U.S. warns travelers to ‘exercise increased caution’ at popular South American vacation spot

If you’re planning a trip to Peru anytime soon, you might want to take some extra precautions before you go.

The U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory to Peru, advising travelers to take extra precautions due to crime, civil unrest and kidnapping risks.

Here’s what you need to know if you plan on traveling to Peru.

What does the latest travel advisory for Peru mean for you?

The agency gave a “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” advisory to Peru because of crime, civil unrest and kidnapping risks.

While popular tourist sites, such as Cusco and Machu Picchu, are not at increased risk, there are some areas people should not travel, including:

• the Colombia-Peruvian border area in the Loreto Region due to crime
• the Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM), which includes Vilcabamba, due to crime and terrorist threats
• some areas within the regions of Ayacucho, Cusco (on the outskirts of the city), Huancavelica, and Junín, due to crime and terrorist threats

The advisory states that crime is common in the country and includes everything from “petty theft, carjackings, muggings, assaults and other violent crimes.”

Most crimes take place at night. Also, while kidnapping is rare, it does occur.

What is the highest travel advisory?

There are four levels of travel advisory, Level 1 through Level 4. This travel advisory for the Philippines is a Level 2 concern for the entire area, and Level 4 for at least two islands.

When planning a vacation, you should check the current travel advisory for that destination. So, which level is the most concerning?

• Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions – This is the lowest level of advisory; it is advised that there is some risk in that area, and travelers should take precautions while on their visit.
• Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution – There is a heightened risk for safety and security in that area, and travelers need to take extra caution.
• Level 3: Reconsider Travel – There are serious risks to safety, and travelers are advised to reconsider their travel plans to this destination.
• Level 4: Do Not Travel – This is the highest level of advisory, and it is strongly recommended not to travel to any destinations with a Level 4 advisory, due to many factors, one of which is that the U.S. government might not be able to provide travelers any assistance in the event of an emergency.

What should travelers to Peru do in light of this travel advisory?

The U.S. State Department warns travelers who are planning to travel to Peru to do the following:

• be aware of their surroundings
• monitor local media
• avoid demonstrations and large crowds
• develop a communication plan with family, employers or host organizations depending on the reason for travel if they plan on traveling to high-risk areas
• buy travel insurance before going to Peru

The State Department also cautions that travelers should not use Ayahuasca and Kambo due to their known dangers, including serious illness, potential death, robbery and injury while under the influence.

One of the suggestions from the State Department is to get travel insurance before traveling to a country with a high-level travel advisory. The State Department recommends medical evacuation insurance, travel health insurance and trip cancellation insurance.

The State Department also suggests enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency and prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations using the Traveler’s Checklist.

You can find out more about the travel advisory to Peru on the State Department website.

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Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.