Peru Hop Bus Review – Is this the Best Way to Travel Around Peru?

Want to travel between Lima and Cusco easily? This Peru Hop Bus review highlights the fun and flexibility of this multi-stop bus service for travel in Peru.

Peru Hop became my answer to the stress of planning my trip in this country of vast landscapes and long overland journeys. After furiously researching how to travel in and around Peru from Lima to Cusco and see everything from the sand dunes, colonial cities, and the human-made lake islands in between, I mostly came across stories of dodgy local bus trips and rip-off taxi drivers.

Then, through those targeted adverts that seem to read our minds, I came across a relatively new hop-on hop-off bus service called Peru Hop. A couple of Irish guys set it up because they wanted to make travel in Peru fun, informative, and hassle-free after their own experiences traversing the country.

After I asked them a few questions about how it all worked, I got my Peru Hop pass and set off on my two-week journey across Peru so I can help you plan your way around.

Peru Hop gave me a pass, and I’m happy to share my honest experience with their service. 

What is Peru Hop?

Peru Hop offers a multi-stop, flexible ticket to travel between Lima and Cusco in either direction, stopping at Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, Arequipa, and Puno, with an on-board local guide who speaks English and Spanish. 

There’s also a bus (the Bolivia Hop) that takes you to La Paz, Bolivia, as an extra loop between Puno and Cusco.

Book the Peru Hop service here.

The point of the Peru Hop offering is laid out to be more than just a standard bus transport service and more like an adaptable tour experience. In their own words, they cite it as a means to “travel independently but never alone”, which is true.

The flexible service and everything from accommodation to tour bookings on the ground is designed for the curious traveller and those looking to see a lot of Peru without the difficulties and safety issues associated with South America travel. It’s neither a rowdy tour bus nor are you forced to share accommodation or follow a set itinerary.

Need help deciding where to visit in Peru?

How Much is a Peru Hop Pass?

A Peru Hop pass costs from $179 USD for a three-day pass to $248 USD for a seven-day pass.

This gives you flexibility: you can start your Peru trip anywhere, use it to cover the full route, pick it up halfway, or even use it in Arequipa to travel on to La Paz, Bolivia.

Think of it as a mix-and-match bus pass, which you tailor to your needs and timeframe. 

How Long is a Peru Hop Pass Valid For?

Once purchased, the Peru Hop pass is valid for a year from the start date you choose. This flexibility is great for travellers with no particular timescale, where you can stay as long as you like in each destination hub, as well as people like me who had to travel within a specific time frame.

How Do I Plan Peru Destinations to Visit With Peru Hop?

On your first trip, you’ll receive a helpful booklet about each destination and a daily bus schedule so you can plan. You’ll also receive a PDF guide by email before the trip.

Staff members also act as tour guides, providing insights and useful information along the way. They are available throughout the journey to answer questions, help you book your hostel, hotel, and tours, and ensure everyone gets from A to B with minimal issues.

Cost of Local Buses Compared to Peru Hop?

One of my first questions when looking to use Peru Hop was: isn’t the local bus system in Peru cheaper? I started to add up a few journeys, especially between the larger cities.

While I could have possibly saved $50 or so, I knew I was paying for comfort, better organisation, door-to-door pickup and drop-offs in unfamiliar cities and, more importantly, safety (especially overnight).

Those are priceless elements when it comes to limiting stress and not having to deal with dodgy taxis, middle-of-the-night arrivals at out-of-town bus stations and scam ticket touts.

Are the Peru Hop Buses Comfortable?

The buses are new, modern, spacious and comfy. The overnight buses have pullout leg rests and blankets, ensuring maximum comfort for lengthy rides – an extra touch I appreciated.

Peru Hop Bus Reservation – Online Booking

Peru Hop means one ticket, one easy-to-use online booking system, maximum flexibility, and no rogue travel agents or hassle at local bus stations.

I was able to roughly map out my journey and pre-book all of my buses in advance, ensuring I would get to Cusco in good time. You can change your plans at any time, as long as you book your seat on the bus by midday the day before departure. However, some buses do book out fast, so this can also be risky.

Increased Safety with Peru Hop

Safety is another reason Peru Hop was the right choice, especially as I was a solo female traveller in a country that attracts couples and friendship groups.

Everyone who gets on the bus must have a valid ticket and seat booking, which matches the passport details the guides have logged in the system and on a printed list. This limits issues from bus hijackings, where an unknown accomplice is usually on board.

While I didn’t meet as many solo travellers as I hoped on the Peru Hop bus (although this often comes down to luck and timing), I did appreciate the ease of being dropped off and picked up at my hostel or one nearby, where a lot of other Peru Hop travellers ended up hanging out.

Another bonus is that the bus attracts all kinds of travellers of all ages, so it is not a young, crazy party tour bus. However, it did lean more toward younger, 20s travellers, which made it a little harder being in my 30s!

Peru Hop Door to Door – Hostel Pick Ups and Drops Offs

The hostel and hotel pick-up and drop-off service also reduces the need for unsafe taxis and dealing with unfamiliar city locations at night or in the early hours.

You also get exclusive discounts at a ton of hostels that have partnered with Peru Hop, or you can book your own. The choice is always yours, but if you book your own accommodation, it’s still helpful to choose somewhere close to the designated bus pick-up/drop-off (as stated in the booklet).

Peru Hop Review – The Bonus Perks

Beyond the practicalities of getting from one Peru destination to another with ease, a Peru Hop pass comes with a whole host of other traveller benefits.

Free Extra Stops

While the Peru Hop has its set stops between Lima and Cusco (Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, Arequipa and Puno), and you are not obliged to stop and get off at all of them, I was able to stay in each place with ample time in my 15-day timeframe.

You have the flexibility to do as you choose – the direction, the timescale and the destination (you don’t have to get off at each stop if you don’t want to). Peru Hop’s offering isn’t just extra stops on the way to your destination, but also the organisation of tours on the ground.

Extra stops include the slave tunnels on the way to Paracas and the natural beauty of Paracas National Park as you leave the town for Huacachina, plus a Pisco vineyard tour on the way to Nazca.

Discounts at Hostels and Hotels

As the Peru Hop Pass is about reserving your seat on a bus, you are not inclined to stay in any particular accommodation or be forced to get off at any specific stopping point. Therefore, where you stay and what you do at the destination is entirely up to you.

However, Peru Hop does have affiliations with local hostels and hotels in each place, where Peru Hop passengers get discounts. Usually, you show your Peru Hop wristband at check-in, which also works for some restaurant and store discounts they have set up along the way.

The tour staff on the bus can also book a hostel or hotel for you there and then, as you head to your destination.

Tour Bookings and Day Trips

I was often on limited time, spending only one night in a couple of destinations. But Peru Hop made it easy to sample the highlights, since they also organise some on-the-ground activities.

Like next-day speedboat tours to the Ballestas Islands on arrival in Paracas and same-day sandboarding was organised upon arrival at Huacachina (great for those like me only staying one night). Even the Nazca lines flight was booked, including transportation to the Nazca airport, with a drop-off at a designated café afterwards, where the Peru Hop bus would pick me up in the evening.

In places where Peru Hop couldn’t organise tours, we were recommended ‘Find Local Trips’, one of South America’s largest and most trusted tour booking platforms for day trips and experiences.

Does the Peru Hop Bus Travel in the North of Peru?

Peru Hop currently doesn’t offer any bus service in the north of the country, which is a shame, and I hope they add it in time. Many travellers I met who were heading to northern Peru for big treks like Laguna 69 used local buses. They booked them via the hostel or online (many said there were enough gringos on them not to feel too sketchy or isolated).

Travelling to and From Lima Airport?

The same company also operates the Airport Express Lima Bus that has multiple stops in the city centre. This bus is cheaper than the taxi pick-ups organised by many hostels, although I much preferred the pre-organised (via a hostel) taxi option late at night.

Overall Thoughts on Peru Hop

This honest review was in exchange for one Peru Hop pass, and I would absolutely recommend this service and use it again if I return to Peru. More so the Bolivia Hop element, as I didn’t have time to use it to hop into a neighbouring country.

What stands out is that Peru Hop was set up by foreign travellers looking to overcome the difficulties many people face when travelling in Peru. The hop-on-hop-off service combines flexibility and safety with extra fun elements, which immediately makes it a preferred choice over constant local bus travel.

It’s no wonder you see everyone from backpackers, older travellers and families using this bus – making travel in Peru and around more open and attractive to visitors than it was before.