Is Cusco Safe? If you are planning a trip to Cusco, you are probably wondering how safe the city is. Perhaps you have not been to Peru or even South America before, leaving you unsure of what to expect.
Some people who have visited Peru might tell you about their great trip, how friendly the locals were, and how smoothly everything went. On the other hand, others might caution you that Peru and even South America can be potentially risky.
You might even recall reading news articles about certain issues that occurred in Peru, and perhaps even in Cusco.
So, what should you anticipate in terms of safety in Cusco?
Safety in Cusco
Concerns about safety in Cusco and Peru as a whole rise because of several factors.
One of the main reasons can be the political instability. This part is true, but it generally doesn’t affect tourists. Though time to time it can them affect because of transport strikes, for example.
But sometimes, actually, people don’t really know much about Cusco and Peru. The concerns are just caused by how people imagine Peru to be.
But what’s the reality?
As a Peruvian woman who has traveled extensively and several times in Cusco, I can tell you that Cusco is very safe. It would not even cross my mind to consider that it isn’t.
I have been many times to Cusco City and spent time in different parts of the Sacred Valley, and never had an issue.
I’m not a night person anymore, but when I was younger I traveled there with a friend (another girl). We went walking back through the emptyish streets to our guest house every night at 3am for a couple of weeks without even feeling a bit worried. Of course, like in any place in the world, I probably wouldn’t have done that by myself. But really, Cusco feels very safe.
Actually, tourism is the main source of income for Cusco, so the authorities really take very good care of the safety of tourists, especially in the touristic area.
This of course does not mean that there can be minor issues or even crimes happening from time to time like in any city. And beyond anything related to crimes, there are also other things to be aware of. So let’s take a look at what these can be and what are the best safety tips.
Pickpocketing in Cusco
Pickpocketing is not a big issue in Cusco, but take your normal precautions in crowded places. For example, if you are visiting Cusco during festivities, like the Inti Raymi (the Sun festival) in June. And also be careful at any place that can be crowded, like the main square of Cusco.
If you are attending any of these festivities, it’s better to wear pants that ha pockets with zippers. Or take your belongings on a bag close to your body if you are a woman.
Use an Official Taxi
It is generally safe to take any kind of taxi in Cusco. But there have been accounts of fake drivers who rob tourists. This is very uncommon, but if you want to be as safe as possible, better take official taxis.
You can recognize the official taxis because they have hexagonal logos one their windshields. Also, they generally have the number of the company on the top of the car.
Don’t Exchange Money in the Street
Av. El Sol in Cusco is a place where you will find several people exchanging money, dollars and euros to soles and vice versa.
Though generally this doesn’t pose a danger, it’s better if you do it at one of the exchange houses along that avenue, where you will draw less attention. Especially if you are exchanging larger quantities.
Bricheros
Even though bricheros don’t cause any real risk to safety, you should still know what they are and what they are looking for.
In Peru, bricheros are locals looking to flirt with foreigners (especially Americans) and get into a romantic relationship with them. This is with the aim of getting financial support or eventually a visa to the USA. Generally, they are men looking for women, though there can also be bricheras, which are women.
Of course this doesn’t mean that multiple real relationships don’t get established between men from Cusco and American women. Or that there can be flings without hidden motive. But just be aware of bricheros if you go out to bars at night and don’t fall in love too fast!
Protests
Unfortunately, protests against the government are not uncommon in Cusco. And while they don’t pose a direct threat to the safety of tourists, they are actually aimed at disrupting tourism.
This is because tourism is the main source of income in Cusco, and Machu Picchu is the international symbol of Peru. So locals know that if they do things that affect tourists, they will make sure they will draw attention of the authorities to their demands.
For example, they will block the railroad leading to and from Machu Picchu. So no one can get in or out, meaning you can get stranded in Machu Picchu town. Or have to get back home ffrom Cusco without being able to see Machu Picchu. These incidents don’t really happen very frequently, but time to time they do.
Ayahuasca
If you are planning a visit to Peru, you might have heard of ayahuasca, the hallucinogenic drink of the Andes and the jungle of Peru. They usually use it as a part of a ritual or ceremony lead by a shaman, and drinking can lead to visions or insights about ones life.
Ayahuasca is not something that the great majority locals have drunk or plan to drink. But it’s somehow very popular among some travelers.
If you are planning on joining an ayahuasca session in Cusco, make sure to find enough reviews that can guarantee that the place you are going to is safe. Not just online but also ask local people. Ask if they know anything or have heard anything about the place or retreat center you are planning to attend.
You must make sure that the shamans are real shamans, who come from a family of shamans. Fake shamans are not common, but they exist.
Remember that you will be drinking a drug, so you want to be in safe hands. It’s better if you do it with a group, so you can all potentially take care of each other.
Also, the shaman has to know very well how to prepare the drink, or it could potentially lead to problems in its effects. For example, if it’s really badly prepared, you could stay unconscious for days.
But the most important thing is, if you suffer from mental disorders like schizophrenia or other kinds of of disorders where you experience some disturbance with reality, you should not take ayahuasca. It can be very dangerous. There have been many cases where people “lose it” permanently after having this drink.
Safe areas in Cusco
So besides certain things that you need to be aware of or the general bad luck that you can have in any city, Cusco is generally a very safe city for tourists. But there are areas that will be safer than others.
The safest area will be around the main square, where most tourists stay. It’s also the most guarded area of the city. There are lots of restaurants and bars around, plus it’s the center of Cusco, so there will be travelers everywhere among the local people.
Another safe area is San Blas neighbourhood, which starts next to the square and goes uphill. It’s also a very beautiful area to walk around and discover little shops, museums and restaurants along its streets.
The areas that are less safe in Cusco city will be further away from the center. Tourists don’t really have a reason to wander around them, so you should be safe.
Beyond Cusco city, the Sacred Valley (which you should totally include in your Cusco itinerary) is also considered a safe area. The towns are small, and again, tourist is their main source of income, so they pay attention to the safety of tourists.
Emergency Numbers in Cusco
Make sure to have this telephone numbesr at hand in case you might need them during your trip:
- Cusco Tourist Police: (+51) 945310990. If you call from abroad, dial 0051945310990. You can contact them by phone or WhatsApp, 24/7.
- National Police:. 105
- Firefighters: 116
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Cusco is a safe city. But, like in every city, there can be some issues that you could encounter, which fortunately aren’t that common. In general, just use your common sense and you should be having a safe trip to the city of the Incas.
