All You Need to Know About Driving in Peru

Peruvians are some of the kindest, most helpful and courteous people I’ve met during my travels. Until you put them in the driver’s seat. Then they turn into aggressive, angry, idiotic monsters. Especially in Lima.  

As is the norm for our travels, we rented a car right at the airport upon arrival in Peru (in Lima). After a long flight from Europe and 2 hours (!) of waiting for our luggage at the most frustrating airport on the planet, we headed to the car rental place only to be told that our car isn’t available. Another half an hour of back and forth later, we were driving in crazy-ass Lima in the biggest SUV known to mankind. By the time we got to our hotel in Lima, my blood pressure was up and I was ready for a pisco sour.  

I could just end this article here, because that basically sums up our experience of driving in Peru.

But I'll go into detail: Let's talk about what it's really like to drive in Peru as a tourist, if it's a good idea to rent a car in Peru, and what the rules of the road are if you decide to take the plunge. And road conditions? Well, they range from good to oh-no-did-we-just-lose-a-wheel?! We'll talk about that too. And look out for the FAQs at the end for a little lightning round of practical information about how to drive in Peru.

You might also be interested in reading:

• The Best 3-Day Cusco Itinerary with Sacred Valley Day Trip
• A 2-Week Peru Itinerary: A Day-By-Day Trip Plan
• Top 14 Handpicked Luxury Hotels in Peru (With Prices)
• The 10 Best Ruins to Visit in Peru
• Top 9 Places to See in Sacred Valley

 

Peru is probably the only country in the world where I think it could work out better to just use taxis instead of renting a car. From a financial and mental health perspective. Alas, once you leave Lima, it does get better, so I’ll keep going.  

1. Is driving in Peru safe?

Driving in Peru can be safe if you take proper precautions and know what to expect. I wouldn't drive in Lima or Arequipa if you're a novice driver. While road conditions vary wildly, major highways are generally well-maintained. Be cautious of aggressive driving behaviors, and always be alert for unexpected obstacles like animals or pedestrians on the road. The one place I didn't feel safe was driving in Lima, outside of the big cities was much easier. Not only are Peruvians angry drivers, they aren’t even tolerant of their own driving culture and get angry at others being angry drivers! It’s just a whole lotta stress on the roads in Peru!  Oh, the joys of travel! 

Imagine a crowded bumper car arena and whoever gets to their destination first wins a million dollars—that’s how it feels to be driving in Lima, with Arequipa in a close second.

Tip: Arequipa is absolutely a fantastic destination, so don’t take it off your itinerary just because I mentioned it here. Read about everything to do in Arequipa here. 

Lima is a fantastic place for your stay, but not really for driving

In Lima, it’s like they leave their IQ at home, hop into a car and drive like maniacs. And once they step out of the car, everyone is lovely again. Everybody has a car with so many scratches and dents they don’t even care anymore, and honking seems like the way to communicate everything from “watch out, I’m here” to “get out of my way you &^%#@!”.  

A safety tip: Don’t park your car just anywhere, there are plenty of paid parking lots that are monitored. Better to be safe than sorry. It’s not expensive, either, with parking prices around s/10–15 per day. Most hotels in Peru will also have secure parking lots for free.  

It looks like a peaceful place to drive, but it’s just a trick! Driving in Arequipa is almost as bad as in Lima  

2. The rules of the road in Peru

The basic rules of the road in Peru are the same as everywhere else in the world. It’s the lack of following them that is the problem. If you follow the rules, like staying within your lane, driving at the speed limit, and not cutting in front of others from the right, you literally won’t get to where you need to go. So you, too, have to drive like an idiot in Peru. Here are some basic rules for driving in Peru:

• The largest and loudest have the right of way. Not that they’re asking or waiting to see if you understand that’s the case. 
• The speed limit is only for tourists and babies. Even though driving in Peru is easier away from the big cities, drivers still don’t use common sense or courtesy. You will be left in a cloud of dust even by trucks that look like they aren’t road-worthy on many occasions. 
• On roundabouts, the right of way goes to those entering the roundabout, not those already driving on it. 
• You drive on the right side of the road in Peru. 

If you're planning on driving in Lima, you'll need to adapt very fast to another set of rules that make no sense anywhere else in the world. Read below!

Speed limits are only for babies and tourists

3. Driving in Lima: Survival of the fittest

In Lima specifically, you’ll need to adapt to the unwritten rules of the road. Here’s what I learned during my time there, which was only a few days, but every minute spent driving in Lima feels like an hour, so you have to learn fast. The rules for driving in Lima as a tourist are: 

• A red light means stop (thank god at least that still works), but yellow is by no means meant to make you slow down. Instead, put the pedal to the metal or get hit from the back by everyone else arriving at the intersection.  
• That said, remember those in the other directions are practicing the same principle, so don’t go as soon as the light turns green. There will always be at least a few extra cars that still managed (or so they thought) to get through on their yellow.  
• The bigger car has the right of way always. An old, beat up car also has the right of way. Get an old, big car.  
• If you need to turn, don’t wait behind everyone already waiting. Just push your way towards the front, and remember there’s always room for one more lane.   
• Turn signals are a great way to let all the crazies behind you know what you are planning and they will take advantage of you. Never show your cards.   
• Honk. Honk if you want to turn, honk if you don’t want to turn, honk if there’s a pedestrian trying to cross the road, honk if you’re about to go on a green light.  
• Learn a few curse words in Spanish, you’ll put them to practice many times, emblazing them into your brain forever. Mierda is a classic that will fly right out of your frustrated mouth easy enough.  

Our top tips for driving in Peru: 

• Don’t pre-pay your rental. They’re all scammers, so you’ll want to hold onto your money until you see what you’re getting for it. 
• Forget international rental companies. The name might sound like the real thing, but the service is almost always subpar. 
• Always have change on you for tolls. They don’t take cards. We found out the hard way. 
• Don’t drive. Use taxis instead. You might save your sanity and some money while you’re at it. 

4. Renting a car in Peru

We rented a car at 4 rental companies in Peru and in almost every one of them the vehicle we had booked wasn’t available upon pickup. It seems to be a common rip-off tactic, so stand your ground. They try to sell you a more expensive car, obviously, or give you a lesser car instead of the expensive one you already paid for.  

For this reason I’d suggest never pre-paying and always waiting to pay until you actually get to the counter. It’s easier to scam someone if you’re already holding their money hostage.   

Driving in Peru can be a nightmare, but outside of the big cities, renting a car gives you the freedom to explore and stop at incredible viewpoints on your own time

The rental companies we used were mostly well-known international brand, but in Peru, I’d go against my own advice next time and use local companies based on online reviews. The international chains are just franchises and have nothing but the name in common with their parent company.  

The one rental company that we were very happy with was Alkila Rent a Car in Arequipa and Cusco. They were professional and accommodating, no scams. If you’re going to Peru and looking for a good place to rent a car, these guys are it. 

A 4x4 is the best option, because you will be driving on dirt roads a lot. That said, it’s not like you’re going on the Dakar Rallye, so no need for monster trucks. We went a little overboard in Paracas—totally not necessary to have a big truck, but fun!  

(We also stayed in the fabulous DoubleTree Resort by Hilton in Paracas and had the best time there, which might’ve added to our excitement about Paracas National Reserve—you have to go there!)

We had rented a SUV for our Paracas trip 
 

An SUV or other AWD costs USD 50–70 per day. But wait!  

Take out not only mandatory insurance but collision damage insurance as well, because you’re bound to get a nick or scratch at one point or another. In driving conditions like these, the added peace of mind is a no-brainer. It’s not a no-money-er though, and the extra insurance can come to almost as much as the actual rental rate. Per day!  

Renting a car in Peru isn’t cheap.  

5. Road conditions in Peru

Outside of the big cities, the driving in Peru is fine—compared to Lima, at least—aside from the road quality. There are frequent potholes in the road, and dirt roads are the norm in the countryside. And not just in faraway places, but also in tourist destinations like Sacred Valley. The turnoff to the “road” up the mountain before the popular Rainbow Mountain trek will leave you wondering where you’re GPS got it wrong. But no, you really are expected to drive on that for the next two hours.  

The cities are full of speed bumps. They don’t have any effect on the speed of the traffic and are just annoying.  

Roads are used not only by drivers 

6. Highways and police checkpoints in Peru

Most of the highways in Peru are toll roads. Don’t be like us thinking you can pay for your toll using a credit card. Cash only.  

And they don’t just usher you through so you don’t hold up traffic. A police man actually forced the 10 cars lined up behind us to back up, letting us turn around and then drive in the wrong direction back down the highway to the nearest ATM.  

You’ll be stopped at police check points often. In 90% of cases they just wave you through when they see your beautiful face. If you are stopped, they take a minute or so to check all of your documents and then scan for drugs or whatever. They never gave us any trouble, like asking for bribes. If they don’t like your face, you’ll be pulled way over and get to be checked more thoroughly. Yay!  

The Pan American Highway in Peru

7. Gas stations and prices in Peru

Prices of gas in Peru will not hurt your wallet even if you have oversized 4x4
 

Treat gas stations on the highways and between big cities in Peru as little fuel oases. Always stop and top up even if you think you don’t need to yet. Sometimes there are gas stations on every corner and then nothing for 150 km. The distances in Peru are huge, so keep your eye on your fuel gauge. You don’t want to run out of gas in the boonies.  

At gas stations, there will always be an attendant putting the gas in for you. Make sure to tip them. They’ll usually thank you by washing your windows or checking your tire pressure.  

One positive thing is that pumping your oversized 4x4 full of gas won’t hurt your wallet—a liter of gas in Peru costs USD 1!  

8. Taxis in Peru

Taxis can save your mental health

Since the driving conditions are so shady and rental prices are high, you really should consider using taxis in Peru. They are cheap, easy to come by, and you won’t have a panic attack three times a day navigating the roads in Lima on your own.  

Taxi drivers even turn on the taxi meter if you ask them to! But realistically, it’s better to talk about the price beforehand or just go for the easiest option and use a taxi app.  

Cabify is available in Peru’s bigger cities. Just know that when choosing your vehicle category, premium is the only way to go. Normal will get you a pile of junk, luxury is the same pile of junk but it has possibly been washed in the last month, and premium will get you an ok car with working seat belts, something the other categories can only dream of.  

A few price examples: a taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, something you will need on your way to Machu Picchu, will cost you USD 30–40. A taxi from Lima airport to Miraflores is USD 25, which is kind of a lot, but that’s to be expected since it’s an airport route. Within the city itself you won’t pay more than USD 4 to drive between the districts.  

 

And now, it's a round of frequently asked questions! Because it seems driving in Peru is a hot topic and you can never be over-prepared for what awaits on the roads. 

FAQ 1: Is Peru left or right-hand drive?

Peru is a right-hand drive country, which means you'll be driving on the right side of the road. This is similar to the driving style in the United States and most of Europe. Remember to yield to oncoming traffic when making left turns and always be cautious of other drivers, as driving styles can be aggressive. Read my driving rules above... seriously, read them.

FAQ 2: Can I drive to Machu Picchu?

Nope, you can’t drive directly to Machu Picchu. The closest you can get by car is the town of Ollantaytambo. From there, you'll need to take a train or embark on a trek to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Driving to the site itself is not possible due to its remote and rugged location in the Andes. I have an entire article about getting to Machu Picchu and a ton of other practical information. 

FAQ 3: What is the quality of the roads in Peru? 

Road quality in Peru varies widely. Major highways and roads in urban areas are generally well-maintained and paved. However, rural and mountain roads can be rough, with potholes, narrow passes, and unpaved sections. During the rainy season, these conditions can worsen, so it's essential to drive with caution and be ready for anything.

FAQ 4: How to pay tolls in Peru?

You pay tolls at toll booths located along major highways, in cash! It’s a good idea to carry local currency (Peruvian Soles) with you, as we learned the hard way. Some toll booths may accept credit cards, but it's not guaranteed. Keep small bills and change handy to make the process smoother and quicker. 

FAQ 5: Can you self-drive in Peru?

Absolutely, you can self-drive in Peru, and it's a fantastic way to explore the country at your own pace. Make sure you're prepared for the unique driving conditions, such as varying road quality and aggressive local driving habits and rules that make no sense if you have common sense. Have all necessary documents, including a valid driver's license and insurance, and consider renting a reliable vehicle from a reputable agency for the best experience.

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