Lima Travel Risk — Elevated Risk (51/100)
Is Lima safe right now? Checked 15 October 2026
Lima scores 51/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Peru Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 4 Sep 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 9 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Natural disasters (score 25)
Crime (score 55)
September 27, 2026
Lima, Peru has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 51 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 55/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 25/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Peru travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Lima to visit in 2026?
Lima currently sits at 51/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the elevated-risk tier. Travelers should plan more carefully than the global average — read the Actions section below before booking. The highest-rated risk category for Lima is crime (55/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (25/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (67/100) and natural hazards (51/100).
A score of 51 is higher than the scores of 69% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Lima, Peru maintains an elevated risk level of 51 out of 100 with a US State Department Advisory Level 2, alongside a Level 1 global dengue health notice from the CDC. Recent safety headlines include a green forest fire notification, an October tsunami warning, and a missing hiker incident.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 02:35 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Transport safety (score 55/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Crime (score 55/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Lima
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Exercise heightened caution even during daylight hours. Stick to primary thoroughfares, travel in groups where possible, and avoid navigating quiet residential side-streets alone.
Nighttime movement carries significant risk. Strictly avoid solo walking after dark; rely exclusively on hotel-arranged transportation or registered radiotaxis, and confirm destination security before leaving your accommodation.
Safety by Traveler Type in Lima
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We do not hold gender-specific incident data for Lima, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is elevated. Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive work, use a VPN, watch for card-skimming at ATMs, and carry minimal cash.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Lima for families with children (Health 30/100 · Natural disaster 25/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 45/100 · Political 35/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Lima
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Peru - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Green forest fire notification in Peru GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-11
On 06/10/2026, a forest fire started in Peru, until 15/10/2026.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 02:35:22 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most earthquake events within 100 km of Lima happened in January and June (2 of 2 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
2 major seismic events recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.6 on 15 Jun 2025 (46 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Peru travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Peru entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Lima
The most weather-stable two-month window for Lima is December–January, when typical daily temperatures run from about 18°C to 24°C and monthly rain averages 16 mm.
No threshold-level heat, cold, wind, or cyclone flag appears in the stored normals; March is the wettest typical month at about 28 mm.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 6, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Lima
Lima has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Clinica Internacional
- Hospital: Clínica Maison de Sante
- Hospital: Hospital de Emergencias Grau
- Hospital: Hospital Nacional Docente Madre Niño San Bartolome
- Hospital: Hospitalidad de la Solidaridad
- Hospital: Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño
- Hospital: SINDICATO UNICO DE TRABAJADORES DE SALUD
- Hospital: SISOL Salud Camaná
- Hospital: SISOL Salud La Victoria
- Police: Central Operativa de Investigación Policial
- Police: Comisaría PNP Alfonso Ugarte
- Police: Comisaría PNP Cotabambas
- Police: Comisaría PNP de la familia Bertha Gonzales Posada Eyzaguirre
- Police: Departamento Especial de Turismo Lima-Norte
- Police: Dirección Contra la Trata de Personas y Tráfico Ilicito de Migrantes
- Police: Dirección de Investigación Criminal
- Police: Dirección de Investigación de Lavado de Activos
- Police: DIVPOL CENTRO 1
- Police: Región Policial Lima
- Embassy: Apostolic Nunciature to Peru
- Embassy: Embassy of Argentina
- Embassy: Embassy of Poland
- Embassy: Embassy of Venezuela
- Embassy: Residencia de la Embajada de los EE. UU.
- Pharmacy: Unnamed pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Farmacia Cervantes
- Pharmacy: Incafarma
- Pharmacy: Inkafarma
- Pharmacy: Inkafarma
- Pharmacy: Más Salud
- Pharmacy: Mi Farma
- Pharmacy: Mifarma
- Pharmacy: Mifarma
- Pharmacy: Mifarma
- Fire station: Compañía de Bomberos France Nº 3
- Fire station: Compañía de Bomberos Internacional Nº 14
- Fire station: Compañía de Bomberos Roma Nº 2
- Fire station: Compañía de Bomberos Salvadora Lima Nº 10
- Fire station: Compañía de Bomberos Victoria Nº 8
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Peru)
| Police | 105 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 106 |
| Fire | 116 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | low |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | low |
| Emergency response | low |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
The provided sources do not contain specific information about hospital quality, emergency services, or pharmacy availability in Lima. Travelers should research local medical facilities and consider travel insurance before arrival.
Common scam patterns
- Fake Taxi / Unmarked Taxi. Unlicensed or unmarked taxis pick up tourists near the airport or in the city, then drive to secluded areas where accomplices rob the occupants. This scam is reported as high risk and has resulted in robberies and kidnappings. Tip: Use app‑based ride services or official airport buses and avoid flagging down street cabs.
- Pickpocketing. Distraction‑based pickpocketing occurs in crowded markets and the historic center, especially Plaza de Armas. Thieves work in teams to divert attention while stealing phones, wallets, and passports. Tip: Keep valuables in a front pocket or money belt and stay alert in busy areas.
- Overpriced Tour Scam. Tour operators near tourist zones sell overpriced trips to Machu Picchu or other attractions, often with inflated prices and low‑quality service. Travelers may be pressured into buying on the spot. Tip: Book tours through reputable agencies or online in advance.
Area notes
- Miraflores. Popular coastal district with many hotels, restaurants and a strong police presence, making it generally safe for visitors.
- Barranco. Artistic neighborhood known for its nightlife and bohemian vibe, considered safe for tourists.
- Historic Center (Centro Histórico). Cultural heart of Lima where pickpocketing is common, so extra vigilance is advised.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Peru for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 42 → 51 | moderate → elevated | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 38 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Lima's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Lima
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Lima, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.