Travel information Peru for motorcycle tours

What to sort out before setting off for Peru: visa and import of your own motorcycle, SOAT insurance, Andean pass altitudes and tracks in the Amazon lowlands.

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The essentials on Peru at a glance

Updated: August 2026

Visa: Visa-free, entry stamp usually 90 days; Official maximum 183 days/year; since 2023, extension within the country is practically only for citizens of the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador)
Passport: Valid for at least 6 months from entry, at least 2 blank pages
Best season: Andes/Cusco region: May to September; Amazon lowlands: driest June to September
Currency: Peruvian Sol (PEN); cash needed nationwide, cards only in cities
Time zone: UTC-5, no daylight saving time year-round
Traffic: Right-hand traffic
Helmet & gear: Helmets compulsory for rider and passenger
Main route: Panamericana (coast) and Interoceánica Sur (Cusco-Puerto Maldonado) paved; mountain roads often narrow and winding
Fuel: Unleaded 90 and 97 octane widespread, 84 octane regionally in the Amazon lowlands (including Madre de Dios)
Intl. driving permit: International Driving Permit recognised under either the 1949 Geneva Convention or the 1968 Vienna Convention; carry it alongside your national licence

Entry

Visa and entry to Peru

German, Austrian and Swiss nationals enter visa-free - the length of stay is set at entry, not granted automatically.

Tourist entry (visa-free)

Stay: usually 90 days (stamped on entry), legal maximum 183 days/year
Cost: free
Where to apply: Border crossing / airport
Validity: until the stamped departure date

Extension of tourist status (within Peru)

Stay: since 2023 only for the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador), not for EU citizens
Cost: -
Where to apply: Migraciones
Validity: not applicable for EU citizens

Temporary import of your own motorcycle (TIP)

Stay: 10 to 90 days, tied to tourist status, not extendable without a stay extension
Cost: free
Where to apply: Customs (SUNAT) at the border crossing
Validity: until the end of the tourist stay

Visa types for Peru with length of stay, cost and where to apply
Visa type	Stay	Cost	Where to apply	Validity
Tourist entry (visa-free)	usually 90 days (stamped on entry), legal maximum 183 days/year	free	Border crossing / airport	until the stamped departure date
Extension of tourist status (within Peru)	since 2023 only for the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador), not for EU citizens	-	Migraciones	not applicable for EU citizens
Temporary import of your own motorcycle (TIP)	10 to 90 days, tied to tourist status, not extendable without a stay extension	free	Customs (SUNAT) at the border crossing	until the end of the tourist stay

Your own bike

Importing your own motorcycle

No Carnet de Passages needed - like all of South America, Peru only requires temporary import at the border, plus short-term SOAT insurance and clean vehicle papers.

Checklist for the border

Original vehicle registration document
Passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity
National driving licence plus international driving permit (1949 or 1968)
Buy short-term SOAT insurance at the border crossing and verify it online (soat.com.pe)
For a vehicle not your own: notarised, translated and apostilled power of attorney from the owner
Check that the temporary import (SUNAT) and the passport entry stamp share the same end date
Before leaving: have the vehicle checked out again with customs, or the import stays open

The motorcycle's temporary import never runs longer than your own tourist status - and since 2023 that can practically no longer be extended within Peru for EU citizens. Anyone wanting to stay longer has to leave and re-enter before both deadlines expire.

Documents

Driving licence and checkpoints

Peru recognises the International Driving Permit under both the Geneva (1949) and Vienna (1968) conventions - it doesn't replace your national licence, only supplements it.

National driving licence (original)
International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention or the 1968 Vienna Convention
Vehicle registration document
Proof of temporary import (SUNAT)
Short-term SOAT insurance certificate

Season

Best time for motorcycle tours

The Andes and the Amazon follow opposite calendars - the dry season in Cusco is not the dry season in the rainforest.

Best season: May to September (Andean dry season)

Rideability by month and region
Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Andes / Cusco region	Jan: Not rideable	Feb: Not rideable	Mar: Not rideable	Apr: Rideable, with limits	May: Best riding window	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Best riding window	Aug: Best riding window	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Rideable, with limits	Nov: Rideable, with limits	Dec: Not rideable
Amazon lowlands / rainforest (Madre de Dios)	Jan: Not rideable	Feb: Not rideable	Mar: Not rideable	Apr: Not rideable	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Best riding window	Aug: Best riding window	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Rideable, with limits	Nov: Not rideable	Dec: Not rideable

Best riding window
Rideable, with limits
Not rideable

In the Cusco region, dry and passable from May to September; in the Amazon lowlands, rainfall is lowest from June to September - the two regions run slightly out of step.

Matching departures in Peru The best window is May to September (Andean dry season). See the tours that start within it. Tours in Peru

Roads & tracks

Road conditions and mountain passes

Two very different worlds of road: paved high-mountain passes around Cusco and unpaved tracks on the way down into the Amazon lowlands.

Abra Málaga (Ollantaytambo-Santa María, Ruta 28B, Cusco region)

121 km

100 % Paved

Condition: Paved throughout, very winding, numerous hairpin bends up to the pass
After rain: Fog and black ice near the pass, occasional rockfall on the steep sections
Daily distance: 80 to 120 km (noticeably slower than map kilometres, due to curves and altitude)
Fuel: Fuel stations only in Ollantaytambo and Quillabamba, none in between
Passes & altitude: Abra Málaga 4343 m
Permits: none

Cusco - Paucartambo - Pilcopata - Atalaya (Manu access route, Amazon lowlands)

204 km

Condition: Paved for the first roughly two hours to Paucartambo, then mostly gravel and dirt through the cloud forest, washed out in places
After rain: Muddy and slippery after rain, with individual sections temporarily impassable
Daily distance: 100 to 150 km (cloud-forest curves and road condition noticeably limit the pace)
Fuel: Last guaranteed fuel station in Paucartambo, after that only scattered canister sales in villages
Passes & altitude: Tres Cruces viewpoint above Paucartambo, approx. 3700 m
Permits: none, checkpoint at Salvación at the entrance to Manu National Park

Sections with length, surface, condition and daily distance
Section	km	Surface	Condition	After rain	Daily distance	Fuel	Passes & altitude	Permits
Abra Málaga (Ollantaytambo-Santa María, Ruta 28B, Cusco region)	121	100 % Paved	Paved throughout, very winding, numerous hairpin bends up to the pass	Fog and black ice near the pass, occasional rockfall on the steep sections	80 to 120 km (noticeably slower than map kilometres, due to curves and altitude)	Fuel stations only in Ollantaytambo and Quillabamba, none in between	Abra Málaga 4343 m	none
Cusco - Paucartambo - Pilcopata - Atalaya (Manu access route, Amazon lowlands)	204	–	Paved for the first roughly two hours to Paucartambo, then mostly gravel and dirt through the cloud forest, washed out in places	Muddy and slippery after rain, with individual sections temporarily impassable	100 to 150 km (cloud-forest curves and road condition noticeably limit the pace)	Last guaranteed fuel station in Paucartambo, after that only scattered canister sales in villages	Tres Cruces viewpoint above Paucartambo, approx. 3700 m	none, checkpoint at Salvación at the entrance to Manu National Park

Fuel

Fuel and filling up in Peru

Regular petrol is available everywhere, but the octane rating changes from region to region - and in the Amazon lowlands, paying cash is the rule.

Gasohol 84

Availability: Amazon lowlands (including Madre de Dios), often the only option away from cities

Gasohol 90

Availability: standard nationwide

Gasohol 95 / 97

Availability: larger cities and the Panamericana

Diesel B5

Availability: widespread nationwide, generally irrelevant for motorcycles

Fuel grades, prices and the longest legs between stations
Grade	Availability
Gasohol 84	Amazon lowlands (including Madre de Dios), often the only option away from cities
Gasohol 90	standard nationwide
Gasohol 95 / 97	larger cities and the Panamericana
Diesel B5	widespread nationwide, generally irrelevant for motorcycles

Safety

Safety and emergency calls

Peru's emergency numbers are split by service - a unified 911 system is still being built.

Emergency numbers

Police (PNP) 105
SAMU - medical emergency service 106
Fire brigade 116

Health

Health and altitude risk

Cusco sits at 3400 m, and the passes on the tours go even higher - altitude adjustment belongs in your schedule, not just your packing list.

Get malaria/yellow fever advice before riding into the Amazon lowlands (Madre de Dios)
Travel medical kit with altitude sickness remedies (e.g. acetazolamide, check with a doctor)
Plan one to two acclimatisation days before the first pass ride above 4000 m
Enough drinking water and sun protection for the high altitudes
Mosquito protection for the Amazon lowlands

Many travel and motorcycle insurance policies exclude motorcycles over 125cc or require a separate classification - clarify this with your own insurer before setting off, not only after an accident.

Money

Money, the Sol and paying

Peru is a cash country - cards work reliably only in cities and larger tourist towns.

Cash (Sol)

Note: Essential in rural areas, at fuel stations and for SOAT/customs

Credit/debit card

Note: Lima, Cusco and larger cities; decline dynamic currency conversion (DCC) at ATMs

ATM

Note: Daily limit usually 700 to 800 Sol; prefer ATMs at banks/shopping centres

Typical prices and means of payment
Payment method	Note
Cash (Sol)	Essential in rural areas, at fuel stations and for SOAT/customs
Credit/debit card	Lima, Cusco and larger cities; decline dynamic currency conversion (DCC) at ATMs
ATM	Daily limit usually 700 to 800 Sol; prefer ATMs at banks/shopping centres

Packing list

What to add to your luggage

Only what Peru adds to the touring kit you already have - not a substitute for the basics.

A cold- and wind-protection layer for nights above 4000 m in the Andes
A spare fuel canister for the unpaved route towards Manu
Notarised, translated power of attorney for a vehicle that isn't your own
A printed copy of the temporary import document (SUNAT) within reach
Mosquito protection and light long clothing for the Amazon lowlands
A cash reserve in Sol for fuel stations without a card reader

Motorcycle tours through Peru

Guided tours through the Cusco region and into the Amazon lowlands, with local guides through high altitudes and unpaved tracks.

All tours in Peru

Written by

Eduardo Nogueira

Management of our products in Latin America

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Last checked: 29.08.2026

Eduardo is responsible for our trips in Latin America and makes sure everything fits together, from the first contact to arrival.

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