Vaccines for Peru
The trip checker above opens on Peru: add Brazil, Bolivia or Ecuador after it and see the CDC list, the yellow fever line and the malaria areas for the whole route.
Travel vaccines CDC lists for most or some travelers on this trip
4 vaccines
plus 3 to discuss and routine vaccines up to date
| Yellow fever | CDC recommends the vaccine (Peru) |
| Malaria | Prescription tablets for areas of Peru |
| Longest lead time | 28 days before departure (Hepatitis B, 2 doses (Heplisav-B)) |
| Published price, these vaccines | $685 median, $638 to $930 |
Levels from the CDC destination pages; age 35 used for the Japanese encephalitis schedule. A list to take to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist, not medical advice.
| Disease | CDC level | Where | Start at least | Median price per dose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow fever | CDC recommends the vaccine | Peru | 10 days before | $269 |
| Hepatitis A | CDC: most travelers | Peru | Any time before | $109 |
| Hepatitis B | CDC: most travelers | Peru | 28 days before | $149 |
| Measles | CDC: most travelers | Peru | Ask | $115 |
| Chikungunya | CDC: may be considered | Peru | Any time before | $326 |
| Rabies | CDC: may be considered | Peru | 7 days before | $419 |
| Typhoid | CDC: may be considered | Peru | 14 days before | $174 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Method and sources · CDC page reviewed October 1, 2026, read October 24, 2026
For Peru, CDC lists hepatitis A and, for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60, hepatitis B for most travelers, with routine vaccines up to date; typhoid is to consider for rural areas, long stays and visits to family. Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for travelers aged 9 months or older going to areas below 2,300 meters in the Amazon regions (Amazonas, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Pasco, Puno, San Martín, Ucayali) and designated parts of seven others. It is not recommended for travel limited to Lima, the city of Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, and generally not recommended for Tumbes and parts of the far northwest. Peru asks no certificate at entry. Malaria tablets are advised for areas below 2,500 meters east of the Andes, Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado included, and not for Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca or the central and southern coast. The median US county price is $269 for the yellow fever shot and $109 a dose for hepatitis A.
Peru is a question of altitude
Two numbers organize the CDC page for Peru. Yellow fever advice turns on 2,300 meters (7,550 feet), malaria on 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) east of the Andes. Because both lines follow altitude, the classic tourist circuit splits cleanly. Lima on the coast, the city of Cusco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca on the altiplano sit outside the yellow fever recommendation and outside the malaria area. A few nights in an Amazon lodge from Puerto Maldonado or a river trip from Iquitos sit inside both.
CDC's yellow fever wording for Peru, updated February 12, 2026, has three tiers. Recommended: travelers 9 months or older going below 2,300 meters in Amazonas, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Pasco, Puno, San Martín and Ucayali, plus designated areas of Ancash (far northeast), Apurímac (far north), Ayacucho (north and northeast), Cajamarca (north and east), Huancavelica (far north), La Libertad (east) and Piura (east). Generally not recommended: travel limited to Tumbes and to designated areas west of the Andes in Cajamarca (west central), Lambayeque (west central) and Piura (west). Not recommended: travel limited to areas above 2,300 meters, to areas west of the Andes not otherwise listed, to Lima, and to the city of Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
The Cusco region is not the city of Cusco
The trap in that list is the name Cusco. The city and its highland sites are in the "not recommended" tier, but the Cusco region also reaches down into the Amazon basin, and its low areas are in the "recommended" tier. The same holds for Puno: Lake Titicaca is far above the line, yet the region appears on the recommended list for its areas below 2,300 meters. A traveler who goes from Machu Picchu down to a lodge in the lowland part of the Cusco region or of Madre de Dios crosses from one tier to the other within a day or two. The shot is counted as protective 10 days after it is given, and costs $226 to $360 at the US county departments that publish a price.
No certificate at the Peruvian border, but one after it
Peru asks arriving travelers for no yellow fever certificate. The route matters on the way out. Peru is a country with yellow fever risk, and Costa Rica, for one, requires a certificate from travelers 9 months or older arriving from Peru regardless of where in the country they stayed. Brazil asks for none at entry, but much of Brazil is in CDC's own recommendation area, so a Peru then Brazil trip often ends with the vaccine on the list for both legs. The checker below follows Peru with Brazil.
Peru, then Brazil or another country
Travel vaccines CDC lists for most or some travelers on this trip
4 vaccines
| Yellow fever | CDC recommends the vaccine (Peru) and CDC recommends the vaccine (Brazil) |
| Malaria | Prescription tablets for areas of Peru and Brazil |
| Longest lead time | 28 days before departure (Hepatitis B, 2 doses (Heplisav-B)) |
| Published price, these vaccines | $685 median, $638 to $930 |
Malaria east of the Andes
CDC lists malaria transmission in all areas below 2,500 meters east of the Andes, naming Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado, with rare cases in the northern coastal regions of Tumbes and Piura, where only bite precautions are advised. It lists no transmission in Lima Province, in the cities of Arequipa, Ica, Moquegua, Nazca, Puno and Tacna, in the highland tourist areas (Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca) and along the central and southern Pacific coast. P. vivax accounts for about 80% of cases and P. falciparum 20%, and chloroquine resistance is reported.
The drugs CDC lists for the Amazon areas are atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine. Amazon stays in Peru are often short, which changes the arithmetic: for four nights in a lodge, atovaquone-proguanil comes to 13 tablets (about $19 at pharmacy cost), because of the days before and the week after; doxycycline comes to 34 tablets, since it continues four weeks after leaving; mefloquine to 7. A prescriber chooses with the rest of the trip in mind.
Tablets for a few nights in the Peruvian Amazon
Atovaquone-proguanil for 4 days in Peru
13 tablets
| CDC for this country | Prescription medicine for the areas listed |
| Drugs CDC lists here | Atovaquone-proguanil, Doxycycline, Mefloquine, Tafenoquine |
| Start and stop | daily, from 2 days before to 7 days after the risk area |
Hepatitis, typhoid and rabies
Hepatitis A is listed for unvaccinated travelers 1 year or older ($109 a dose at the median) and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers under 60 ($149 a dose). Typhoid is in the consider group, at $174 for the shot. Rabies is sometimes found in dogs and commonly in some wildlife and bats, and CDC notes that post-bite vaccine may only be available in larger suburban or urban facilities, which matters for remote Amazon or high Andes routes (two pre-exposure doses: $838 at the median). Chikungunya vaccine may be considered for stays of six months or more.
What CDC says for Peru, word for word
Source: CDC, Travelers' Health destination page for Peru, page last reviewed October 1, 2026, read on October 24, 2026. The text is reproduced without change; it is available free of charge on cdc.gov. Its use here does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
Travel notices: Level 1, Global Measles (May 28, 2025)
| Disease | CDC wording |
|---|---|
| Routine vaccines | Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include • Chickenpox (Varicella) • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTaP, Tdap, or Td) • Flu (influenza) • Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) • Polio • Shingles |
| COVID-19 | All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see Your COVID-19 Vaccination for more information. |
| Hepatitis A | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Peru. Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series. Travelers allergic to a vaccine component should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given. Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, are immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin. |
| Hepatitis B | Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to Peru. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to Peru. |
| Typhoid | Consider getting a typhoid vaccine if you might: • Travel to areas with poor sanitation and unsafe water, including rural areas • Spend a long time in Peru, such as a month or more • Visit friends or relatives Typhoid vaccine is not 100% effective. Practicing safe food and water habits, including washing hands at key times, can also help prevent typhoid fever. |
| Yellow Fever | CDC recommendations: • Vaccine is recommended for all travelers ≥9 months old going to areas <2,300 m (7,550 ft) elevation in the regions of Amazonas, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Pasco, Puno, San Martín, and Ucayali, and designated areas of Ancash (far northeast), Apurímac (far north), Ayacucho (north and northeast), Cajamarca (north and east), Huancavelica (far north), La Libertad (east), and Piura (east). • Vaccine is generally not recommended for travel limited to the following areas west of the Andes: the region of Tumbes and designated areas of Cajamarca (west-central), Lambayeque (west-central), and Piura (west). • Vaccine is not recommended for travel limited to areas >2,300 m (7,550 ft) elevation, areas west of the Andes not listed above, the city of Lima (the capital), and the highland tourist areas (the city of Cusco, the Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu). Country entry requirements: Vaccine is not required. Updated February 12, 2026 See footnotes |
| Malaria | CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Peru take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take. Transmission areas • All areas of the country <2,500 m (<8,200 ft) elevation east of the Andes, including the cities of Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado • Rare cases in Tumbes and Piura regions • No malaria transmission in the following areas: Lima Province; the cities of Arequipa, Ica, Moquegua, Nazca, Puno, or Tacna; the highland tourist areas (the city of Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca); along the central and southern Pacific Coast Drug resistance • Chloroquine Species • P. vivax (80%) • P. falciparum (20%) Recommended chemoprophylaxis • Areas <2,500m (<8,200 ft) elevation east of the Andes (see map): Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine • All other areas with malaria transmission (see map): No chemoprophylaxis recommended (insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only) Updated April 23, 2025 See footnotes |
| Rabies | Dogs infected with rabies are sometimes found in Peru. Rabies is also commonly found in some terrestrial wildlife species and bats. If rabies exposures occur while in Peru, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban/urban medical facilities. Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis. Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel. For more information, see country rabies status assessments. |
| Chikungunya | There is elevated chikungunya risk in Peru. Chikungunya vaccination may be considered for people traveling or moving to this location if they are planning to stay for an extended period of time (for example, 6 months or more). |
| Measles | Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. |
| Monkeypox | Monkeypox vaccination is recommended for any adult who anticipates any of the following activities during travel: • Sexual or intimate contact with a new partner • Sexual or intimate contact at a commercial sex venue, like a sex club or bathhouse • Sexual or intimate contact in exchange for money, goods, drugs, or other trade • Sexual or intimate contact in association with a large public event, such as a rave, party, or festival Get your first monkeypox vaccine at least 6 weeks before traveling if you can, or as far as possible before travel if fewer than 6 weeks before you leave. Two doses of vaccine, given 4 weeks apart, are recommended. After completing your first and second vaccine doses it takes about 2 more weeks to get the best protection against monkeypox. Whether or not you've been vaccinated, continue to take steps to reduce your risk of getting monkeypox while you are away. |