Lima Travel Forum

My 19 year old son has asked to travel to Lima to visit a friend he met during his first year in college. Having lived in Venezuela during the late 70's and again in the late 90's, I wonder how it compares? Is Peru "american" friendly and safe? Is kidnapping prevelent? Should I be concerned for his safety, or is Peru (Lima) an okay place to visit for a 19 year old student without parental supervision?

Rhonda Brewer

american friendly????

look at the pages and forums here, many young people and single ladies have travelled recently to Peru without any problems if you take normal precautions.

I am sensing that many Americans are now afraid of the world around them and we shouldn't! The world is a vast open space with limitless opportunities for everyone to get to know each other better.

The Peru of today is politically stable. Personally, I found Peru to be a relatively safe country to visit. Like many places in the world, it has its share of crime and problems. So, just take some cationary measures: being vigilant of your surroundings and wearing your money belt all the time, and you should be alright (see the "warning" tip in my Lima page for some safety measures).

Goodluck & enjoy beautiful Peru!

As the posts before me well explained Lima is a rather quite safe place to be and i have travelled all over peru and the people are very friendly towards all tourists of all nationalities especially americans.
One have to always takes the necessary precautions as in any city.

That friend is not anonymous to you, I think he also has parents. Did you make contacts? If you did, fine. So, some supervision will be there, I think.
From what you say it is obvious that he is not going to wander all over Peru by himself.
To be frank with you, there are some places in Lima, like in any big city, that are dangerous, especially at night.
In general, Peru is safe, and Peruvians are friendly.
If in doubt, try to acquire more direct info from his friend and his family.

Hello much pleasure; good I am Peruvian and have lived in Lima 4 years always I go and then as they say in previous commentaries if Lima is a very big city of 9 million people and has danger areas like all city and capital of many paises; in any case the recommendable thing is not to walk by the ugly zones that have name and I know but by education I do not want to mention but by mail we can speak if it always wishes is good for handling itself with company taxis if it is at night are good companies I can recommend some to him if it wishes work in the field of the tourism in Peru and good I know much but the place is important where vivira its son and because to say to him to everything what must do pleasing greetings I wait for its communication if it wishes Escarlet to serve to him lescarleth@hotmail.com it

Escarlet