Afredo Rodríguez Ballón International Airport is the airport for Arequipa city, standing at the base of Misti, the volcano that dominates the horizon.

According to the Peruvian government’s records nearly 600,000 passengers pass through this airport each year.

Bienvenidos a Mi Tierra - Welcome to my Land! A statue welcome visitors as they step off their plane in Arequipa's ariport.

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Arriving at Arequipa Airport with Misti in the background

It is only a short drive by taxi to the city centre.

Volcano Misti, seen from Arequipa Airport runway.

Tourists arriving for the first time can’t resist taking a photo of Misti, the volcano that can be seen from almost everywhere in Arequipa, seen here from the runway of the airport.

LAN Peru jet at Lima Airport

If you want to get around Peru quickly, the best option is to take internal flights. In Peru there are several companies that can get you to and from the major cities.

Peruvian Airlines
LAN Peru
TACA Peru

Peruvian Airlines jet at Lima Aiport

TACA airlines Jet taxiing in Lima airport.

The Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas of Lima

Lima is the capital and largest city of Peru. Most of the tourists that visit Peru begin their journey here and stop over on the way back home.

Lima was founded in 1535, by Francisco Pizarro, the conquistador who conquered the Incas and stole their gold (a post Imperial view ). He founded the city as the capital for the Viceroyalty of Peru which covered most of South America at that time. After Peru became independent of Spain in 1821, Lima became the Capital of the new Republic.

The population of Lima is estimated at over 7.5 million people (a quarter of nearly 29 million people in Peru). It has many ethnic mixes with immigrants from Europe and Asia mixing with the indigenous people of Peru.

Gateway to Peru

If you want to explore mysterious Machu Picchu, go surfing in Mancora, rafting in Colca Canyon the chances are that you will begin with a flight to Lima.

Many international flights to Peru will land in the evening at Jorge Chavez International Airport (airport code LIM). Unfortunately the airport, which is a safe and clean place, is based in a rough area. You will need to get a taxi to your hotel, and you will be asked by many people if you have a taxi or a hotel, partly to sell you services but also to ensure that you are safe, because you can’t just hop on a bus with all your luggage. 

My tip for any tourists planning to come to Peru via Lima is to book your hotel before you arrive and ask them to arrange for you to be collected from the airport. They will be waiting for you with your name on a sign and so you know that they are taking you where you need to go. Most of the travellers from Europe or North America will stay in the wealthy Miraflores district of Lima. This are is very close to the coast and has many hotels, backpacker hostels, bars and restaurants. It is also a safe place for tourists, providing you do not attract the wrong attention by flashing expensive gadgets or lots of money.

Many tourists stay in the Miraflores District of Lima – take a small tour >> 

Jorge Chavez International Airport:
http://www.lap.com.pe/lap_portal/ingles/index.asp 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Ch%C3%A1vez_International_Airport 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viceroyalty_of_Peru

KLM and Iberia have regular flights from London to Lima

If you want to visit Peru from the UK or Europe you will have to fly to Lima first, there are almost direct flights from London to Madrid Barajas Airport or Barcelona Airport with Iberia or London to Amsterdam Schipol Airport with KLM and them from these cities to Lima. There are another flights via America, for example London to Atlanta and then from Atlanta to Lima and they are much cheaper.

KLM in flight map of our flight from London to Lima - we've crossed the Equator

Its a long flight to Peru so I suggest you take a good book! If you have a window seat you may see some amazing views. If you are worried about flying then a window seat might not be a good idea because you will soon feel a long way from home! You will initially fly over the Atlantic  for hours, and all you will see is the deep blue ocean below. Then you will feel happy to see land again as you pass over the coast of Brazil but you will then realise that you are flying over dense unpopulated jungle, with no roads or towns below…   and after you have survived that you fly over the Andean mountains!

If you travel with KLM the flight used to stop in Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles)  for a little while and if you arrive to Bonaire in day time it’s like being in the Caribbean for 15 minutes. KLM is a good option because the service is good but you have to buy your ticket at least a couple of months before to get a good price.

In Iberia the flight is shorter, if you hold a European passport you won’t have any problems in Barajas Airport,  because sometimes they give you a boarding pass with a wrong gate and you won’t pass immigration without a Schengen Visa and then you have waste time going to the appropiate gate.

Eventually you will see the lights of civilisation again as you approach Lima. By then it will be night time, try to arrange a taxi to pick you up and take you to your hotel to avoid any problem.