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The performance of commercially available InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes as single-photon detectors at a 1.55-µm wavelength has been investigated. A new active quenching and gating circuit, tailored for operation of these diodes at temperatures in the range from room temperature to -60 °C and achievable by means of thermoelectrical cooling, has been developed. Careful tuning of the diodes’ operating conditions resulted in a significant reduction of afterpulsing effects; it permitted operation of the detectors with high repetition rates. A noise-equivalent power of 7 × 10^-16 W/Hz^1/2 was obtained at a 1.55-µm wavelength.