Trying to find the right bus company to transport you around Peru? Worried about finding a safe bus to your next destination? Travelling solo and looking for a group experience? Don’t want to get stuck waiting for the traditional bus companies for multiple hours because they’re running late? Desire the luxury bus amenities without the high price tag? Want to be able explore Peru at your own pace? Need help finding the best places to stay at a discounted rate? Trying to avoid walking into the next tourist trap? Consider all of your problems solved, at least for Peru. We partnered with Peru Hop, traveling on their buses for two weeks and can honestly say they live up to their reputation…and reviews! There is no doubt in our mind that this is the ultimate way to travel Peru with ease! (PLEASE NOTE: The following times are based on a Cusco->Lima route but can also be done in the reverse direction)
Hopping Off To A Great Start
While the start to our adventure was a whirlwind 48 hours, Peru Hop helped us get out on the right foot, or wheels as the case may be! The Peru Hop station in Cusco is a bit like finding the 9 3/4s passageway in Harry Potter, you definitely won’t find it by accident. Unlike the Hogwarts secret passage, this station is known to most taxi drivers, and also shows up on google maps. Like the famous adventures of Harry Potter, what lies behind the gate is more than worth your trek. The station is also solely used for Peru Hop, making it impossible to lose you way. Inside the waiting area you’ll find multiple employees eager to check you in and get your adventure started. There’s even free WiFi, perfect for if you’re like us and forgot to print out your confirmation.
Bus Features and Amenities
Eat, Sleep, Hop, Repeat. The slogan of Peru Hop is one that we found definitely rings true! These buses are methodically equipped for long journeys thru the country allowing you to get the rest you need before arriving to your next destination. The seats not only recline to semi-bed positions but also have pull out footrests for added comfort. The buses never got too hot or cold, plus most were equipped with blankets…so don’t worry if your extra sweatshirt is buried deep in your rucksack. With USB ports located overhead, or on your seat, you can always keep all of your devices charged for inevitable use the next day. They also have wall mounted TVs every 4-5 seats with individual audio jacks if you want to stay awake and watch featured movies. The windows all have curtains so whether you want to watch the world pass by, or close out the traffic lights it’s up you. We recommend checking out the passing sights during day trips as we spotted some awesome landscapes and even flamingos right from our window seat!
Continuing Our Journey + The Perks Of Being A Hopster
Luxury buses do exist in Peru, so why shouldn’t you just order one from point to point? We’ll admit comfort is key on any long bus trip, but with Peru Hop, you’re getting the amenities of luxury buses PLUS all the extras and connections that the company provides. This makes it unparalleled (at least in our eyes). For example, our first stop in Puno we booked a tour through Peru Hop with the Kollasuyo travel group. They set-up our amazing 2 day home stay on the islands of Lake Titikaka for only $38 pp…including all our meals! The connections and ease to book tour groups is a fantastic feature, but it doesn’t stop there. Peru Hop also partners with hostels and hotels that provide discounted rates, as well as a home base to store your bags when you go out on excursions. In Punu, we left our bags at Pacha Suites for no extra charge. This saved us the hassle of having to carry them with us on our overnight trip to the lake. The entire process was a piece of cake, probably because Peru Hop arranged it all! We just sat back and waited at their partner hostel for our Kollasuyo guide to pick us up and they handled the rest. From the van to the port and all the different boast transfers, it all went flawlessly. We had no issues booking our home stay tour at the last minute, but would suggest looking things up ahead of time for lower anxiety levels. However, should you need them, Peru Hop is always ready, and waiting to help in any way they can!
After thoroughly enjoying our overnight adventure on Amantani Island, we arrived back in town early the next afternoon. We were able to collect our bags, upload some pictures, and catch up with family while we waiting for the next bus to arrive at Pacha Suites. Personally, we didn’t find Puno all that charming, but we absolutely loved our family home stay on Amantani and would encourage everyone with a stop in Puno to take this optional trip! Each experience varies based on your designated family, but we found our home stay trip to be a once in a lifetime experience that we won’t soon forget!
Puno -> Arequipa
The next connection to Arequipa was a bit quirky and one of the only times we could say our journey with Peru Hop was a bit inconvenient. We boarded a dual Cusco-Arequipa bus at 9:30pm in Puno and headed west. A few hours later, around 12am we arrived at a gas station where our Arequipa bus was waiting. Transferring ourselves and all of our gear to the new bus half-awake wasn’t ideal, but it also wasn’t the end of the world. Just make sure to plan accordingly and know you are going to have to make a transfer. The next 5 hours were un-eventful and we arrived in Arequipa safe and sound early the next morning.
All in all, we traveled close to 500 miles, between 3 cities, and 3 islands in less than 72 hours. Realizing that this pace was unsustainable, and quickly falling in love with Arequipa, we found where Peru Hop truly shines. With a few clicks of a button, we were able to push back our next bus to Nazca by two nights giving us 5 nights total to see all Arequipa had to offer. So glad we did, as we arrived just in time for the last game of World Cup playoff series for Peru. Needless to say, the city was buzzing, and we watched the game at a packed Wild Rovers Hostel (those looking to party, this is your place). Celebrations continued to the main square after the game and the electricity felt throughout the city is something we will never forget. The flexibility Peru Hop offers, combined with the discounts and wide variety of hostels they partner with, helped us to create our ultimate journey through South America. While we partied at Wild Rovers with the younger ‘Hopsters’, we chose to stay at Dragonfly Hostel and were not disappointed. It was a low key, yet social place with late 20-early 30 y/o’s who know how to have fun, but not destroy the place. Much to Chris’ happiness they also offered a variety of craft beer. PLEASE NOTE: as of this writing Arequipa-Nazca is only offered 5 nights a week, plan accordingly!
Arequipa -> Nazca/Huacachina
Arequipa to Nazca leaves bright and early at 530a, so be prepared for an early wake up call. While the bus does not stop for breakfast, Peru Hop went above and beyond by providing complimentary snacks including juice, water, granola bars, and crackers to everyone. If you are breakfast dependent, definitely plan ahead as we could not find anything open before we left. Ten hours on a bus can be quite monotonous so Peru Hop also includes a lunch stop at a quaint ocean side restaurant about halfway in. The patio has picturesque views of the boats and pier. Lunch was not included but was only 20soles (6USD) and options ran from chifa (peruvian chinese) to ceviche. We would recommend getting the fish and chips option as the ceviche was a bit light for another five hours on the bus. The next stop is only a couple hours later at a forty-foot tower to take a photo op at the Nazca lines. Three are visible from the tower- the spider, lizard, and tree. This is definitely something to cross off the bucket list and is great for breaking up the long drive. There is also an optional flight over the lines, but if you want to do this you will need to stay overnight. We departed Nazca and arrive to Huacachina aroun 6:15pm…just in time to watch the vibrant colors of the sunset cast over the towering dunes now surrounding us. PLEASE NOTE Huacachina (the next stop) is very overpriced, 4x-5x more compared to Arequipa, we suggest stocking up on groceries in Arequipa if you are on a budget
Huacachina + Dune Buggy Tour + Free Pisco Tour
Huacachina, our favorite little, sandy, overpriced oasis is what you would envision as a mirage…only its 100% real! It’s definitely everything you see in pictures, but please remember to plan ahead for this one. Due to its small nature, hotels can fill up quickly. As you will find out, sand, will be your new traveling companion…whether you want it or not! I’m actually sitting with a pile of it I just found 3 days later in Lima as I write this. More than a pest, sand does provide opportunities for buggy and boarding that are not to be missed! I want to write that twice, just like I wish I did it twice! Our sand dune excursion was definitely a highlight of the trip. The buggy ride is a roller coaster without tracks, darting out over massive dunes that will suspend you, and your stomach in the air. After a thrilling ride out to the middle of the dunes, it’s time for sand boarding! Nervous? Or inexperienced? No problem, you can lay down on the board or our personal favorite, use it like a sled! If you are serious about sand boarding, there are shops throughout the town that you can rent boots and better boards from. We also went on the free pisco tour by Peru Hop from Huacachina which was a personal favorite of Katie, not to mention fun for all. Personally, as a non wine drinker, this placed rocked. The wines were very sweet, almost like alcohol juice. We tried 3 wines and 2 pisco-wine blends. We did hear from some of our European counterparts that the wines were not up to their standards, but I got the feeling from our guide that Peruvians don’t worry much about European standards. While you can do the pisco tour, sand dunes, and leave in the same day, we would highly recommend staying two nights in Huacahina! This will allow you an extra evening to climb up the high dune in town for an incredible sunset vista over the oasis. To save from our hard learned lesson, remember to climb up the ridge of sand dune, not the face! As a sidenote, the two mornings we were there the fog prevented any sort of a sunrise, so it may not be worth an early wake up call! In terms of nightlife, Bananas seemed to have the best atmosphere at night but closed relatively early on weeknights. During the day, we’d definitely suggest a visit to Desert Nights Eco-Camp which features a pool made for paradise, including a swim up bar.
Huacachina -> Paracas
The knowledgeable and always happy to help staff of Peru Hop is the final addition to the company that leads us to believe they are the ultimate transportation option in Peru. They stayed on top of all the different activities going on and also kept track of all the hopsters! Our guide In Huacachina made sure we weren’t left behind when our tour ran late and found ourselves running to the bus. Relieved that we hadn’t been left, we continued on a short 2 hour bus journey to Paracas. This is mainly a sleepy seaside town, but the Paracas Wildlife Reserve is just around the corner and full of breathtaking landscapes! While Peruhop does offer a free tour of the Reserve, we decided we wanted one more shot at dune buggy’s. For 90soles (>30USD) plus 20soles (6USD) for park entrance we were able to drive our own buggy on a guided tour of the Reserve. Most of the actual dunes are prohibited from driving so we spent a lot of the time driving on the road which wasn’t quite as we imagined it, but still a good time! Over our two hour tour we checkout out Cathedral Rock, Playa Roja and it’s crazy red sands, and the picturesque beach of Mendieta.
Paracas -> Lima + The Free Slave Tunnel Tour
The final leg of our trip we took the earlier bus from Paracas at 5:30pm to check out the free tour to the slave tunnels of Chinca. This is a must see and one of the most fascinating tours we went on! If you are going our same direction Cusco->Lima you will get here at night, and it will only add to the spooky atmosphere. I don’t want to ruin the surprise with all the details, but climbing around in underground tunnels from centuries ago was amazing! In addition, the church on the property may have the best Spanish Catholic altar we have seen. Between our experiences with Peru, and multiple visits to California missions, that is saying something. After our tour we embarked on our final leg to Lima with a short stop at a gas station to meet up with the rest of the group. We were dropped off right in front of our AirBnB in Mira Flores. What other bus company drops you off right in front of your accommodations in Peru? None of them! We found this feature one of our favorite along our trip. As we watched new friends have to trudge to bus stations for trips with other companies, we knew PeruHop would always be a stones throw away waiting to transport us to our next destination.
Why Hopping Is The Best Way To See Peru
All told we spent 11 days with Peru Hop and covered a ton of ground. This company is convenient, flexible, and most of all easy and pleasant to travel with. If you’re looking for more of a group experience, we would suggest the Full South to Cusco route. We did the reverse route Full South to Lima and didn’t form as many relationships with others due to the frequent overnight buses. However, this route can also be a pro if you want to save on your budget and spend nights on the bus vs paying for accommodation. Traveling with Peru Hop you can customize pretty much any route on their map! If you just want to do one segment or all of them, it’s totally up to you! The ability to change and alter your bus schedule (up to 12 hours in advance) takes away all that stress of trying to completely plan out your trip ahead of time. One chat to any of the guides and they’ll get you set up with a bed or room at any of their partner hostels. Between the free tours, discounted accommodations, door to door service, safety, and reliability…we’d say their value is second to none! With Peru Hop everything’s as easy as 1,2,3. Don’t miss out on the ultimate way to see Peru…Eat, Sleep, Hop, and Repeat!
Find out all the routes and additional information about hopping your way through Peru @
***There’s also the option to see more of South America and expand your travels through Bolivia with Boliva Hop! Check it out here! http://www.boliviahop.com
