Your Support for CMT
The reception of any kind of humanitarian contributions that you wish to make in cash to help support our organization’s efforts can be processed through the “Donate” page found in our website. You can also bring with you goods that can cover some of the basic needs of children and families, and personally hand these items to the people that need it the most and see them benefit directly from it.
Weather Conditions
To get informed about the year-long weather conditions in all of our cities of destination and to be able to appropriately determine your daily attire, please visit:
For Arequipa: Average-Weather-in-Arequipa-Peru-Year-Round and Arequipa weather forecast.
For Machu Picchu: Weather-in-Cusco-Peru-Year-Round and Cusco-Machu Picchu weather forecast.
For Mollendo: Average-Weather-in-Mollendo-Peru-Year-Round and Mollendo weather forecast.
For Tarapoto: Average-Weather-in-Tarapoto-Peru-Year-Round and Tarapoto weather forecast.
For the adjusting activity days, you will be better fit with casual sports (loose fit) clothing, your bottoms either shorts, leggings or sweat pants should be dark color. T-shirts will be provided to wear during adjusting days. You will need a couple of business casual sets for more formal occasions.
Alterations to Your Trip that You Could Present
If for any circumstance, you wish or need to fly at different times and arrive early / leave later from your scheduled mission trip dates, you are responsible for the arrangements and any cost generated by these changes. However, please let us know as soon as you can so CMT can help you in any way we can to obtain the most convenient rates and accommodations. Letting us know in advance will allow us coordinate better all aspects of the mission trip.
Cellphones and Important Phone Numbers
At your arrival to Lima airport in Peru, located on the second floor, most food places offer internet access upon consumption of any item. Ask for the password which will give you WhatsApp access and the option to give us a call in case of any emergency. There are also a few public phones through the airport that work with local currency coins. Write down the following name and phone numbers and keep them with you so you can make calls only in case of an emergency.
CMT representative: Rogger Vizcarra
Cellphone: 989327914 / 945128767
Landline: Arequipa (054) 254278
Travel Documents
We suggest you to put a pen in your hand luggage before you leave. You will need it in the plane and once you arrive at Lima airport to fill out forms and any other paperwork.
During your flights, have your passport with you at all times. Before you leave, make a photocopy of it and keep it with you in a safe place in case the original gets lost or stolen. Send a digital copy of your passport to your own email as an extra precaution; in certain occasions these can be shown later to authorities for identification purposes and for obtaining a replacement.
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Here is a quick check list of recommended items that we suggest you to pack for your trip, some of them vary according to the location you will be visiting:
Altitude Sickness
Also known as “mountain sickness”, it is basically a lack of adaptation of an organism to high altitude and all the symptoms that accompany it. There are no specific factors, such as age, sex or physical fitness, that increase a person’s likelihood of getting altitude sickness. Certain people are affected, while others are less susceptible to it. Severe symptoms of altitude sickness tend to occur at altitudes of 3,600 meters (about 12,000 ft) and above. Arequipa is located at 2,328 meters (7,638 ft) of elevation above sea level. The most common presenting symptoms of mild altitude sickness are headaches, nausea, dizziness and exhaustion. In case they present, most will improve in a period of 24 to 48 hours, but it may help if you:
In Peru, it is a common custom since the times of the Incas to consume coca tea as a method to aid the body to easily adapt to the stress of high altitude.
We encourage you to stay at constant communication with the CMT representative or the persons traveling with you in case you experience any of these symptoms, even if your symptoms are mild. This will help us be more aware of your signs and prevent any complications in the future.
Traveler’s Stomach
The consumption of new types of foods and beverages we are used to, or the exposure to contaminated ones, can cause loose stools, excess gas and dehydration. In general, the way to prevent this from happening comes from selecting “safe” foods and beverages for consumption. CMT does its best to provide you with a quality menu as part of your meal package but we also require from you things like:
Travel and Health Insurances
We strongly advise that you get proper travel insurance that will cover you against flight cancellations, theft and property damage as well as personal health insurance. We also recommend that you get protected via health and travel insurance against international flight cancellations, natural hazards and other situations that are simply beyond our control.
Tipping
In Arequipa, it is common practice to provide a tip of around 15% of the total bill at restaurants and for services provided. As you understand, this additional fee is not part of the normal trip fees. A rough estimate of $20.00 per traveler for your whole trip in total, is what you should expect to pay for gratuities. This amount, will be requested from you to be handed to the CMT representative at the beginning of your arrival to your city of final destination. The representative will be in charge of delivering tips to our drivers, guides, translators and other service and security personnel whose services we’ll be requiring throughout the trip.
Electricity and Voltage
It is important to note that, in Peru, all electricity plugs supply 220V while in the US they supply 110V. Most hotels make voltage converters available and most of the modern electronic appliances can be operated with voltages ranging from 110V to 240V.
International and Local Phone Calls\Messages:
The preferred and most convenient way for phone communication within Peru (between members of the mission trip) or internationally (if you wish to get in touch with relatives or friends from your country of origin) is through WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Please have these features installed and available in your cellphones. Add the following number to your WhatsApp contact list +51 989327914.