Travel vaccinations for Peru
A popular destination for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, where altitude sickness is often as important to plan for as vaccinations.
Peru's altitude - Cusco sits around 3,400m - makes altitude sickness a genuine consideration for most visitors, alongside routine travel vaccines.
Amazon basin extensions bring yellow fever into the conversation, because UK guidance recommends vaccination for the lowland regions below 2,300m, while malaria there is low risk and rarely needs tablets.
Assessed individually
Vaccines commonly discussed for Peru
- TyphoidMost travellers. Widely recommendedFull course £50
- Hepatitis A and B combinedMost travellers. Widely recommendedFull course £195
- RabiesSome travellers. Considered for trekking or Amazon travelFull course £240
- Diphtheria, tetanus and polioEveryone - check you are up to date. Booster if it's been over 10 yearsFull course £50
- Yellow feverSome travellers. Recommended for some areas - see yellow fever belowFull course £80
No vaccine for this
Malaria in Peru
Low risk in the Amazon basin, especially Loreto, and in rural areas below 2,000m, where bite avoidance is advised. No risk in Lima, on the coast south of Chiclayo, or at altitude in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Antimalarial tablets are only considered in exceptional circumstances.
Antimalarial tablets and pricesRecommended for some areas
Yellow fever
There is no certificate requirement for entry to Peru. Vaccination is recommended for travellers aged 9 months and older visiting areas below 2,300m, including the Amazon regions of Loreto, Madre de Dios, Amazonas, San Martín and Ucayali and the lowland parts of the Cusco and Puno regions. It is not recommended for Lima, Cusco city, Puno city, Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail or anywhere above 2,300m. Peru reported 49 cases and 19 deaths in 2025 and further cases in Madre de Dios in March 2026.
Yellow fever certificates and exemptionsBeyond the jabs
Before you go
- Altitude sickness prevention around Cusco and the Inca Trail
- Mosquito bite prevention for Amazon extensions; antimalarial tablets are rarely needed
- Food and water hygiene
- Sun protection at altitude
- Entry requirements
- UK passport holders can generally visit visa-free for short tourist stays; check current rules.
- When to go
- May to September (dry season) is popular for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
Common questions
Travelling to Peru
How do I prepare for altitude at Machu Picchu?
Allowing time to acclimatise in Cusco before trekking, staying hydrated and ascending gradually all help. Your pharmacist can talk through symptoms to watch for and options that may help with acclimatisation.
