh and cool, and a sweater is recommended.

Mountains

• The climate in the mountains is inversed in relation to the coastal climate.
• There are two seasons, the dry one and the humid one
• The dry season runs from April to October, and it is sunny during the day but cold during the night.
• The humid season runs from November to March, and is rainy but with sunny mornings and nice weather before and after the rain.

Forest

• The forest area has two seasons – hot and dry – the dry season being fairly hot as well.
• The dry season that runs from April to October, is sunny during the day and hot at night.
• The humid season runs from November to March, and is rainy and cold and fresh during the nights.

Moray

Machu Picchu

• The awe-inspiring Inca city of Machu Picchu perched atop a remote mountain northwest of Cusco
• It is a World Heritage site
• It was rediscovered in 1911
• Arguably the most important archaeological site in South America, not to mention the most dramatically located

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Manu National Park

• Covers 20,000 sq km (7,722 sq miles) of tropical rainforest
• It is a World Natural Heritage Site
• It is home to around 2,000 plant species, 1,200 butterfly species, 800 bird types and 200 different mammals, including monkeys, tapirs, sloth, jaguar and capybaras

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Cajamarca Carnival

• Famous throughout Peru for its annual celebrations that last for an entire month
• One word of warning – the traditional Cajamarca Carnival greeting is to be soaked with water

Lake Titicaca

• The world’s highest navigable lake
• Here you can also visit the unique waterborne reed islands
• It covers 8,379 sq km (3,235 sq miles)
• Lake Titicaca is surrounded by ancient ruins and is home to 19th-century steamship, the Yavari

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Cusco Cathedral

• A Baroque-style cathedral built on the foundations of the palace of the Inca Wirachocha in Cusco
• Construction began in 1550, and was completed a century later
• It is considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas

• The cathedral’s high walls are some of the best examples of the Cusqueña school of painting
• The cathedral’s centerpieces are its massive, solid-silver altar, and the enormous 1659 María Angola bell, the largest in South America, which hangs in one of the towers

Communication Etiquette:
• At first greeting a handshake is generally accepted by both men and women
• They tend to use an indirect style compared to a direct style
• Most people are concerned with appearances
– They do not want something to reflect badly on them
– Best to avoid confrontations
• Very open people and are comfortable being close to one another
– Considered rude to back away from someone that is speaking
• Fair amount of touching during conversation
– Between all genders
– Hand on hand
– Hand on arms
• Extremely rude to refuse dinner invitations
– Or to put feet on furniture not made for doing so
•

Business Etiquette:
• Address people directly using only their professional title
• Business cards should be presented to everyone in the meeting
– If possible translate one side into Spanish
• They respect those who dress well
– Men – Conservative dark suits light shirts conservative tie
– Women – Elegant dresses or Business suits with quality accessories
– Most women will wear heels over flats
• Always plan in advance for meetings especially international
– You may be kept waiting but arrive on time
– Develop a base for a relationship with small talk
– Allow the host to initiate business discussion
– Avoid politics, terrorists, ancestry and religion
– Family, soccer, where to go in Peru, and local food destinations are all good topics
– Final decisions are made through senior officials or executives
– Avoid pressure sales tactics
– Sell softer they respond a lot better to this