Recommended
- Yellow fever (mandatory for Amazon)
- Hepatitis A
- Typhoid
- Malaria prophylaxis for Amazon
Notes
- Altitude considerations for Cusco (3,400 m) and Sacred Valley acclimatisation.
Practical guidance
When to book the clinic
Book a travel-health clinic appointment 6 to 8 weeks before departure for Peru. Several recommended vaccines (Hepatitis A and B, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies pre-exposure) need a multi-dose schedule that does not compress; the full course can take 4 to 6 weeks. Yellow fever specifically takes 10 days to confer immunity and certificates are only valid 10 days after the shot, so this one is non-negotiable on timing.
Yellow fever specifics for Peru
Yellow fever proof is required only if you have transited or stayed in a yellow-fever-endemic country in the 6 days before arriving in Peru. If your itinerary is direct from a non-endemic country, no certificate needed; if you are routing via Brazil, sub-Saharan Africa, or northern South America, carry the ICVP.
What “recommended” actually means
The 4 recommended vaccines above are the CDC and WHO guidance for typical travellers to Peru. They’re not mandatory at the border; they protect against the diseases endemic to the region. Routine immunisations (MMR, dTaP, polio, COVID-19, annual flu) should already be current regardless of destination. Hepatitis A is the single highest-value travel vaccine for most destinations, transmitted through contaminated food and water, and worth getting even if you only plan to eat in established restaurants.
Cost and where to get them
UK NHS travel clinic is free for routine vaccines, charged at cost for travel-specific ones (yellow fever, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies). US travellers should expect $100 to $300 per dose at a travel clinic; many are not covered by standard health insurance. Cheaper option in some destinations: get yellow fever locally at a government clinic on arrival ($20 to $50 in most South American and African capitals) if your itinerary allows the 10-day window before your next entry. Always ask for the official yellow ICVP booklet, not a generic clinic slip.
Related for Peru
More on Peru
Peru is broadly safe for travellers on the standard tourist circuit (Lima coastal districts, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, the Inca and Salkantay treks, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno and Lake Titicaca, the northern beaches, the Amazon at Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado) and uniformly listed at the standard tier of caution by every major foreign ministry, with partial-area warnings for the VRAEM coca-trafficking region and certain border zones. The structural risks are concentrated and addressable: Cusco-altitude acclimatisation (3,400 m, higher than Machu Picchu itself), the Lima petty-crime baseline and express-kidnap pattern, periodic political demonstrations that paralysed Cusco and Puno through 2023 and 2024, the Inca Trail permit logistics that need months of lead time, gastric and altitude considerations, and rabies and yellow fever exposure on Amazon itineraries. This guide unpacks the entry mechanics, the regional risk map, the altitude logic, the political-demonstration calendar context, the Machu Picchu access mechanics, and the practical contacts that shape a Peruvian itinerary.
Frequently asked about Peru
What vaccinations do I need for Peru?
Recommended vaccines for typical travellers to Peru: Yellow fever (mandatory for Amazon), Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria prophylaxis for Amazon. Yellow fever is required if arriving from a country with yellow-fever transmission. Routine immunisations (MMR, dTaP, polio, COVID-19, flu) should be current regardless of destination. Verify with a travel-health clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure.
Is yellow fever vaccination required for Peru?
Only if you have transited or stayed in a yellow-fever-endemic country in the 6 days before arriving in Peru. If your itinerary is direct from a non-endemic country, no certificate is needed.
When should I get my travel vaccinations for Peru?
Book a travel-health clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure. Several recommended vaccines (Hepatitis A and B, Japanese Encephalitis, rabies pre-exposure) need a multi-dose schedule that does not compress; the full course can take 4 to 6 weeks. Yellow fever specifically takes 10 days to confer immunity and certificates are only valid after that window.