Inca Trail, Machu Picchu Tours, Peru Tours

Dangers & annoyances

While most travelers will experience few problems in Cuzco, it’s a fact that more tourists are robbed here than in any other Peruvian city. Take special care going to and from the train stations and central market, as these are prime areas for pickpockets and bag slashers.

Ruthless robberies in taxis have been on the rise. When taking cabs, use only official taxis – look for the company’s lit telephone number on top of the taxi. Lock your doors from the inside, and never allow the driver to admit a second passenger.

Avoid walking by yourself late at night or very early in the morning. Revelers returning late from bars or setting off for the Inca Trail before sunrise are particularly vulnerable to ‘choke and grab’ attacks.

Don’t buy drugs. Dealers and police often work together, and Procuradores is one of several areas in which you can make a drug deal and get busted all within a couple of minutes. Women especially should try not to let go of their glass or accept drinks from strangers; spiking drinks with drugs has been frequently reported.

Take care not to overexert yourself during your first few days if you’ve flown in from lower elevations, such as Lima. You may find yourself quickly becoming winded while traipsing up and down Cuzco’s narrow streets. A few luxury hotels offer in-room oxygen supplements, which may ease some of the headaches and insomnia that are common ailments at high elevations.

Money & costs
Many banks on Av El Sol and shops around the Plaza de Armas have foreign-card-friendly ATMs, as do the airport and the main bus terminal. Casas de cambio (foreign-exchange bureaus) give varying exchange rates and are scattered around the main plazas and along Av El Sol. Moneychangers can be found outside banks, but their rates aren’t much better than "casas de cambio" and rip-offs are common.

BCP (Av El Sol 189) Has a Visa ATM, gives cash advances on Visa, and changes US dollars and traveler’s checks.
Interbank (Av El Sol 380) 24-hour global ATM machines accept American Express, Cirrus, MasterCard, Plus, Visa etc.
LAC Dolar (25 7969; Av El Sol 150; 9am-8pm Mon-Sat) Reliable casa de cambio that has fair rates and changes traveler’s checks into nuevos soles for no commission.