Catherine - Savvy Family TravelAre you planning a trip across Peru and trying to figure out how to get between destinations like Lima, Huacachina, Arequipa, Puno, and Cusco? If you want to avoid driving your own rental car or arranging private tours, the Peru Hop bus tour network makes moving across the country incredibly easy.
I was not compensated by Peru Hop for this review, nor am I affiliated.
We used Peru Hop during our time in southern Peru. Instead of piecing together transportation city by city, we were able to move through the country at our own pace while having hotels, pickup points, and routes coordinated in advance. Especially with kids, that convenience was crucial.
Peru Hop Bus Tour Outline
What Is Peru Hop?
Peru Hop is a multi day hop-on, hop-off bus service designed specifically for travelers moving through Peru. It feels like a backpacker bus network, but we saw everyone from solo travelers to couples to families like us onboard.
Rather than booking separate bus companies for every leg of your trip, Peru Hop connects major destinations along a set route. You choose your pass, then decide how long you want to stay in each location before continuing on.
Some of the most popular stops include:
- Lima
- Paracas
- Huacachina
- Nazca
- Arequipa
- Colca Canyon
- Puno
- Cusco (and Machu Picchu)
- You can even continue south to Bolivia!
The biggest draw is flexibility. You aren’t locked into rigid dates months ahead of time, which was especially helpful once we realized we wanted extra time in certain places.
Here is a sample of their itineraries, but check the website for all offerings.
Why Travel with Peru Hop?
The logistics are incredibly easy
This was probably the biggest benefit for us.
Instead of navigating unfamiliar bus stations in Spanish, arranging taxis late at night, or coordinating multiple transportation companies, Peru Hop handled the entire flow. They picked us up near our accommodations and transferred us to the larger coach bus central meeting point.
That pickup system made traveling feel much less overwhelming, especially when moving between cities frequently.
Communication
Peru Hop caters heavily to international travelers, so their level of organization and communication made it seamless to book and make changes.
Their WhatsApp support was especially helpful. Anytime we had questions about timing, modifications, or pickups, they responded quickly. One tip: Always start the chat with your reservation number. It speeds things up considerably.
Once you’re on board, a host (separate from the driver) will travel with you. They have a Whatsapp group for all passengers on board and provide cultural info and keep you posted on timing and logistical information.
Amenities On Board
Southern Peru involves some very long travel days, so comfort is crucial.
The buses included:
- Reclining seats
- USB charging ports
- Free WiFi
- Blankets (read below)
- Bathroom access
The onboard WiFi was decent in most stretches of the trip, though I wouldn’t rely on it for anything critical.
The buses can get bumpy in certain areas, particularly through mountainous regions, so sitting closer to the front helps.
Important Peru Hop Tips
Book early
If you’re traveling during busy months, I’d strongly recommend booking at least 3 months in advance.
The nice part is that you can still modify your travel dates later. Peru Hop allows changes up to 48 hours beforehand, which gave us flexibility once we finalized accommodations and our duration of stays in each city.
Message via WhatsApp
The speed of their WhatsApp support blew me away. They answered questions quickly and helped with route modifications without making things complicated.
If you’re traveling with kids, book through WhatsApp instead of directly online. We were able to get a small discount on children’s tickets that way. $10 off per child.
Bring Dramamine
Some stretches of road are winding and rough. Pack 24 hour, less drowsy Dramamine and kids’ chewables.
Pack water and snacks
While there are stops along the way, some travel days are long and stops might be separated by 3 hour stretches. Keep water and snacks easily accessible.
Bring a USB charger
Seats had USB charging available.
Sit Toward the Front
The roads in Peru can be rough in places. Sitting closer to the front made the ride noticeably smoother for us.
Prepare for Pick Up
Peru Hop uses smaller transfer vans to collect passengers from accommodations and bring everyone to the main bus loading area.
In our experience, pickups often ran about 5–10 minutes later than the scheduled window, but you should absolutely still be ready on time. Just message on WhatsApp if you start to wonder whether they’ve forgotten you.
If you have an early start for your Peru Hop bus tour, notify your hotel staff and they may be able to prepare early breakfast or a to go bag for you.
Blankets (word of caution)
Blankets are provided, which was nice during overnight and early morning rides. But it wasn’t clear to us whether they were cleaned between passengers, so bringing your own lightweight travel blanket may be worth it.
Bathroom Rule
There is a bathroom onboard, but passengers are asked not to use it for “#2.”
Not glamorous information, but definitely something you’ll want to know ahead of time on longer travel days and it may change what food you choose to pack.
Peru Hop Alternatives
Many tourism hot spots in Peru are not served by an airport or train so a bus or rental car are your main options.
Alternate bus companies to evaluate for your itinerary would be Cruz del Sur or Civa. We picked Peru Hop for their price point and spacious, reclining seats.
One breath-taking way to travel between Cusco and Puno specifically is the Peru Rail luxury train ride. This would have cost our family an additional $800, so we opted for the bus, but it looked like an incredible experience.
We also liked that the bus ride would relocate us overnight rather than consuming an entire day of our Peru Itinerary.
How Much Does Peru Hop Cost?
Pricing depends on:
- The route
- The number of stops
- The length of your pass
- Any add-on tours
For ballpark pricing though, our Cusco – Puno – Arequipa – Huacachina – Paracas – Lima tour cost us $189 per adult. This tour is called “Full South to Lima.”
You can view current routes and pricing on the Peru Hop official website.
Peru Hop Add-Ons
One thing Peru Hop does really well is integrating tours and activities into the transportation schedule.
Depending on your route, you can add experiences like:
- Sandboarding in Huacachina
- Boat tours in Paracas
- Lake excursions near Puno
- Nazca Lines flights
- Nazca Lines Viewpoint (free)
- Colca Canyon tours
- Winery Tour (free)
We liked that many of these could be added on while already traveling instead of needing every detail planned months ahead.
Is Peru Hop Worth It?
For us, absolutely.
Peru Hop removed so much logistical friction from traveling across southern Peru that we were able to focus more on the actual experience instead of constantly coordinating transportation.
If you’re building a broader Peru itinerary, I’d also recommend reading our guides to:
- Cusco Things to do
- Deciding How Many Days in Cusco
- Machu Picchu Packing
- Puno and Lake Titicaca
- Huacachina Sandboarding Tips
- our full two weeks in Peru itinerary
And if you’re debating whether Peru Hop is “too touristy,” I’d say this: sometimes convenience and comforts on a trip like this is still worth it when you’re navigating long distances at high elevations across an unfamiliar country.
Save these Peru Hop Bus Tour article for later:
Catherine – Savvy Family Travel
My favorite pastime is finding fun, interesting experiences to share with family and friends.
I’m a mom of two energetic and curious boys. My tireless husband provides comic relief, is our favorite photographer, and an expert navigator.
I’m a firm believer that travel with kids doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive. It can be affordable, epic, and, dare I say, even relaxing!
Are you a travel loving parent too? I’d love to meet you, please reach out via Messenger and say “hi!”
Based in: Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links on which (at no additional cost to you) I may earn a small commission. I promise to use any kickback to explore more of our incredible world. Read full privacy policy here.