Accustom Yourself with these Social Customs of Peru

Each country has a culture and custom of its own. These traditions define their denizens and mold their way of life. If you are travelling to Peru, you have to be a bit particular about the social customs of the country. Peruvian people are warm and friendly; however, some of the social customs might appear unusual to you. Before you are all set for your trek to Machu Picchu, accustom yourself with these following customs to avoid any awkward situation:

• The concept of “personal space” is very different from the Western world. When talking with someone, Peruvian people stand very close to them. You might find it uncomfortable at the first place. Even if you do, then try not to back away or appear unfriendly. This is considered rude in Peruvian custom.
• When greeting anyone for the first time, Peruvian people usually shake hands. However, if they know the person, men often greet other men with a pat on their back and women generally kiss each other on the cheek. When meeting someone for the first time, address them by “Senor” or “Senora”, followed by their last names. In Peru, only friends and family can address each other by the first names. It is considered polite to greet people you meet even if that person is a taxi driver.

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• It is very usual for the Peruvian people to run behind their schedule. If you are meeting someone and you arrive an hour late, don’t worry. Peruvian people give high importance to family and relationships. Relationships matter more than time schedule. Peruvian people have a warm social life. They would often gather together on weekends over lunch and spend ample time with family.
• If you receive an invitation to someone’s home for a party or lunch, then don’t forget to take a gift for the host or the hostess. It is not necessary to carry something expensive; you can take anything- box of chocolates, flowers or wine.

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• When it comes to attire, Peruvian people are very formal. In urban areas, people wear mostly western clothes but, when you move on to the rural areas, you’ll find people still dress in their traditional attire. You won’t find them wearing shorts, T-shirts quite often. Whatever you wear, make sure that it’s appropriate.

At the end of the day, it is your behavior that matters the most. Be polite and kind to people and everything else will fall into place. Get ready for the ultimate Peru trekking and if you are searching for Peru tour operators, we are always at your service. Click here to Get in touch with us.