Arrival Times

If you are travelling to Peru, you must understand that the culture of the period is pretty different there. Punctuality is not a trademark of Peru or Latin America in general. This manner of living also indicates that being late is totally normal. Peruvians are normally a half-hour late for most personal engagements, and it is not considered poor form to leave someone hanging in a cafe for up to an hour. It is anticipated, therefore unless a definite hora inglesa (English hour) is indicated, be prepared to wait if you have a meeting booked.

While you should not be more than an hour late for your guided tour, being ten or fifteen minutes late is not cause for alarm. Being late has become somewhat of a vogue in Peru. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that family is highly important to Peruvians, and they prefer spending quality time with family over everything else when it comes to time.