Peru : Safety by CityLima is the capital of Peru and its largest city.
Since it was founded in 1535, it has developed into a metropolis full of colonial architecture, wonderful churches, and monasteries in the city center that are worth a visit.
Peru’s large coast makes the sea very rich in seafood, therefore fish and seafood restaurants are not expensive and they offer delicious cuisine.
Also worth visiting are several archeological sites both within and around the city.
Warnings & Dangers in Lima
OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
When it comes to crime level in Lima, there is not much violent crime, but standard safety precautions are recommended due to the existence of petty crime. You need to protect your valuables, even in nice tourist areas. Some areas of Lima are safer than others, so visitors should stay out of these dangerous areas. Downtown Lima is normally well patrolled by the police.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
Taxis are mostly safe in Lima, but you can feel safe only if you use radio taxis from places like a hotel. Green Taxi, CMV, and Mitsui Taxi Remisse are reputable companies. However, there have been reports of tourists being assaulted by the taxi driver. Even though you do not know where you are going pretend that you know the route. Taxi drivers have also been known to participate in robberies and express kidnappings.
PICKPOCKETS RISK: HIGH
The pickpocket risk exists in Lima in tourist locations and public transportation and bag snatching are also very frequent. Tourists need to be aware of people around them since there are polite people but stay away from the extremely friendly ones. You need to be watchful and exercise caution before and after using ATMs on the street.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
Some of the possible natural hazards in Lima are flooding and landslides, due to the rains. Storms, severe weather and earthquakes are also common since Peru is located in an active seismic region. Volcanoes in southern Peru are active and tsunamis might occur in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.
MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
The victims of mugging are usually people walking alone at night. The main aim of muggers is to rob you, so do not resist and hand over your valuables. Violent crime, including sexual assault and armed robbery, occurs frequently in Lima. The mugging frequently occurs after the spiking of food and drinks. Foreigners are assaulted and robbed on boats, as well as on intercity buses.
TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
In isolated areas, maintain a high level of vigilance, since terrorism is a threat throughout the world. The attacks might occur in Lima, and travelers need to follow the advice of local authorities if happen to be in the middle of the incident.
SCAMS RISK: HIGH
Scam risks are frequent as in any other big city and taxi drivers are the first ones to deceive travelers by overcharging them. Credit card skimming and fraud are possible in Lima, so be watchful when taking money from ATMs. Drink spiking happens, so do not leave your drinks unattainable at night clubs.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
Many women reported that they have been sexually assaulted in Lima, so female travelers need to avoid isolated locations and traveling alone after dark. However, many women travelers spent their visit without experiencing any trouble in Lima.
So... How Safe Is Lima Really?
Lima is not so safe city since many criminals carry guns and do not fear to use them if feeling threatened.
However, if you do not wear expensive jewelry and watches or do not carry a laptop, you can feel relaxed.
Due to the widespread poverty in the city center and the peripheral areas, opportunistic crime acts are very frequent in Lima.
The place which mostly attracts crime is the airport and public locations so do not leave your belongings and do not accept the offering of transport.
Express kidnapping happens to withdraw money from credit cards at various city ATMs.
How Does Lima Compare?
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Lima | 53 |
| Cusco | 52 |
| Arequipa | 32 |
| Ayacucho | 44 |
| Iquitos | 71 |
| Niagara Falls (Canada) | 87 |
| Calgary (Canada) | 82 |
| Buenos Aires (Argentina) | 60 |
| Vancouver (Canada) | 82 |
| Cordoba (Argentina) | 61 |
| Toronto (Canada) | 81 |
Useful Information
Visas
Entry requirements for Peru differ and depend on the country you are coming from. Australians, as well as most countries, do not need a visa to enter Peru if they come as a tourist, but the passport should be valid for at least six months.
Currency
The official currency in Peru is the Nuevo sol. You can use ATMs that are available in most places and credit cards are accepted. It is very hard to change money other than Euros and US-Dollars in Lima. You should be aware of your security when using ATMs on the street.
Weather
The weather in Peru differs from place to place, but the winter lasts from June to September and it is followed by heavy rain. However, the tropical climate in Lima makes that it hardly ever rains. In the summer, the weather is beautiful, very warm and sunny.
Airports
Jorge Chavez International Airport has regular international flights and it is the busiest international airport in Peru. The airport is located in Callao, which is 11 kilometers away from Lima.
Travel Insurance
A travel insurance policy is necessary when coming to Peru and it should cover not only medical problems but also theft which might happen to anyone in Lima.
Lima Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 26 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 24 |
| Low °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| High °F | 79 | 81 | 81 | 75 | 72 | 68 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 68 | 72 | 75 |
| Low °F | 66 | 68 | 68 | 64 | 61 | 61 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 61 | 64 |
Peru - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Arequipa | 32 |
| Ayacucho | 44 |
| Cusco | 52 |
| Iquitos | 71 |
| Lima | 53 |
Awesome time
Lima is the beat, so much fun, but yes you need to be careful!
Tourists area only
Be safe stick to tourists route then should be fine
Lima can be a great experience
Lima is a beautiful place and it’s not as unsafe as some people make it out to be. Not the safest city that’s for sure but if you know what to do and not to do, you will enjoy it. Sure there can be instances where pickpockets occur and you do need to be careful for those. It just goes with the territory in every major city, in most countries, no? Someone did try to steal from me and I noticed, looked him in the eye and was ready to defend myself when he just started running in the crowd. Where there’s a bigger crowd or a crowded area there will be pickpockets. Make sure they can’t get your phone, wallet, bag, etc.
“Taxi drivers have also been known to participate in robberies and express kidnappings.” – this right here is a problem. It doesn’t happen often but it can happen. I’ve heard of someone (a taxi driver) being arrested for doing this so I know it’s happening. Only use taxis from known companies. I recommend Green Taxi. And keep your eyes peeled for trouble. If your gut tells you there’s something not ok going on, ask for the taxi to stop and take another one.
If you stray from tourist routes or go on dark alleys you are asking for trouble. Muggings, rapes and other violent crimes can happen here so just stay away from bad parts of town and don’t travel alone, at night in those areas. Also be very careful near ATMs. Card skimming can happen. Just make sure no one can see your pin number.
Again, if I was to give you one advice it would be to stay within the tourist routes. This will help you avoid most problems. Use reputed services for hotels, taxis and don’t go out alone at night. And enjoy Lima, it has a lot to offer.
Relatively boring place. Solo female, I heard a lot about crime, ESPECIALLY taxi kidnappings so I was scared to death taking a 3am taxi to the airport (no uber?). I spoke in Spanish and when they ask why my Spanish is so good I say in Spanish that i’ve been studying it in Mexico for the past 2 years. In other words, I’M NOT A RICH U.S. BASED TOURIST–DONT ROB ME! If your Spanish is convincing enough try it! It’s never failed me… (Except for Colombia lol)