Peru Hop Vs. Public Buses

1. Stops in between to discover hidden gems:

Peru hop: As locals, we know that many visitors to Peru end up seeing only the headline attractions and miss a lot of what makes the country special. Some of the best experiences happen between the big destinations — small towns, family-run food spots, historic sites, and viewpoints that aren’t on standard itineraries. That’s why Peru Hop builds in short, well-timed stops along its routes, giving travelers the chance to discover hidden gems, meet locals, and enjoy authentic food at local prices, without the stress of planning it themselves.

Public buses: focused on locals who want to go from A to B as fast as possible.

2. Onboard local Peruvian English speaking guides:

• Peru Hop: you will have a friendly local guide who will tell you what their life was like growing up in Peru with funny stories about the culture and history here. These are things you simply won’t find in any guidebook and are real authentic stories and facts.

• Public bus: nobody speaks English and they actually only talk to you to tell you to put on your seatbelt!

As well as this, we BET that you’ll love Peru Hop guides…they are the friendliest and funniest Peruvians you will ever meet and are the reason why we get such amazing reviews!

3. Hotel/Hostel Pickup & Dropoff:

Peru Hop: picks you up and drops you off wherever you are staying. A good example is Huacachina Oasis. We would pick you up wherever you are staying in Lima, and drop you off at the Oasis. Then, when you are ready to leave Huacachina, we will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel/hostel of your next destination.

Public buses: you will be forced to find where the terminal of your company is (no central bus station) and take taxis (unlicensed and not insured) to and from there.

On a public bus, you would take a taxi from your hotel to a bus terminal, to check in 45 minutes before departure. After eventually boarding, you would take your bus to Ica (public bus CANNOT access the Oasis). Then you would have to find another taxi from Ica to the Oasis. And when you are leaving the Oasis, you would have to find another taxi to your bus terminal, check in 45 minutes beforehand again, and then board a bus to another destination and take another taxi to your hotel!

Peru Hop is easier, safer and much more convenient, as well as showing you the real Peru along the way!

4. Meeting other travelers on board:

Traveling with Peru Hop is also about the people you meet along the way. Our buses tend to attract a friendly mix of solo travelers, couples, families, and small groups, and it’s common to end up sharing meals, tours, and onward plans together. For many travelers, the connections made on board become just as memorable as the destinations themselves, adding a social and human layer to the whole Peru experience.

5. Highest safety standards in Peru:

We at Peru Hop are extremely proud of our safety record. We have brought the best safety standards and practices from Europe to our operation and we are proud that we have transported over 300,000 people safely and securely around Peru. For a full list of our safety procedures and features, you can read more about our buses here.

Do your research! Read reviews from other travelers on Tripadvisor or other websites about public buses, and you will see that not all buses have the same standards of safety as Peru Hop.

Peru Hop also operates to European standards of punctuality. We run on time 99.1% of the time, and if we are ever a few minutes late, we make sure to call your hotel or hostel to inform them of any delays so you’re always kept up to date.

A local authentic Peruvian experience with European standards of service and security!

6. Customer Service Excellence:

Ever had a problem traveling where you lost or forgot something, or you had a medical emergency, or you had a flight delay or something similar? Now, imagine you are traveling on a public bus where nobody speaks English and they don’t even bother replying to emails!

Peru Hop is famous for our fast and excellent phone and email response, and it is something highlighted in many reviews online. Not only this, but remember at all times you have a Peruvian English speaking guide with you who can lend you their phone or help you with anything at any time.

Hopefully you never have any issue when you travel, but it of course does happen sometimes, and that is where people often see the difference between traveling by themselves (on public buses) compared to traveling on Peru Hop. If something bad does ever happen to you, trust us, you will be extremely thankful you were with Peru Hop and not with a public bus company!

7. No strangers on the bus:

As well as the above, it is worth noting that petty theft is common in Peru.

Because tourists are seen as wealthy people with credit cards, laptops etc. they are attractive targets. This makes traveling on local buses a little dangerous and intimidating at times, adn increases the risk you are taking.

With Peru Hop, you are amongst friends on the bus (there is no such thing as a stranger on our bus!) with a guide always taking care of you. Monitored by our GPS, no unscheduled stops will be taken without our consent and regard for your safety, and all your bags and personal belongings will be safe on the bus at all times.

8. Hotel/hostel discounts:

Peru Hop has negotiated exclusive deals with hotels and hostels across Peru to bring you discounted prices

After years of building relationships with some of the best hotels and hostels in the business, we are proud to be able to offer our travelers exclusive discounts and offers at each of our Hop Stops.

Perfect for those looking for private rooms or dorms in the best hostels/hotels.