Peru is a genuine bucket-list trip for Australians — Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, Lima's food scene and the Amazon rainforest. It is also a country where the health advice changes dramatically depending on which of those you do: the highland circuit and the jungle are almost two different destinations. That is exactly why a tailored consult earns its keep here.
This guide covers the vaccinations and precautions Australians should consider for Peru. It is general information only and depends on your itinerary, season and health history.
Do you need vaccinations to travel to Peru?
Peru has no yellow fever entry requirement — you will not be asked for a certificate to get in, wherever you have come from. Yellow fever vaccination is, however, recommended for some travellers for their own protection, depending on the regions you visit — broadly a jungle question rather than a highlands one. Because it is region-specific, bring your exact route to your consult rather than guessing (see below). The vaccines that follow are recommended to protect your own health.
Recommended vaccinations for Peru
For almost every traveller
- Hepatitis A — food- and water-borne; recommended for essentially all travellers.
- Dengue — now recommended for travellers to Peru; it occurs in the lowlands and coastal areas. A dengue vaccine is available, and suitability depends on your age and prior dengue history.
- Typhoid — recommended for most trips, particularly beyond the main hotels and for longer stays.
- Routine vaccines — tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, MMR (measles) and seasonal influenza should be up to date. Peru has reported increased measles circulation over the past year, so two documented MMR doses matter — anyone born in 1966 or later should check theirs, and infants aged 6 to 11 months may need an early dose.
Depending on your trip
- Yellow fever — recommended for some travellers depending on region; discuss your route at your consult.
- Rabies — present in Peru; worth discussing for jungle lodges, rural travel, animal contact or travel with children.
- Hepatitis B — for longer stays or possible medical, tattoo or personal exposures.
- Chikungunya and mpox — considered for some travellers depending on itinerary and personal circumstances.
Altitude: the Peru issue most people underestimate
Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres, higher than any Australian mountain, and most visitors fly into it from sea level in a single morning. Acute mountain sickness is common on exactly this itinerary, and the Inca Trail, the Sacred Valley passes and Lake Titicaca all keep you at altitude for days. There is no vaccine — the defence is a sensible acclimatisation plan, and your travel doctor can discuss acetazolamide (Diamox) for prevention, what warning signs mean, and when descent is the right call. If Machu Picchu is the point of your trip, altitude planning belongs in your consult as much as any vaccine.
Malaria and yellow fever: it depends which Peru you visit
Here is the good news for the classic tourist route: no antimalarial tablets are needed for Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Machu Picchu and its trek routes, Paracas or Trujillo — nor for most areas west of the Andes or above 2,500 metres. Malaria risk sits mainly in the lowlands east of the Andes, so itineraries that add the Amazon — jungle lodges, river trips and rainforest stays — can change the answer, and yellow fever vaccination is also recommended for some travellers heading into those regions. Whether you need tablets, the yellow fever vaccine, both or neither depends on exactly where you are going and when, so bring your full route to your consult. Bite prevention matters everywhere in the lowlands regardless: repellent with DEET or picaridin, long loose clothing, and screened or air-conditioned rooms.
Food, water and current health notes
Travellers' diarrhoea is a high risk throughout Peru and remains a moderate risk even in good accommodation — drink sealed bottled or boiled water, be cautious with ice, raw salads and street food, and carry a treatment kit your travel doctor can prescribe.
One current note at the time of review (September 2026): Peru has reported a significant rise in leptospirosis this year, mainly in northern and Amazon regions. The outbreak appears past its peak, but the practical advice stands — wear proper footwear, avoid wading through floodwater, fresh water, mud and wet soil where you can, and mention any jungle or wet-season plans at your consult, where preventive doxycycline can be discussed for higher-risk itineraries.
When to see a travel doctor
Book your pre-travel consultation 6 to 8 weeks before you fly so any multi-dose vaccines have time to work. Even last-minute travellers benefit — there are still options close to departure.
At Travel Doctors Brisbane in Bulimba, we tailor recommendations to your exact Peru itinerary, prescribe what you need, and issue Yellow Fever certificates where required. See our Peru destination health advice, browse our travel health services, and book your consultation.
This article is general information only and was reviewed against our subscription travel health database in September 2026. It does not replace personalised medical advice. Vaccination needs and disease risks change and depend on your itinerary, season, length of stay and health history — always confirm with a travel health professional and Smartraveller before you travel.