Peru Hop Reviews: A complete and updated 2024 guide summarizing hundreds of Peru Hop Reviews by couples, backpackers, families and more.
Read below for the best summary of what people have said about Peru Hop in Tripadvisor, Reddit and more!
Here at How To Peru, we work to make sure that you are always getting the best value for your money, and of course, looking to make sure that you don’t miss out on anything incredible.
Travel has never been a ‘one size fits all’ style, and so it shouldn’t be! Research and careful thought to the type of thing that you like is crucial to everyone planning their adventures.
When it comes to planning your Peruvian trip, time and time again we have seen the company name ‘Peru Hop’ popping up. So we decided to compile a selection of reviews from around the web to showcase the best and the worst of Peru Hop, divided into categories- after all, just because a set of grandparents enjoyed their trip it doesn’t mean that a group of teenagers will love the same thing.
However, with Peru Hop boasting huge numbers of passengers (300,000 passengers in a little less than 10 years), huge numbers of TripAdvisor reviews (5,300 reviews turning out a 96% rating– check them out for yourself!) it is seemingly difficult to argue with their numbers which is now wonder why they’re ranked as one of the best bus companies in Peru. In fact, their homepage proudly boasts that they have carried over 85 different nationalities… We had to explore for ourselves.
(Average 4.83 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
When it comes to traveling alone, a place where you can be confident to find travel companions and a welcoming smile is never too far from the ideal list. Traveling alone has many benefits, but time and time again explorers talk of the feelings of loneliness.
A theme that seems consistent in these reviews is that with Peru Hop, you never travel alone. Many bloggers, travelers, and reviews talk about how the wristband was a calling card for other travelers, and the guides shared their wealth of knowledge all the way around the country. Check it out:
Kendall S
Tripadvisor review
“I am so happy that I chose to book with Peru Hop to travel from Lima to Cusco! The experience completely exceeded my expectations. Our guide Jorge was knowledgeable and always ready to help whenever anyone needed anything. The free stops in between destinations were a great way to break up the trip, and Peru Hop does a fantastic job of organizing everything so that you don’t have to worry. The great thing about the bus route is it allows you to see all of the geographic diversity Peru has to offer – from deserts to mountains to coastlines – all of the stops are absolutely breathtaking! The guides are super accommodating with helping you book hostels and excursions at each stop, and you will most definitely make friends as a solo traveler. I would do it all over again if I could!”
Shauna C
Tripadvisor review
“I have just finished a month-long trip using Peru/Bolivia Hop. It has been incredible!! The buses, staff, and tours have all been amazing. As a solo traveler, it was a great way to meet other solo travelers and I never spent a day alone thanks to this.
The Peru Hop staff really go above and beyond to help you. Diego was particularly helpful and always made sure everybody was happy. He was a lot of fun and made the long journeys more bearable If you get on a bus with him you’ll be very well taken care of and he will feel like a friend by the end of your trip!
Thank you, Peru Hop, it’s been unforgettable!
(Average 4.82 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Something that solo female travelers need to look out for is their personal safety. Time and time again accidents have happened that could have been avoided. Particularly in a place so far from home, and even more so if you are not fluent in Spanish, it’s important to look out for yourself. Check out this account of another solo female traveler who left her Peru Hop review in a blog post.
Sarah Fay – travelsofsarahfay.com
Are you trying to decide on an effortless, easy, and safe way to see the major tourist attractions in Peru? Maybe you were like me and it is your first time in South America. Overwhelmed by all the options of routes, timings, bus terminals, scams, safety concerns, and possible destinations that your head is about to explode? Well Peru Hop is the answer.
I wanted a safe, reliable, and affordable means of traveling around Peru, and Peru Hop was the answer for me.
Is Peru Hop Safe?
One of the top reasons I chose Peru Hop was the safety! From pick-ups and drop-offs to your hostel/hotel, or the fact the driver is always on the bus watching our things on shorter bus stops, there is always a level of security I would not have on a normal bus in South America.
The safety and peace of mind that comes with Peru Hop is something you cannot put a price on. Not having to deal with chaotic bus stations, the language barrier, and having random stops at night making it hard to sleep was the thing I loved most about Peru Hop. It reduces the chances significantly of having a bag stolen.
Is Peru Hop good for solo travelers?
I have traveled solo to many countries before, but this was my first time coming to South America. There is a lot of fear mongering about solo female travel in South America and I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I was a little nervous backpacking alone in South America.
When I found Peru Hop, I found an inclusive group of travelers. Originally created for backpackers, by backpackers, I was worried it would be a party bus. However, there was a range of people using Peru Hop from families, to couples, to other solo travelers like myself. They were not all getting bombed, throwing up on the bus, and you get my drift.
I give Peru Hop a big thumbs up for solo travelers looking to make friends on the road. Most people stay at the same Peru Hop partner hostels (since you get a discount at them), and you are bound to have a fun night out or go on tours with your new-found friends.
There were two groups I hung out with at different parts of my journey. One group I went on my first white water rafting trip with, that I would definitely have not done by myself. And the other I went on an overnight hiking trip to Colca Canyon. Traveling lets you meet people that push your expectations of yourself and be open to new experiences. I loved Peru Hop and the people I met along my journey.
Peru Hop: the best way to travel around Peru
Everything considering I found Peru Hop to be an amazing cultural experience that I met some amazing people and friends along the way. I went into traveling South America a little nervous, but Peru Hop alleviated all of my safety concerns and the hassle that goes into planning a great adventure.
(Average 4.37 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Through both research and experience it is clear that professionals don’t really want to travel with 20 something backpacker party animals, and for good reason. If this applies to you, check out these reviews:
Solo Traveler – www.solotravel.org
“I must admit that my previous knowledge of these hop-on/off buses was of those in Australia and NZ. The OZ/Kiwi Experience makes no effort to hide that they are firmly geared at young backpackers who are very much looking to party. As someone in their 40s, I did not want this experience in Peru, so I popped over to their office with a little caution.
My fears were soon put to rest by a very helpful salesperson and then one of the owners! They were honest and said that the main age groups would be a little younger than me, but actually they cater for all ages, even well beyond retirement age!
This turned out to be true for the group on my bus out of Lima. I would say most were in their 20s with some in their 30s, but also there were people in their 40s, 50s and beyond. I certainly have no issue being around young people on these sorts of trips.
Age is just a number right? For me, it’s nice to have a mix of ages and nationalities, and that’s exactly how it was in Peruhop, just as they said.”
The Round the World Guys – thertwguys.com
“I’m almost 50. Halef is over 40. When we first considered a journey with Peru Hop, this was something we worried about. Initially, we were nervous that we would be on a Peru Hop tour surrounded by people we couldn’t relate to. We just made the assumption that services like this were built for younger travelers in their 20s and early 30s.
We were wrong.
Yes, the majority of people who use Peru Hop – at least the ones we saw during our trip in September – were under 30. But there were a significant number of people in their 40s, 50s and even a few much older than that.
If you’re a middle-aged or older traveler worrying about Peru Hop being right for you, don’t. We think you’ll feel completely comfortable on the trip.”
(Average 4.72 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Family travel can be stressful, especially with young kids. Making sure that everyone has a snack and the right shoes on is hard enough, but factoring in getting to bus stations early in the morning, bathroom stops, and breaking up long journeys, you are left with a balancing act. It’s important that safety is considered as well as practicality. Check out this video Peru Hop review of a family who decided to travel with Peru Hop:
(Average 4.52 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
If you are in Peru for 1-3 weeks then you are probably on holiday. It can be difficult to decide whether it is best to focus on one city so that you can relax, or if you should grit your teeth and focus on seeing as much as possible (After all, how many times will you come to Peru?). It seems as though people widely believe that Peru Hop helps them enjoy their holiday and see the real Peru (it’s not just Cusco!)
Celine Deplazes
Tripadvisor review
“Since I only had 2 weeks in Peru I wanted to make the best out of it. Peru Hop was perfect for me since you were picked up and dropped off at your hostel (and they were always on time to pick up and the taxis were ready when we arrived). And also that I could book tours directly with the guide on the bus was great so I didn‘t have to plan too much in advance. Moreover, the discounts for hostels and restaurants were amazing! I‘d definitely choose Peru Hop again!”
Jonathan
Tripadvisor review
Let me start off by saying this trip was amazing. So I went to Peru with my girlfriend for 2 weeks and the last leg of our trip we decided to see more of the country. We got tired of flying from point to point so we booked the PeruHop bus to get from Cuzco back to Lima. We took the bus from Lima to Puno, Puno to Huacachina, Huacachina to Paracas and then Paracas back to Lima. This trip was incredible. We had an absolute blast and it was for many reasons. First, the buses are damn comfortable. They were always clean, always on time and they all had A/C and chargers for phones. They reclined and we even got lucky and had leather lazy boy chairs on one of the tours. We met amazing people along the way and made friendships and memories that will last many years to come. The second reason was our tour guides. We had the best and I mean best tour guides. These guys were awesome they were professional, funny, polite, caring and even partied with us at the Wild Rover in Huacachina!”
(Average 4.49 / 5 On TripAdvisor)
We were almost surprised by the overall star rating of the backpacker market. Many argue that Peru Hop is specifically designed for backpackers, and while the rating is high, it is higher for other groups. The truth is, Peru Hop is great for those who want to meet other people, see plenty of extra free stops and don’t want to bother with the hassle of taxis to hotels from distant bus stations in shady parts of town. Check out these reviews and decide for yourself!
Beth96
Tripadvisor review
“As two young female backpackers, we couldn’t thank Peruhop enough for our experience with them throughout Peru!!
Peru was our first stop in South America and although at first, we were worried about safety over here, Peruhop helped us out all the time and ensured we were always fine! The company is much more than just buses across the country because we have made many travel friends onboard who we have shared a lot of our memories of South America with!
When onboard the bus, the guides were always knowledgable and spoke brilliant English. They helped us with booking accommodation and tours and always assisted when there were issues with the bus timetables. They also have a list of recommended restaurants. All tours and restaurants were great quality and at reasonable prices!!
We can’t thank the guide enough for all his help and making our long bus journeys go so quick with his games and jokes on board. He’s an amazing guide and person and he’s made our time in Peru a lot better! A lot of the friends we made were down to Elvios stops where we played games which got everybody talking!
Overall, I would recommend Peruhop to everybody visiting Peru, it’s more than worth the money and great for people looking to experience the country and make friends! Thanks to all the guides for making our trip!!”
Bart
Tripadvisor review
“Traveling with Peru Hop was very easy, convenient and safe. The buses pick you up at the hostel and were always on time. It is a good opportunity to meet other backpackers on the bus. On the bus, they help you arrange the excursions.
We had a very nice guide. He was fun, enthusiastic and very helpful.”
(Average 4.6 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Something that surprised us in this research was that we consistently found that Peru Hop was used for couples on their honeymoon… and they loved it! Check out these Peru Hop reviews for yourself:
Elizabeth P
Tripadvisor review
“My husband and I wanted to explore Machu Picchu for our honeymoon and stumbled upon Peru hop during our research. I’m so glad we found it because we ended up extending our vacation to check out Huacachina and Paracas, which were both incredible.
Our Peru hop guide was Juan Diego and he was sweet, insightful and fun. He was very informative and made food, adventure and hostel/ hotel recommendations based on the traveler desires. Highly recommend Peru Hop for travel around this beautiful country.”
Robert D
Tripadvisor review
“Our first stop during our 6 weeks honeymoon was Peru, and thanks to the Peru Hop we experienced a safe, fun and friendly way of seeing the best this country has to offer! I can highly recommend Peru Hop for your trips, accommodation, and transport in this amazing country! Special shout out to Evelyn from the Peru Hop stand, who guided us during most of our travels for her enthusiasm, humor, and knowhow. It really made us feel amazed during our whole trip!”
(Average 4.71 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
When it comes to traveling sustainably, everyone knows that the bus is the best way. Peru Hop works to make sure that all of their buses are new (unlike many other Peruvian bus companies) and full. Check out this Peru Hop review from a traveler.
Drink Tea Travel – drinkteatravel.com
“If you are actively looking for a sustainable transportation option in Peru, then exploring Peru by bus and with Peru Hop is your best option. While the company is owned by foreigners, Peru Hop does have a very positive impact on the local communities.
They staff a great team of young local guides, who love their jobs and are incredibly grateful for an opportunity to show travelers their home. They also help provide employment opportunities to other members of the community.
They pay Peruvian taxes, helping grow the local economy
They often take passengers to small locally-owned restaurants en route so that more locals can benefit from travelers coming to visit their country
And, most importantly, Peru Hop encourages overland travel, which in an of itself is a much better alternative to flying!“
Those on the hunt for an adventure made the right choice coming to Peru, in order to get your adrenaline pumping and explore some of the great parts that you may have otherwise missed. Check out this video for a little snippet of what to expect on a Peru Hop adventure!
(Average 4.62 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
While Peru Hop was not created by Peruvians, it is still very much a Peruvian company. With local Peruvian guides, on top of making Peru easily accessible all the way around, instead of just the tourist hub of Cusco. Check out this Peru Hop review about the guides:
World by Isa
“The Peru Hop Crew is very friendly and sociable and with them, you can have a good idea of what Latinos really are! They always keep the goodwill, up to help you with anything, never leaving the good sense of humor aside!
They make you feel so comfortable on your way through the country, that in the end, it doesn’t even feel like you are in a Travel Tour company, it feels more like a trip with friends.
Every guide we met was very enthusiastic and we can feel that they really love what they do.
They love their country and they feel good showing others their everyday life and landscape, learning about a country and culture from the locals themselves, from people who do that with so much passion, is something priceless!
Their good organization is also something remarkable, as I said, as Latin Americans, we feel proud to see such an organized company working in our areas“
(Average 4.53 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Something that seems to be a great marker of value for money is if the locals use it. We tracked down this review from a local:
World by Isa
“If you already traveled through South America, especially by bus, you know very well how hard it is to find good quality services. Unfortunately, the lack of organization is real in some areas, delays are also something common.
For us South Americans, this is already part of the routine and we always take these things into consideration when traveling, for those from outside, this can be really annoying, but in both cases, it pisses anyone’s off anyway, especially if you are paying a good amount of money for the service.
This lack of organization and being on time gives mixed feelings regarding safety during the trips, and it’s understandable. Although South America is not a dangerous place to travel (of course you always need to pay attention around you, just like anywhere else) this disorganization makes us wonder if we can really trust a company.
That’s when Peru Hop steps in, it is the best option if you want to travel from Lima to Cusco by bus.
The idea of Peru Hop is to bring us to the best tourist and beautiful spots in the country, some of them, not so well known, giving us all the comfort and offering a security transport in Peru.
And I must say, as a South American, I’m very impressed and proud of the level of quality in their service.“
(Average 4.9 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Foodies rejoice! With Peru’s diversity, the pallette can be teased all the way around the country. While Lima boasts 3 out of the top 50 restaurants worldwide (two of which are in the top 10), there is bountiful amounts of incredible food all around the South of Peru, which are perfectly accessible using Peru Hop. While this is technically a review (after-all it is a bus company), this blog does show exactly what kind of food to enjoy and where to find it.
https://www.peruhop.com/food-in-peru/
(Average 5 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
Peru is the perfect location for photographers and videographers. It’s a hugely diverse country that has three distinct regions for you to capture: the jungle, the highlands, and the coast. Peru Hop visits the coast and the highlands. The route includes the most beautiful cities- from Arequipa to Cusco. Take a look below, where we have included some of the best images we could find on the “#peruhop” hashtag on Instagram. Check out their page and the hashtags!
(Average 4.42 / 5 on TripAdvisor)
There are always budget savvy people while traveling. If it’s a long term traveler who wants to make their money go further or a proud shoe-stringer, there are plenty of ways to get around Peru. However, it is worth remembering that particularly in South America, there is a trade-off in quality for the price. Bus hijackings and robberies are commonplace and sometimes organized by the staff of the bus. Check out this breakdown done by a traveler:
The Maths Of The Money:
Before doing the maths I was skeptical, I didn’t want to waste my money on something that seemed like a luxury. After doing the maths I was persuaded, here was my break down (this does not include discounts on hostels and hotels, which are available to every traveler):
Lima-Paracas: $15
Paracas-Huacachina: $17
Nazca-Arequipa: $26
Arequipa- Cusco: $40
Cusco-Puno: $32
Puno-Copacabana: $10
Copacabana-La Paz: $17
Ferry journey needed to La Paz: $1
Taxis to get to accommodation*: $49
Pisco Wine tour: $18
Paracas nature reserve: $5.75
Nazca viewing tower: $7 Note:Peru Hop includes buses to and from the lines, and a guide
Caballo del Paso show: $10 Note: based on tour from Lima
TOTAL: $250.50
*Taxi value is based on the prices I have experienced (around $3.50 for a taxi), considering there are 7 legs of this journey to and from accommodation meaning 14 journeys in total (14x$3.50=$49)
The cost of a Peru Hop ticket is $228. Peru Hop also includes GPS tracking systems, a bilingual guide and discounts in hotels and hostels, services that are not included with regular bus companies. If you consider the fact that Peru Hop includes all those things, then that puts the prices a little more in perspective. Shannon O’Donnell from the travel website ‘A Little Adrift’ gave me a few paragraphs of advice on solo female travel with the first sentence being ‘Always pay the extra few dollars for your safety’. I got this advice the day before going to the Peru Hop office, so I knew in advance that I would opt for the safer and more luxury buses- when I realised that Peru Hop actually worked out cheaper, it was a no brainer. This also wasn’t considering the convenience, comfort and social aspects of it.
It seems as though Peru Hop has hit a sweet spot for nearly every kind of tourist and traveler. If you are unconvinced, then please, continue your own research, and however you travel, make sure to make the most of Peru!
Discover unbelievable destinations, experience unforgettable activities, meet other travelers, and do it all at your own pace with Peru Hop!
More Info2018 to 2023 Tripadvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award
