Getting to Peru by Land or Sea

By Land

Borders

Peru shares borders with five countries: Bolivia (1,075 km), Brazil (2,995 km), Chile (171 km), Colombia (1,800 km), and Ecuador (1,420 km).

From Neighboring Countries

Excluding lake or river routes, three of Peru’s neighboring countries have land border crossings. Specifically:

To/from Ecuador: Huaquillas (Ecuador) - Tumbes via the Pan-American Highway along the Pacific coast, and Macará (Ecuador) - Suyo further east are the main crossing points. The border is open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (sometimes earlier on Sundays), with a break between noon and 2:00 PM.

To/from Bolivia: There are three main crossings around Lake Titicaca between Bolivia and Peru. Other less obvious options exist on the Amazon side.

To/from Chile: A single crossing point at Tacna on the Pan-American Highway.

For public transport, several bus companies operate international routes (see networks, schedules, and fares). You can easily travel from Lima to Quito or La Paz in around thirty hours for just over $100 one way.

River or Lake Routes:

In addition to roads, rivers and Lake Titicaca also serve as transit routes between countries. Iquitos is connected to Ecuador via the Napo River, and more importantly, via the Amazon River to Leticia (Colombia) and Tabatinga (Brazil), and even further to the river’s mouth. Beyond this "main axis," there are a few other less obvious crossing points on other Amazonian rivers. Note, however, that the Putumayo River, which marks the border between Peru and Colombia, is not recommended for security reasons due to drug trafficking. As for Lake Titicaca, it links Puno to Guaqui (Bolivia).

By Sea

Ferries

There are no ferry routes to Peru.

Cargo

Callao, near Lima, is the most accessible Peruvian port for cargo ships.

Cruises

Peru, like much of this Pacific coast, is not a major cruise destination. Occasionally, some cruise ships make day stops at Lima, docking at the port of Callao, half an hour from the capital.