Peru Hop Review – Pros vs. Cons
If you are traveling to Peru, you are likely trying to decide whether or not to use Peru Hop to meet all your transportation needs. When deciding on how to navigate a foreign land, there are many factors to consider. Here you will find an honest Peru Hop review to help guide your decision making process.
Having spent one month in Peru, I used Peru Hop for transport from Lima, Peru to La Paz, Bolivia.
Below you will find a brief synopsis on the positive and negative aspects of Peru Hop’s service.
Peru Hop Review
| Positives | Negatives |
| Good for social traveler: atmosphere is friendly and amicable | Cost:
Peru Hop: Lima -> Peru -> Cusco = $179 (does not include 5% credit card processing fee, which is necessary when purchasing online) Cruz del Sur: Lima -> Cusco = $54 (no credit card processing fee) *Each route with Cruz del Sur is cheaper than Peru Hop |
| Route: Peru Hop stops in Huacachina and Nazca whereas Cruz del Sur does not
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No routes offered north of Lima |
| Tour Offerings: Able to schedule onboard for activities such as Rainbow Mountain and Floating Islands on Lake Titicaca
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Tours are non-refundable |
| Discounts: Although not as plentiful as advertised, I did receive discounts from one hotel and one restaurant
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Guides: hit or miss, some enthusiastic, some apathetic; do not rely on tour guides to provide in-depth knowledge on a place as they are more organizers than sources of information |
| Pick up and drop off at accommodation, as long as you stay within city center | Ticket price does not include food or drink (including an 11 hour trip from Huacachina to Arequipa) whereas food is included with Cruz del Sur; one exception being crossing the Peru-Bolivian border where a bottle of water and a small bag of popcorn were provided
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| Not an authentic Peruvian experience: part of international travel is traveling with the locals and Peru Hop prevents that from happening; primary language is English; stops made at tourist hot spots are disorganized and overrun with tourists |
In Summary
Despite Peru Hop’s slogan of “Don’t be a typical tourist”, the Peru Hop experience was very touristy.
I regret using Peru Hop for the negatives listed above, with price being the primary reason. As part of a six month trip, traveling through Peru with Peru Hop was a splurge. I was hoping the ease of travel and knowledgable guides would outweigh the expense but this was not the case.
(Click here for a detailed look at expenses associated with one month in Peru).
Hopefully found this Peru Hop review helpful. Regardless of which bus company you decide to use, one thing is certain: you will love Peru!
