To Cusco Without the Canyon

Trip overview:

Perfect For:
Those who are short on time so want to skip Arequipa or those who plan to visit Bolivia after Peru.

Time needed to complete trip:
4days/3nights – or hop off and stay longer at any destination if you wish…the choice is yours!

Start and End Point:
Start in Lima and finish in Cusco. Start any Machu Picchu Tour or Trek from here…we can assist!

Price:
$209

Travel with confidence with Tripadvisor’s #1 rated travel company in Peru

Since 2013, over 315,000 travelers have trusted Peru Hop to help them discover the real Peru in their once-in-a-lifetime trip!

  • Our hop-on, hop-off bus passes allow you to discover the real Peru, mixing hidden gems and world famous attractions! View Trip Highlights & What’s Included below!
  • Review our Recommended Itinerary, the fastest way to see and do everything! Or Hop off anywhere and stay longer…buses run EVERY day!
  • Feel free to Hop On a bus and just go! Or if want everything planned in advance, use our App after booking to choose your travel dates, recommended activities and more!
  • Created by Travelers for Travelers, read below for much more info or contact our local Peruvian experts for tips & advice!

Trip Highlights For This Pass

  • Visit the Peruvian Galapagos via speedboat, and see some of the best of untouched Peruvian wildlife, from penguins to sea lions – Paracas
  • Discover the Paracas National Reserve, where the Desert meets the Ocean giving incredible contrasts of colours for amazing scenery
  • Walk Up (or Dune Buggy Ride up!) the largest Sand Dunes in South America at the incredible Desert Oasis in Huacachina
  • Visit a boutique local Pisco Vineyard for an unforgettable tour and tasting experience – Huacachina
  • See the world famous Nazca Lines, best seen from above with a Nazca Lines Flight! Or undertake a quick stop for free with our visit to the Nazca Lines Viewing Tower
  • Make an exclusive stop at the hidden Lagunillas Lake on the road between Arequipa and Puno and get an up close feel for the spectacular Peruvian countryside
  • Take a boat across Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, and visit the indigenous families living on the man made floating islands. A truly once in a lifetime experience from Puno.
  • Discover all seven colors of the incredible Rainbow Mountain, only recently discovered and Peru’s fastest growing tourist attraction – Cusco
  • Visit Machu Picchu, on either a tour or a trek. Peru Hop can assist with any queries and help with booking if needed
  • Taste local Peruvian food at small local restaurants along the way for an authentic experience
  • At night, our Peru Hop guides work with locals and often organize free Peruvian Dance classes, Pisco Sour making classes and other events for our passengers

What's included in the price?

  • 7 stop Hop-on, Hop-off pass allowing you to stay as long at each stop as you like, or follow our recommended plan to do everything at a perfect pace! Still not sure how Peru Hop works? Click here to learn more.
  • Hotel/Hostel pickup and drop off at every stop (Airbnbs have close Meeting Points): save on approx. 8 taxi journeys and avoid unsafe bus terminals and street taxis
  • FREE exclusive tour of underground secret slave tunnels in Chincha. 17km of tunnels used to traffic slaves in 17th Century. – UNIQUE STOP
  • FREE Paracas National Reserve Tour (includes transport there & back, tour guide, and all entrance fees) – normally $15
  • FREE Pisco Vineyard Tour (includes transport there & back, tour guide, and all entrance fees)- normally $15
  • FREE Entrance to Nazca Lines Viewing Tower (includes transport there & back, tour guide, and all entrance fees)- normally $5. Learn more about the Viewing Tower here!
  • On board local Peruvian Expert who will give tips, advice, and can help book tours, accommodation and more
  • All local taxes, fees and service charges – no hidden fees like other companies
  • Local customer service team accessible 24 hours via email and phone for any issue
  • EXCLUSIVE discounts on accommodation at each destination – better prices than any website
  • EXCLUSIVE access to Peru Hop APP, with up-to-date destination info, food discounts and tour information

Our recommended trip plan

Choose an estimated departure date and our system will generate a recommended itinerary for you for this pass

Remember, using our App, you can change all bus dates & times up to 24 hours before departure, so you do not need to have a fixed itinerary decided before booking your Peru Hop pass.


How does the App Work

Imagine traveling in Peru and feeling unwell one day meaning you couldn’t travel that day. The stress of trying to change your plan, being hit with cancellation fees etc.

With Peru Hop, open our App using your unique login and you would just put that journey on hold for now, and take it off hold whenever you are ready to travel again! So simple and easy!

Created by travelers for travelers, our App puts you in total control of your trip and acts like your Peruvian personal trip planner.

What else can you do in our App?

Change all your bus dates/times (up to 24 hours before departure of that bus)

Choose your Seats on each bus (launching June 2024)

Select your Pickup and Dropoff Locations at each destination (or just tell the onboard guides)

Read detailed Peruvian Destination & Food Guides that work even without internet!

View all Free Tours included in your Pass

Add On any recommended tours in each destination (e.g. Machu Picchu or Sandboarding)

Book Accommodation with selected hotels/hostels in each location

Bus timetable

  • Buses operate EVERYDAY in EVERY direction.
  • You can choose where our bus will pick you up in our booking system.
HOP STAGE 1
A: LIMA TO PARACAS - The Cultural Route Every day
Lima (depart) 07:00
Breakfast stop at traditional bread oven 08:45
Secret slave tunnels 11:30
Paracas (arrive) 13:30
B: LIMA TO PARACAS - The Express Route Every day
Lima (depart) 06:00
Paracas (arrive) 10:00

Main activity in Paracas:
Ballestas Islands – Stay 1 night in Paracas and take the Ballestas tour the next day at 08:00am. Tours last 2 hours. Possible to then do the trip into the National Reserve (FREE) at 11am before departing to Huacachina.

Note: If you’re very short on time, take the 06:00am bus which allows you to do the Ballestas Islands tour at 10:00am and continue on to Huacachina on the same day.

HOP STAGE 2
PARACAS TO HUACACHINA Every day
Paracas National Reserve 10:00
Paracas (depart) 12:00
Pisco Vineyard Tour 13:00
Huacachina (arrive) 15:00

Main activity in Huacachina:
Dune Buggy and Sandboarding – Tours at 16:00pm. Tours last 2 hours.

Want to do a Nazca Lines Flight? You can leave Huacachina next morning, do the flight, and meet our bus in Nazca. See Hop Stage 3 for more!

HOP STAGE 3
HUACACHINA TO NAZCA TO PUNO Every day
Huacachina (depart) 14:00
Nazca Viewing Tower 16:30
Nazca (arrive) 17:30
Dinner snack stop
Nazca (depart) 18:00
Lagunillas Viewpoint 09:30
Puno (arrive) 13:00

Main activity in Nazca:
Nazca Lines Flight. It is possible to do the flight and take the bus to Arequipa later that evening.

All of this can be organised with your guide on the bus as you arrive to Huacachina.

We recommend taking snacks to have something to eat on the way to your next stop.

Note: there will be a quick swap to a minibus in Juliaca (Puno) due to our big bus having restricted access into Puno for drop offs.

Main activity in Puno:
2-Hour Floating Islands Tour at 6:00am at Lake Titicaca. Visit the floating islands and continue with bus to Bolivia the same morning or hop off in Puno and stay longer… Full Day or Homestay Tours (1 night) are also available.

HOP STAGE 4
A: PUNO TO CUSCO - Morning Bus Every day
Puno (depart) 10:00
Marangani lunch stop 14:00
Cusco (arrive) 18:30
B: PUNO TO CUSCO - Night Bus EVERY NIGHT
Puno (depart) 22:00
Cusco (arrive) 05:00

Puno pick-ups:
Start 30 minutes before departure time.

Main activity in Cusco:
Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley Tours and Treks.


Important notes

Travelling between any of the dates mentioned below? Click the tab for the corresponding important information.

SECRET SLAVE TUNNELS - PRIVATE EVENTS

The Haciendo San Jose (Secret Slave Tunnels) will be closed to the public to the following dates due to private events:

  • March 16th, 2024
  • April 27th, 2024
  • May 18th, 2024
  • September 21st, 2024
  • November 9th, 2024
  • November 23rd, 2024

28 - 31 MARCH 2024 EASTER WEEKEND

Easter weekend holidays. Hostel and tour prices increase during this period. We will not be able to assist you in booking any accommodations during this period. Please book in advance.

Due to the heavy traffic, we will depart Lima 1 hour before the departure times mentioned above.

06:00am bus departs at 05:00am

07:00am bus departs at 06:00am

27, 28, 29 & 30 JULY 2024 - INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS (PERU)

Hotel/hostel prices will increase during this period. MUST book accommodation in advance! Accommodation in larger dorm room sizes may apply.


The departure times on July 28th & 29th for the buses and Nazca shuttle will be changed as follows:

- Express Route (6:00 am bus) departing at 5:00am

- Cultural Route (7:00 am bus) departing at 6:00am

- PARACAS-HUACACHINA will depart at 12pm


Tours will be shortened with all tour operators as follows: Ballestas Islands Tour: 1 hour and a half and Sandboarding & Buggies: 1 hour


Access to the oasis may be limited. It might be necessary to walk a short distance in and out of the oasis. Please consult your guide regarding your luggage.

Frequently asked questions

Based on customer emails, these are our top questions – click to see the answers!

Who travels on the Peru Hop buses?

You will meet similar travelers of all ages and races. As can often be seen in our reviews, people make friends for life on board!

We have had over 300,000 passengers from 85+ countries! The average age is 31 years old with the youngest being 10 months old and the oldest at 85!

65% of our passengers are female! Various people have contacted us to say they met on Peru Hop and are now married!

Thankfully we haven’t heard of any couples divorcing after traveling together on Peru Hop so far!

What are the Peru Hop buses like?

Our huge luxury modern buses come with semi-cama (half bed) reclining seats, A/C & heating systems, tv’s, Usb ports, clean toilets and more!

All buses are tracked by GPS systems, have speed restriction software and much more. Read more about Our Buses HERE.

Do the buses run on time?

Peru Hop is an EXTREMELY punctual service, especially compared to other Peruvian bus companies who are unfortunately late a lot (as can be seen from their TripAdvisor reviews).

If you have a tour or hotel booked and in the very rare case our bus is late, our onboard guides will help you by calling your tours and hotels to assist you as much as possible, but really this should never happen on Peru Hop.

For payment, what currency is used?

Our prices are in US dollars. For payments using non-USD cards, your bank will automatically handle the currency conversion at their standard rate.

Who are the onboard Travel Guides?

All our team are local Peruvians fluent in English. Read past reviews and you will see that everybody LOVES our guides!

They are not traditional guides telling you long history with dates, etc. What they do is give you a real insight into what life was, and is, like living in Peru, with snippets of historical and cultural info.

Did you know 5 of the last 6 presidents of Peru are in jail? Or that the minimum wage here is $300 per month? That’s the type of interesting info and stories our guides will share with you (don’t worry, we pay them a lot more than the minimum wage!).

Aside from that, they will become your best Peruvian friend, giving you tips and advice on how to maximize your time in Peru, and helping you try local food and drink at local prices!

Is Peru Hop a touristy way to travel?

There is a misconception that because Peru Hop makes it so simple and easy to get around Peru then it is “touristy”.

But what actually happens on other public buses? The bus goes from A to B direct (no hidden gem stops), everyone puts their headphones in and sleeps, and you learn nothing about what you are driving past or get any tips/advice on any destination.

Not only is Peru Hop a much safer and easier way to travel, but it gives you a much more authentic local experience. A local onboard Peruvian will give you insights impossible to find in guidebooks or blogs, and stop at hidden gems and local neighborhood restaurants again not in any guidebook.

An Authentic Local Experience with European Standards of Safety and Service!

How do I add accommodation and tours to my trip?

There are 3 ways:

  1. Book your own (on Airbnb or booking.com for example)
  2. In our App: After booking, you can add tours and accommodation to your trip. Don’t worry, our partners always keep spaces for our customers.
  3. On the Bus: Our guide will pass around a sign-up sheet for tours and accommodation, you can sign up on the bus and pay the guide directly in cash.

Can I book for a group of 3+ people?

Yes, of course! All dates made for buses or tours or anything else will apply to the whole group, and from our App, you can control everything for you and your group (or they can login in with their own code too!).

Contact Us if you need any special help planning your groups trip, as we know it can be a bit tricky.

All people in groups of 3+ can get a special discount of $10 per person using discount code GRUPO.

How does the bus know where to pick me up?

There are 2 ways:

  1. Our onboard guide will ask you you are staying at each destination and ensure that’s where you are picked up for the next trip.
  2. In the App, you can choose where you want the bus to pick you up from, and the App will tell you what time the bus will pick you up at. It really is that simple and easy!

Can I just follow the Recommended Itinerary?

Yes, and actually, most of our passengers do and its already setup in your App after you book the pass!

The recommended itinerary was made to allow you to see and do it all in a short space of time, but to have plenty of time for yourself as well.

Don’t forget, everything with Peru Hop is flexible, and you can make last minute changes during your trip or simply travel without a plan and just use our App on the go!

Where can I store my luggage while doing any tours?

During the bus journey, your luggage is always stored safely in our massive storage area under the bus. However, if you are ever doing a tour and need storage, our onboard guides will know the local hotels and restaurants that can help you store you luggage for free!

Do I need to book in advance?

We are proud that word of mouth from our ex-Hopsters means our tickets often sell out in advance, so we strongly recommend you book as soon as possible. Remember that once you have a ticket, you can change your start date up to 12 hours before departure.

Can I change my ticket to another one after booking?

Sure, if you want to change your ticket for one that better suits your travel plans, please send us an email to proceed. Depending on the new ticket price and the timing of your request, the team will provide you with the available options.

Does traveling on Peru Hop help the local communities?

Yes, 100% it does.

Peru Hop was founded by Irish guys who moved to Peru and realized they had missed so much of this country when they were travelers, and so, partnered with local Peruvians to develop a system to allow people to discover the Real Peru.

By taking you to places most tourists don’t know about, you are helping local communities – who often live below the poverty line – to have a source of income. Simply buying some breakfast, snacks or a water here or there really helps these communities.

As well as this, 95% of our staff are young Peruvians and we pay more than other travel and bus companies. They often use their salaries to help their families (here in Peru it is common kids, parents and grandparents to all live in the same small house).

Remember, most tourists either fly with billion dollar airlines or go on public buses owned by millionaires and make no stops between destinations and don’t benefit local communities.

Don’t be a Typical Tourist, Discover the REAL Peru, and make this a win-win for you and for local Peruvians.