Traveling to a country like Peru involves a lot of logistics due to the wide variety of tourist attractions in the 24 departments that Peru has. In that sense, knowing where to exchange dollars for soles in Peru is undoubtedly one of those key points to ensure that your vacation is a positive travel experience and that you do not encounter any surprises.
1. Why do you need to exchange money in Peru?
Many of the tourist destinations that Peru offers are far removed from modern conveniences. Just to give an example, the Mountain of Colors and Humantay Lake do not even have phone signal, and without going too far, at the various archaeological parks in Cusco they ask you to pay in cash, the same as at places such as the Paracas pier and the entrance to the Huacachina desert.
The list could become long if we continue mentioning the various tourist sites that Peru has. Add to that the fact that we will always want to buy souvenirs, and those have to be paid for in cash no matter what.
2. Where to exchange dollars for soles in that sense?
From the outset, we will always recommend doing it at a currency exchange office, for security reasons in the broadest sense of the word.
2.1 Exchanging dollars depending on the department where you are:
In Lima: The area where we recommend staying for safety and convenience is Miraflores, therefore you can find currency exchange offices at the mall on the Malecón.
In Ica: Many people do not know this department by name, but it is where the Huacachina desert and Paracas Bay are located. In that sense, in the Main Squares of these respective destinations you will find currency exchange offices.
In Cusco: This is the most touristy city of all, and there are two places where you can exchange money. One of them is on Av. El Sol, where the exchange rate is more favorable, and the other area is in the Main Square of this same city.
In Puno: This department is where Lake Titicaca is located, and you can exchange your dollars in the Main Square, on the street that leads to Chinatown. It is the most commercial area of the entire city.
In Arequipa: The White City has several currency exchange offices around the Cathedral. In fact, two of the streets surrounding it are completely pedestrian, and that is where you can exchange money.
3. Important considerations when exchanging dollars:
The reason why we recommend exchanging money at a currency exchange office and not on the street is because sometimes a dishonest exchanger may give you a “lucky bill” and pass it off as a real one. Since you are a tourist and may not recognize it, or perhaps because you are in a hurry, you could have this bad experience.
Regarding safety in each of the cities we described above, as far as tourist areas are concerned, the vast majority of them are very safe. However, particularly in Lima, never let your guard down and keep a waist bag or wallet handy where you can carry your money safely.
In case you have a bad experience, remember that you can call the civil police or the tourist police so they can help you solve the problem. You are not alone.
4. How much money is recommended to exchange:
The truth is that this depends on each person, but we will try to give you an approximate amount based on the experience we have with our tourists.
Without much preamble, the amount of cash we recommend exchanging for a 4 to 7-day trip ranges from 200 to 600 dollars, money that should be used for two things: food and buying souvenirs.
In that sense, this budget should be separate from the cost of tours, flights, and accommodation.
5. Where you do not need to pay in cash:
Our travel agency GET IN PERU is a formal company and we offer the convenience of paying by card. Like us, many businesses such as restaurants and hotels also accept card payments.
Now that you know this, travel prepared and safely, and enjoy a beautiful vacation. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to write to us on WhatsApp using that little green button that appears on the lower right-hand side of your screen.
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