Safest cities in Peru
23 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
US 2/4 Exercise increased cautionUK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of this country
Areas the UK FCDO advises against visiting
- Within 20km south of the Peru-Colombia border
- Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM)
- the Amazon River
- the area of the triple border with Brazil and Colombia from and including the towns of Caballococha in Peru up to the actual triple border at Santa Rosa de Yavari town
In full or in part — the official advisory lists exact boundaries and exceptions.
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in PeruTerrorist attacks in Peru cannot be ruled out.
Political situation
- Political protests in Peru are unpredictable and can escalate quickly. Demonstrations can become violent and lead to roadblocks, travel disruption, including trains, and suspension of immigration services at land borders. This is often without notice or notification of estimated re-opening timelines.
Crime
- Organised crimeThere is a higher risk to your safety in areas where there is serious organised crime linked to drug production. This includes the border areas with Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil and the Valley of Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers (VRAEM). Remnants of the Shining Path guerrilla group are still active in some of the main coca growing areas in central…
- Street crimeStreet crime, including muggings and thefts, is a significant problem in Lima, Cusco, Arequipa and other major cities. Be alert in public places and when withdrawing cash from ATMs.
- Protecting your belongingsPetty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching, is common, so:
- Fake taxi driversThere is a risk of robbery by criminals posing as taxi drivers, especially at Jorge Chavez International Airport and bus terminals. Fake taxi drivers and thieves pretending to be tour operators sometimes approach arriving passengers. To reduce your risk:
- Kidnappings and hold-upsTourists, especially those travelling alone, are at risk of ‘express kidnapping’. Victims are taken hostage and forced to withdraw money from ATMs for their release, usually at night. Incidents often involve armed criminals posing as taxi drivers, or taxi drivers working for organised gangs. Armed robbers sometimes hold up provincial and…
- Sexual assaultPersonal attacks, including sexual assaults, are infrequent but do happen, mostly in the Cusco and Arequipa areas. Unscrupulous tour agents have targeted young females, travelling alone in the Cusco area. You should:
- Methanol poisoningThere have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in Peru.
- Money scamsCounterfeit US and Peruvian banknotes are in circulation. There have been reports of street money changers in Cusco tourist areas fraudulently using Peruvian intis (former currency now out of circulation).
Laws and cultural differences
- Personal IDAlways carry ID with you. The Peruvian police may ask to see ID; if you do not have it with you, you may be required to go to the nearest police station.
- Illegal drugs and prison sentencesIllegal drug use and drug trafficking in Peru carry lengthy jail sentences. Prison conditions in Peru are extremely poor and the British Embassy cannot intervene in police or judicial matters, or secure more favourable conditions.
- Military photographyDo not take photographs of anything of a military nature, it is illegal and you could face a prison sentence of two to five years.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is legal in Peru, but social attitudes are generally conservative. Crimes against the LGBT+ community are not included in hate crime legislation and same-sex partnerships are not formally recognised.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Unregulated tour servicesMake sure that agencies providing adventure activities like zipline, canopy tours, bungee jumping, paragliding, kayaking, rock climbing, sand buggies and surfing have a licence. You should also check their health and safety precautions. For updated information on tour and sport services, contact the iPeru information service.
- Hiking and mountaineeringPeru’s highest peaks are in the Cordillera Blanca Mountains. Several hikers have died and others had to be rescued after serious accidents. Much of the region is inaccessible by helicopter so rescues are usually carried out on foot. Contact the iPeru information service in Huaraz – phone: 0051 (43) 428 812 – before you set off.
- Sand buggiesThere have been deaths and accidents involving recreational sand buggies, particularly in the sand dunes around Ica and Lake Huacachina. These buggies are unregulated, and the drivers and agencies take no responsibility for the welfare of passengers.
- SurfingThere are unauthorised surfboard rentals at the beaches of Miraflores. There may not be lifeguards on beaches.
- River rafting and Amazon riverboat cruisesFor more information or to check the credentials of rafting and cruise operators, contact iPeru information service.
- Spiritual cleansingShamans and other people offer ‘spiritual cleansing’ (Ayahuasca or San Pedro) to tourists in the Amazon area, northern Peru and Cusco. This often involves drinking a brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic drug that is a Class A substance in the UK. This brew is not regulated and its effect on existing medical conditions is not…
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Peru, see information on driving abroad.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- Rainy seasonThe rainy season in Peru runs from November to May. There is heavy rain and snow in northern Peru, the Andes, including Cusco, and other parts of the country.
- EarthquakesPeru is in an active earthquake zone and there are frequent tremors.
- Volcanic eruptionsIf you are planning to visit areas of known volcanic activity, listen to all warnings and follow the advice of the local authorities.
- Tsunamis and high tidesAlthough tsunamis are rare in Peru, higher tides often happen either after an earthquake or for other reasons throughout the year. See the Peruvian Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (in Spanish) for information.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Peru, updated 2026-06-22 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 8.6 /100k2021
- Income inequality
- Gini 40.12024
- Human development
- HDI 0.7942023
- Income
- $17,540/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 13.6 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 55/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 48/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 30/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 4.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.70GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 31.1 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 49%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 1.7 doctors /1k1.6 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 3 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 9.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Tsunami
- 9.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 6.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 3.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Peru (as of 2025).
How Peru compares
| Measure | Peru | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 8.6 /100k | 2.4 /100k | +6.2 /100k — better for World median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 40.1 | 35.2 | +4.9 — better for World median |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.794 | 0.763 | +0.031 — better for Peru |
| Road deaths | 13.6 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −1.8 /100k — better for Peru |
| Rule of law | 48/100 | 52/100 | −4/100 — better for World median |
| Corruption perceptions | 30/100 | 39/100 | −9/100 — better for World median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 31.1 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +11.4 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.9/10 | 3.8/10 | +1.1/10 — better for World median |
| Measure | Peru | South America median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 8.6 /100k | 11 /100k | −2.7 /100k — better for Peru |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 40.1 | 44.2 | −4.1 — better for Peru |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.794 | 0.777 | +0.017 — better for Peru |
| Road deaths | 13.6 /100k | 16.0 /100k | −2.4 /100k — better for Peru |
| Rule of law | 48/100 | 49/100 | −1/100 — better for South America median |
| Corruption perceptions | 30/100 | 36/100 | −6/100 — better for South America median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 31.1 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | +14.2 µg/m³ — better for South America median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 4.9/10 | 4.0/10 | +0.9/10 — better for South America median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 23 cities, safest first
- Cusco74.8 · #2827 worldwide
- Chiclayo72.6 · #3105 worldwide
- Huancayo68.3 · #3596 worldwide
- Arequipa68.3 · #3619 worldwide
- Ica64.9 · #3986 worldwide
- Piura64.5 · #4028 worldwide
- Tacna64.5 · #4029 worldwide
- Juliaca63.5 · #4157 worldwide
- Chimbote62.9 · #4200 worldwide
- Lima61.5 · #4315 worldwide
- Caleta Sanitaria61.5 · #4316 worldwide
- Pucallpa60.4 · #4407 worldwide
- Cajamarca60.4 · #4408 worldwide
- Ayacucho60.4 · #4409 worldwide
- Sullana60.4 · #4410 worldwide
- Chincha Alta60.4 · #4411 worldwide
- Tarapoto60.4 · #4412 worldwide
- Puno60.4 · #4413 worldwide
- Huacho60.4 · #4414 worldwide
- Huaraz60.4 · #4415 worldwide
- Trujillo57.9 · #4595 worldwide
- Huánuco55.1 · #4853 worldwide
- Tumbes48.2 · #5346 worldwide