The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently have no advisories against travelling to Peru, but have acknowledged the protests can impact travel and be dangerous. They have stated travellers should take particular care to avoid all areas of protests and monitor local and social media.
Martin Johnson, co-founder of specialist tour operator Latin Routes, said they are monitoring the situation carefully. “Despite the protests, it has been possible for many clients to continue their travels in Peru. Because the protests are normally in particular locations, scheduled in advance and any closure of key sites has tended to only be on a cautionary level, and for a short period of time.”
“For upcoming departures in February, we are talking to clients about any potential implications to their travels and offering a free of charge option to defer their trips, particularly where we feel there will be a significant impact to their plans."
He added: “Despite this, a number of clients are still choosing to travel and take advantage of seeing Peru’s amazing sites, at this much quieter time of year.”
With prime time for Peru bookings approaching, Martin said enquires are anticipated to decline to around 25% compared to normal volumes.
When will Machu Picchu reopen?
It’s difficult to predict when Machu Picchu will reopen. Travel company Amazonas Explorer have said in a post on their website: “It does not mean that Machu Picchu is going to be closed for months. The most recent indefinite closure was in December with the start of the protests. This lasted for just one week before everything was running smoothly again.”
Peru’s government has announced that if visitors cannot use their entry tickets to Machu Picchu on their chosen date of travel, the ticket will still be valid for up to one month after travel resumes. Those who booked with tour operators can also apply for a refund for the ticket on behalf of the traveller, although it may take a little while to process.