Senior travel: Lima
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 68 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- LarcomarStep-free: yes · about 90 minSteps on some terraces.
- Convent of San Francisco and catacombsStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minSteps to the library and crypts.
- Huaca PucllanaStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 75 minSteps on the upper route; the ground-floor exhibits are level.
- Parque KennedyThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 30 min
- Puente de los SuspirosThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 45 min
- Lima CathedralThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- Parque del Amor and the MalecónThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- Museo LarcoThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 120 min
Getting around in Lima
Lima is hard on wheels except in the newer districts. Miraflores has kerb ramps at some corners and step-free malls; the historic centre pavements are narrow and crowded and many old buildings have steps.
- Pavements:
- Wide in San Isidro and Miraflores; narrow, uneven and busy in the centre.
- Getting around:
- App cars are the step-free option: book a larger car for a folding chair. The Metropolitano has ramps at stations but crowds at peak times.
- Hotels:
- Modern hotels have lifts; small Barranco and centre hotels often do not. Ask for a photo of the entrance.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in malls, Larcomar and large hotels; rare elsewhere.
Medicines and health on the ground
The Peru guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Sun:
- Strong at sea level in December-April even through haze: hat, cream and water.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water. Ceviche is safe at busy, well-known places; skip street ceviche and raw salads on day one if your stomach is sensitive.
- Altitude:
- Lima is at sea level. If you go on to Cusco (3,400 m), plan a slow first day and ask your doctor about medication.
- Mosquitoes:
- Not a problem in the city, but dengue exists in the lowlands and Amazon; use repellent if you go inland.
- Vaccinations:
- Routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly advised; yellow fever for the Amazon. Check with a travel clinic.
- Earthquakes:
- Lima is in an earthquake zone: note the exits, keep shoes near the bed, and follow staff and official guidance.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.