Film & TV Production Services in Peru

Destination Peru. We are a U.S. and Peruvian-owned production logistics and access company with offices in Cusco and Salt Lake City, operating in Peru since 2012. We handle permits, locations, transport, lodging, protected-area and altitude logistics, and bring crew and equipment through our Lima production partner.

For most commercial filming, yes, and it depends on where you film. Public streets need municipal permission, archaeological sites need the Ministry of Culture, protected natural areas need SERNANP, and drones need DGAC authorization. There is no single national filming permit. We map the authorities for your locations in the first reply and track every submission to approval.

The local municipality for streets and plazas; the Ministry of Culture, through decentralized directorates such as DDC Cusco, for archaeological sites including Machu Picchu; SERNANP for protected natural areas such as the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, Paracas and Amazon reserves; and DGAC, part of the Ministry of Transport, for drones. Private property is agreed with the owner.

Yes, with Ministry of Culture conditions. Per Film in Peru's notice of July 3, 2026, filming inside the Machupicchu National Archaeological Park requires entry tickets purchased at least three months in advance through the official government site, plus train and bus tickets and the other conditions the competent authorities set. Crew size, equipment and movement inside the site are limited, so briefs are planned around what the site actually allows.

At least three months, because entry tickets must be bought that far ahead, and in practice the whole production schedule should be built around that date. Rail, bus and hotel capacity in Aguas Calientes are the next constraints. We start the Ministry of Culture conversation as soon as the brief is firm.

Not without specific DGAC and site authorization, and you should assume no unless it is approved in writing. Drones are prohibited inside the sanctuary for visitors, and the 2026 RPAS regulation treats cultural property and protected areas as sensitive zones requiring prior authorization. We propose aerial alternatives in the region when a brief needs them.

SERNANP, the national protected-areas service. Commercial filming needs a signed request from the responsible producer with project and company details, route and precise locations, dates and times, the crew list and the equipment, plus drone documentation if RPAS are used. Our Inca Trail operator license covers trekking operations, not filming; the filming authorization is separate.

Yes. Peru has accepted ATA Carnets since April 30, 2024, and the scope includes professional equipment. The carnet is presented to SUNAT customs at the arrival airport and on departure. SUNAT also offers temporary admission for identifiable professional equipment for productions that are not carnet holders. We prepare the equipment list and brief the crew before travel.

Peru has specific migratory categories for foreign filming and artistic work: journalism for foreign media and foreign film production companies, and temporary or resident artistic production for cultural and film work, under Supreme Decree 007-2021-IN. Which one applies depends on the crew and the project, so confirm with Migraciones or the consulate before travel. We flag this in the first reply.

No conventional ones for foreign shoots. Film in Peru's FAQ states Peru does not have a tax credit or cash refund, and the recent audiovisual-law incentives are aimed mainly at Peruvian audiovisual activity and co-productions. The practical advantage is cost: local production costs are competitive for the region, and we budget the Peru portion line by line so you can see where the money goes.

Yes, through our Lima production partner: camera, sound, drone pilots and gear, with Lima crew depth. We bring the Cusco, Machu Picchu, protected-area and remote-location side: permits, access, transport, lodging, guides, porters and ground coordination, under one bilingual senior contact. Crew lists, kit lists and day rates come with the first budget so you can compare them with bringing your own unit.

Yes. We plan river and air logistics, lodge bases such as Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica and Tambopata near Puerto Maldonado, or Iquitos, the distinction between protected areas and private or communal land, communications gaps and medical contingency. Our founder spent years building a lodge operation in the Iquitos Amazon, and advised the filmmakers for Treehouse Lodge's Discovery Channel and Travel Channel features.

Schedule acclimatization days, ideally starting in the Sacred Valley, which is lower than Cusco, before shooting in the city or above it. We build a medical plan, arrange oxygen and a physician on call, and plan lighter loads and shorter days at altitude. Rainbow Mountain, at about 5,000 m, needs its own medical planning.

Yes. You can contract with our Utah company, Inca Trek LLC dba Destination Peru, and be billed in U.S. dollars, with the work delivered by our Peruvian company on the ground. That keeps contracting, insurance certificates and payments familiar for U.S. productions. Peruvian invoices are issued where a production needs them for local tax purposes.

Yes, through a licensed Peruvian security partner registered with SUCAMEC, coordinated with your own team where you have one. NDAs are available on request, and names are handled on a need-to-know basis. For talent traveling with the production, see our private & discreet travel page, which covers how we keep names, movements and photographs under control.

Yes. Multi-location, fast-moving logistics are what we do: vehicles, rail, hotels, guides and permits across Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, the Amazon and the coast, with one contact who can re-plan the day when the schedule changes. We also handle the unglamorous parts: release forms with local participants, meal and transport logistics for large crews, and standby vehicles.

Yes. We start with remote research: locations, authorities, access and timing, with photos and video from our team. When the brief needs it, we run an in-person recce with your location manager or on your behalf, and report back with what each location allows and what it costs to operate there.