Is Peru safe for tourists right now?

The US rates Peru at Level 2, exercise increased caution, and Canada and Australia ask travellers to exercise a high degree of caution. All four governments we checked keep their strongest warnings for the VRAEM valleys and the Colombian border area. The US says Cusco, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are not in the affected area.

Is Machu Picchu safe to visit?

The US advisory says the City of Cusco and the sites nearby, including the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, are outside the areas it rates Level 4. The practical risks there are altitude in Cusco and disruption to the trains: protests can close the line, and on 2 October 2026 two trains collided near km 93, according to the US Embassy.

Lima needs care. Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency in Lima and Callao on 28 August 2026 to fight crime, and the UK warns that armed robberies of tourists happen in Miraflores and Barranco. The four governments advise using taxis booked by app or phone and never hailing one in the street, and the US notes that the risk of crime increases at night.

Is Peru Safe? What 4 Governments Say, Region by Region

Is Peru safe? For the route most travellers take, from Lima to Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, none of the four governments we checked advises against travel. The United States rates Peru at Level 2, exercise increased caution. Their strongest warnings are for areas that tourist routes do not cross, and the real risks on the usual route are crime in the cities, unofficial taxis, protests that close roads and trains, night buses and the altitude.

This guide sets out what the US, UK, Canadian and Australian governments say, with the date of each page, because this kind of advice changes. We read them on 20 October 2026 and will update this page when they change.

What four governments say, side by side

Government	Strongest warning	Updated
United States, Level 2	Do not travel: VRAEM, Colombian border, 4 cities	20 Aug 2026
United Kingdom, no levels	All but essential: VRAEM, Colombian border	9 Oct 2026
Canada, high caution	Avoid all travel: VRAEM	15 Oct 2026
Australia, high caution	Reconsider: VRAEM, both borders	2 Oct 2026

The four cities in the US list are Abancay, Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Huancayo; the borders in the Australian list are those with Colombia and Ecuador. Canada and Australia phrase their overall advice as “exercise a high degree of caution”, and the US Level 2 reads “exercise increased caution”.

The VRAEM is the valley system of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers, in the interior. The US advisory is explicit that the City of Cusco and the tourist sites near it, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, are not in the affected area. One detail matters for route planning: the inland road between Cusco and the coast passes through Abancay, which the US now rates Level 4.

Is Lima safe?

Lima is where the advice is most specific. Peru declared a state of emergency in Lima and Callao for 60 days on 28 August 2026, to fight crime, according to El Peruano, the official gazette. Canada notes a marked increase in violent crime in the province of Lima, and the UK warns that armed robberies of tourists happen in tourist districts such as Miraflores and Barranco.

The advice on taxis is the same in all four: do not hail one in the street. The UK recommends licensed taxis booked by phone or app, and at the airport the official companies with desks just outside the baggage hall. Canada warns that criminals posing as taxi drivers rob tourists on the way to and from the main airports. Express kidnappings are described by the US as rare, and by the UK as a particular risk for people travelling alone, mostly at night. For how we plan the days in the city itself, see our guide to the things to do in Lima.

Cusco, Machu Picchu and the trains

Cusco and the Sacred Valley are outside every area the four governments single out. What can affect a trip there is the railway. Protests in Peru can shut roads, trains and highways, as the US and the UK both note, and on 2 October 2026 a PeruRail train and an Inca Rail train collided near Pampacahua, at km 93 of the line, according to a security alert from the US Embassy. For the ways to reach the citadel, see our guide on how to get to Machu Picchu.

Roads, buses and light aircraft

The UK says bus crashes are common, especially at night, and advises avoiding overnight travel where possible, above all in mountain and remote areas.

Over the Nazca Lines, a light aircraft crashed on 1 August 2026 and the investigation has not yet published its findings. Our trip to Nazca Lines guide sets out what the authorities have said and the two viewpoints on the ground.

Health: altitude first

On the usual route the main health risk is altitude, not crime. Australia and Canada both warn of altitude sickness above 2,500 m, and Cusco, Puno and the Colca are all above that. The US advises its citizens not to use coca products, such as coca tea or sweets, which are often offered for altitude. Our South America altitude guide has the height of every stop and the order that helps. If your trip includes the jungle, the Amazon rainforest in Peru guide covers the vaccine and malaria advice.

Useful contacts

Canada lists Peru’s tourist police on WhatsApp at +51 980 122 335, the police at 105 and medical assistance and the fire service at 116. Peru’s tourist information service, iPerú, also takes calls from travellers.

Is Peru safe to visit, then?

For a planned trip on the main route, none of the four governments advises against going. What they ask for is care: booked taxis, daytime road travel, an eye on protests before train days, and time to acclimatise. For where to go, see our guide to the best places to visit in Peru, and for the trips we run, our Peru tours.