Repatriation from Arequipa, Peru

Arequipa is Peru’s second-largest city, at 2,335 metres above sea level in the Andes, 1,000 kilometres south-east of Lima. Known as the “White City” for its colonial buildings in white volcanic sillar stone, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a significant destination for British independent travellers heading for the Colca Canyon (the world’s second deepest canyon), the Misti volcano, and the wider southern Andes circuit that connects Arequipa to Puno, Lake Titicaca, and southern Bolivia.

Colca Canyon trekking carries real physical risk. The canyon descends more than 3,000 metres from the rim, temperatures are extreme, altitude sickness at the upper elevations is common, and rescue from the canyon floor is slow and logistically demanding. British tourists are among the most frequent users of this route.

This site has pages for Lima and Cusco. Arequipa is the third major node where British deaths in Peru are concentrated.

Consular coverage

The British Embassy Lima (Torre Parque Mar, Piso 22, Av. José Larco 1301, Miraflores, Lima) covers all British nationals throughout Peru, including Arequipa.

British Embassy Lima: +51 1 617 3000. FCDO 24-hour: +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

What Peruvian law requires

Código Procesal Penal (CPP, New Criminal Procedure Code, Decreto Legislativo No.957/2004): All sudden, violent, and unexplained deaths are reported to the Policía Nacional del Perú (PNP, Arequipa Regional Police). The Fiscalía (Public Prosecutor) oversees investigations and may order a forensic autopsy.

RENIEC (Registro Nacional de Identificación y Estado Civil, Law No.26497/1995): Deaths are registered at the local RENIEC office. The Arequipa RENIEC office issues the acta de defunción (death certificate).

Instituto de Medicina Legal (IML) — Ministerio Público: The IML Arequipa (Ministerio Público, Arequipa) performs all prosecutor-ordered autopsies. The IML operates as the forensic science arm of the Public Prosecutor’s office. For complex cases requiring national-level expertise, bodies may be transferred to IML Lima.

MINSA export permit: The Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) issues the permiso de internamiento internacional (international transport permit) via the Dirección Regional de Salud Arequipa (DIRESA Arequipa).

Source: Código Procesal Penal Decreto Legislativo No.957/2004 (Peru); Ley No.26497/1995 RENIEC; 2025.

Medical coverage

Hospital Regional Honorio Delgado Espinoza (Av. Daniel Alcides Carrión 505, Arequipa) is the principal public hospital. Clínica San Pablo and Clínica Arequipa (Esquina de Bolívar and Puente Grau) are the main private facilities and better equipped for international patients. For Colca Canyon emergencies, helicopter evacuation to Arequipa is available via private providers; however, weather and terrain in the canyon can prevent immediate evacuation.

The documentation chain

1. Acta de defunción from RENIEC Arequipa. 2. PNP Arequipa report (sudden/violent deaths, including Colca Canyon trekking deaths). 3. Fiscalía release of the body. 4. IML Arequipa forensic post-mortem (if ordered). 5. DIRESA Arequipa permiso de internamiento internacional. 6. Embalming at an approved Arequipa funeral home. 7. Air cargo from AQP (Rodríguez Ballón International Airport, Arequipa) to LIM (Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima), then LIM-LHR. LATAM and Sky Airline serve AQP-LIM. From Lima, LATAM connects to LHR via Miami (MIA) or Madrid (MAD), and British Airways flies LIM-LHR via Bogotá or Miami.

Colca Canyon deaths

If a British national dies inside the Colca Canyon — during a trekking descent or ascent, or at one of the canyon-floor villages such as Cabanaconde or Chivay — the following factors affect the timeline:

• Helicopter access is weather and equipment dependent; in some cases body recovery requires a multi-day ground operation.
• The Police post nearest the canyon entrance (Cabanaconde or Chivay) is the first reporting authority.
• Body transfer to Arequipa is required before any formal documentation process begins.
• The Colca Lodge and local tour operators have established relationships with the PNP and local rescue teams.

Timeline from Arequipa

• Natural death, hospital: 14 to 21 days
• Sudden death, investigation: 21 to 35 days
• Colca Canyon recovery required before documentation begins: add 2 to 7 days
• Complex forensic case: 5 to 10 weeks

For repatriation guidance, contact our team via the enquiry form or WhatsApp.

See also the Peru repatriation guide.

Information based on Código Procesal Penal Decreto Legislativo No.957/2004 (Peru); Ley No.26497/1995 RENIEC. Last reviewed May 2026.