How Much Does it Cost to Backpack Peru?

If you're a semi-broke college student who's looking for adventure, finances are probably your #1 barrier to travel. I've heard too many people sit back complacently saying "oh, I'll travel when I'm old and rich" or "I'd rather spend my money on a trip to Cancun." Cancun? Really!? You'd rather lay on a beach with a bunch of other drunk Americans than hike the Andes mountains or visit Machu Picchu? I mean, if that's really want you want, then I can't stop you. I just know I'm jetting off to some place new and exciting, and you're always welcome to join me.

Last January, I went on a 3 week backpacking across Peru. I was gone for 21 days and hit up 7 cities: Lima, Ica, Nasca, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, and Arequipa. My grand total including bus tickets, hostels, a $160 splurge on Machu Picchu, and food and drink, totaled $816.

That's equivalent to $38 a day! Not bad for spending an average of 3 days per city. If I took Machu Picchu out of that, it would have been closer to $30 a day--but how can you go to Peru without seeing Machu Picchu?

Here's the breakdown of the budget:

Buses between cities: $160


 1. Lima --> Ica (CruzDelSur): S/36 ($12)
2. Ica --> Nasca (CruzDelSur):  S/40 ($13.33)
3. Nasca --> Cusco (CruzDelSur): Overnight bus book ahead of time for $50
4. Cusco --> Puno (TourPeru): S/45 ($15)
5. Puno --> Arequipa (CruzDelSur): S/59 ($19.67)
6. Arequipa --> Lima (CruzDelSur): Overnight bus book ahead of time for $50
Travel Hack: Buses don't fill up too fast if you aren't traveling at peak season. If you're trying to save money, don't book the tickets ahead of time. Just wait until you're on the ground and shop around before picked the cheapest, safest option.

Hostels: $156 ($7.5/night)


 - Lima: Che Lagarto Hostel; $8.33/night. If you book ahead of time through their website, you're eligible for a discount of ~$2/night.
- Ica: Banana Adventure Hostel; $31.29/night. A pool-side stay at Banana Adventure Hostel also affords you a included dune buggie tour (which would be ~$15-$25 if booked separately). The hostel is GORGEOUS with a pool and bar and nestled right next to the oasis' lake. The buggie tour is also fantastic! Just remember to bring a pair of pants to keep from getting scratched by the sand.
- Nasca: Hospedaje Brabant Hostel; $5/night. A clean, relaxing place to spend the night. You can also book tours to the Nasca lines through the front desk.
- Cusco: Intro Hostel; $8/night. The hostel's staff are amazing and totally made the trip. I had some trouble with altitude sickness when I first arrived, and the guy at the reception made some coca tea for me and brought it to my room. The beds are also great and the blankets are warm. Highly recommended!
- Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes): Casa Machu Picchu; $8/night. Not the best hostel, but it's in a prime location and is a place to rest your head. Bring some food with you, because the breakfast left me wanting more, which isn't good when you're about to hike a mountain for 8 hours.
- Puno: Kantaya Hostel; $8.33/night. A great place with a fantastic breakfast (best I had in Peru). You can also book an overnight tour on Lake Titicaca for S/100.
- Arequipa: Home Sweet Home Arequipa: $6.55/night. A quaint hostel about ~10 minutes from the main square, it's a good place to crash. The staff don't speak much English, but everyone was super friendly.

Food: $125 ($6/day) 


 I know what you're probably thinking, $6 a day for food? Isn't that kinda low? Well, not really, if you follow these tips:
1. Book hostels that serve free breakfast. It'll probably only be bread and butter, but it's a good way to carb-up for the day.
2. Cook at home. We cooked a few times in our hostel's kitchen. The grocery stores in Peru are pretty similar to those in America, so shop till you drop and fix a good meal for only a few cents.
3. Ask for the Menu of the Day. Most cafes will have a "Menu of the Day" for lunch and dinner that averages around $1-2 for a full meal including an appetizer, main course, and drink. If you're waitress if asking you if you want a "menu", she's not talking about the paper menu's we're used to in the US, she's asking if you want the daily special. More times than not, it'll be delicious and a great way to try local food!
4. Splurge when needed. When it's okay be frugal, don't miss out on trying freshly-caught trout from Lake Titicaca or tasting Lomo Saltado in Lima.

Machu Picchu: $157


 As Peru's biggest attraction, Machu Picchu is going to take a huge toll on your budget (but it's totally worth it!). Here's the breakdown of my spending:
1. Entrance Ticket (Student Rate) for City + Machu Picchu Mountain: S/86 ($28.67). Book this ON THE GROUND! You'll be paying double if you buy it online before you leave.
2. Train Ticket: S/327 ($109). Yelp! Forking over this money nearly killed me, but it had to be done. Just take the hit--it's a once in a lifetime experience!
3. Bus in Aquas Calientes: S/57 ($19). If you don't want to wake up at 5am to hike up to the city in the clouds, you'll have to pay $19 to take the special "green" bus up and down the mountain. It's your call whether you want to pay this, but my group decided we'd rather hike the Machu Picchu Mountain  than spend all of our energy getting there.

Inner-City Transport: $45



 This will be your taxi rides, bus tickets, terminal taxes, and anything else related to get around within cities. Taxi rides will average around S/10 - S/20, and aren't too bad when split multiple ways. Bus passes in Lima are fairly cheap, only around S/3-5.

Tours/Extras: $173


 Budget about ~$200 for tours, laundry, souvenirs, lost money in the exchange rate, or any other incidentals along the way. I bought a lot of Peru "staples" like a alpaca-wool hoodie, woven tapestry, and carved rock from Nasca. But I also spent a significant chunk of this money on laundry, entrance fees, and other little things like motion-sickness meds. Here are some of my major expenses in this category:
1. Nasca Lines Tour + Viewing Platforms: S/59 ($19.67)
2. Lake Titicaca 2-day tour: S/100 ($33.33)
3. White Water Rafting Tour in Arequipa: S/70 ($23.33)


So, as you can see, backpacking Peru is totally doable on a student budget. At just under $40 a day, it's a great place to explore, engage, and let your adventurous side loose. So what are you waiting for? Buy that plane ticket now and GO! 

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