Taking the Bus from Lima to Cusco

The Nazca Lines are in the desert. Remember to look around for the beautiful scenery!

If you’re traveling in Peru, you’ll probably want to see both Lima and Cusco, and everything in-between.  We decided that taking the bus from Lima to Cusco was best so we could see more of the country, like Arequipa, Nazca, etc.  Not knowing Peru, it was a little overwhelming to try to plan our itinerary, so I’ve put together this short guide to taking the bus from Lima to Cusco.  (You can just reverse the itinerary and go in the other direction of course!) Driving Map of Peru

Time is Short

If time is short and you still want to see more of Peru, you may consider taking a flight from Lima to Arequipa and then the overnight bus from Arequipa to Cusco.  You can get a flight for around $50-60 per person, which will hopefully allow you enough time to explore Arequipa.  There are multiple companies that will take you from there to Cusco overnight.  Arequipa is a sometimes overlooked gem in Peru. If you have a few extra days, take the time to visit Colca Canyon (a 2-3 day tour is preferable to the 1 day since its a good 5-6 hour drive from Arequipa).  If you aren’t able to visit the Canyon, Arequipa is magnificent on its own.

1900 Pub and Pizzeria in Arequipa

Arequipa, nicknamed the White City because of the special volcanic stones used to construct most of the buildings in the city, has markets selling great artisanal products.  They aren’t necessarily cheaper than Cusco, but you’re more likely to find 100% natural wool products.  As with most towns, there is a “free” walking tour that will show you the sights and make sure you get an amazing view of the Misti Volcano.  Speaking of, if you’re up for a challenge, take a day to hike on this amazing mountain.

For meals, you will find a ton of options that are extremely reasonable compared to some of the other cities you will visit.  I didn’t spend enough time here to be an expert on the culinary scene, but I do want to plug the restaurant where we got an amazing view while enjoying a $20 meal for 2 which included three glasses of wine, two amazing pasta dishes, and a tip for our very funny waitress.  Also, don’t miss out on the delicious queso helado. Not actually made from cheese 😉

Create Your Own Route

Arequipa Plaza de Armas

First off, please consider take the bus the long way around. Only a couple of companies will take you directly from Lima to Cuzco over the mountains  (Lima-Nazca-Cusco).  This road is more trecherous and you may be delayed due to mountainsides, or other poor road conditions.  If you do choose to take this route, just make sure there is no specific warning about recent hijackings or robberies.  These have been reported, but rarely, on this route.  Companies like Cruz del Sur, TurismoMer, and Ormeño make the ride comfortable with semi-cama or full cama seats (160-180 degree recline), seatbelts, and other benefits like blankets and hot tea.

Sunset from the dunes in Huacachina

Some cities you may want to stop at are Huacachina (for the dunes), Nazca (for the lines, but not too much else to do here), Arequipa, and Abancay.

Peru is surprising in the variety of landscape it offers, and most of the route between Lima and Cusco is a variety of desert.

Taking Peru Hop

Another popular, yet admittedly touristy option is to take the Hop On/Hop Off service of Peru Hop. They make taking the bus from Lima to Cusco super easy to navigate and if you don’t want to, you really don’t have to think about a thing.  Peru Hop uses quality busses with seatbelts and speed sensors, and will provide you with all the information you need, including helping you book your accommodations if you haven’t done so already.  The trip from Lima to Cusco is around $180 per person or a little more if you choose to include a trip to Puno on Lake Titicaca.  You will stop in Paracas, Huacachina, briefly in Nazca, Arequipa and optionally in Puno.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Everything is taken care of for you, including transfer to your hotel or hostel as long as you are staying within the general central tourist area in each town.
• You will have a guide on the bus that speaks decent English and will be able to help answer your questions.
• You don’t have to research different bus lines.
• Meals on long trips are planned for you so you will not have to worry about missing breakfast or dinner.
• Additional tours are available at each stop.  Some tours are included in the price of your ticket and others are additional.
• Your wristband gets you discounts at several restaurants and hostels
• If you want to delay the next leg of your trip, you can easily log on to their website and change your departure date, giving you flexibility.

Paracas National Park Viewpoint (part of the free tour)

Cons:

• You have extra stops you may not be interested in, so the trip is longer than it needs to be.
• Paracas is an overnight stop that could be removed from the itinerary unless you want to visit Ballestas Island, known for its wildlife and most adorably, penguins.
• You are at the mercy of the company for meal options. They have pre-set menus at partner restaurants.  They were all delicious, but a little more expensive than I would have chosen.
• The Arequipa to Cusco trip is a day trip, which means you will spend about 12 hours on the bus taking up a day of your vacation.
• The schedule was not exactly what they promised and we got into Cusco about 2 hours later than expected with no apologies.  We ended up driving nearly the entire way to Puno before turning north.
• The cost is more than you would pay by building your own itinerary if you are not interested in their side tours.
• If you want to fly over the Nazca lines you will need to either find your own bus from Huacachina to Nazca early in the morning and then connect with Peru Hop when they come through at dinner time, or stay overnight in Nazca and catch the next day’s Peru Hop bus.

Whichever route you choose, you won’t be disappointed that you took time to see more of Peru.