Peru

Peru: Police Protecting Train Service to Machu Picchu

Date: December 20th, 2005 |

Train service between Cuzco and Machu Picchu was shut down for a day when local residents threatened to attack the railway to protest what they consider municipal corruption and the refusal of the government to authorize a competing railway company. In recent weeks, protestors have blocked rail access to the famed archaeological site and this [read more]

Peru: Tourists Robbed on the Inca Trail

Date: November 21st, 2005 |

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A group of 13 tourists was robbed on the Inca Trail when camping near the town of Ollantaytambo Nov. 14. Bandits beat and tied their 26 porters before midnight, then entered their tents to steal cash and valuables. None of the tourists were injured and the porters were treated for cuts and bruises. Thousands of [read more]

Peru: Inca Trail to Close in January

Date: August 16th, 2005 |

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A government ministry has proposed closing the Inca trail from January to March each year to do maintenance after the thousands of visitors have left following peak season. The plan calls for adding the measure to the 10-year master plan to conserve Machu Picchu, an effort put in place when UNESCO threatened to put the [read more]

Peru

Date: April 12th, 2005 |

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A study at Lima�s San Marcos University showed that 40 percent of 640 taxi and bus drivers had psychopathic tendencies, such as aggressive, anxious and antisocial behavior. The study did not involve a large sample, and the results may not be dramatically different from those that might be found in other countries, but it does [read more]

Peru

Date: November 30th, 2004 |

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Bandits in Lima are placing road spikes in manhole cover access holes on neighborhood streets to puncture tires and set up victims for robbery. Incidents were reported in the Monterrico and San Borja neighborhoods and other areas. If driving in the city, avoid manhole covers and be especially alert in residential streets after dark. If [read more]

Peru: Police to Patrol the Inca Trail

Date: November 29th, 2005 |

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In response to the robbing of 13 hikers on the Inca Trail Nov. 14, police will begin patrolling the route. Initially 12 officers will be assigned to the trail with their main task to guard campsites, but the number could increase. All officers will be bilingual as a further aid to foreign tourists. Police arrested [read more]

Peru: Machu Picchu Landslide and Cuzco Strike

Date: October 18th, 2005 |

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A landslide blocked 1,300 feet of track on the railway to Machu Picchu Oct. 13, stranding 1,400 tourists who were later ferried around the slide by buses to enable them to return to Cuzco. The track was buried beneath 23 feet of mud but was expected to be cleared within several days. The train is [read more]

Peru

Date: May 17th, 2005 |

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The famous archaeological site of Machu Picchu is on the verge of being placed on the U.N.�s �at-risk� list because of damage from the high volume of tourism it receives. Officials at UNESCO have recommended tourist numbers be cut in half to prevent further damage to the World Heritage Site, and the government has proposed [read more]

Ecuador and Peru

Date: March 8th, 2005 |

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Doctors in both countries are on strike and routine medical care is hard to obtain except through private clinics. Emergency services are unaffected, but travelers with known medical risks should be sure to carry medical evacuation insurance in the event of an [read more]

Peru

Date: September 22nd, 2004 |

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In an effort to prevent a resurgence of the violent Maoist group “Shining Path,” authorities have maintained a state of emergency in nine areas of Apurimac, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica and Junin departments for the past year. These are among the country�s poorest regions and the areas where the Shining Path spread much of its terror [read more]