The Perfect Southern Peru Itinerary for Digital Nomads
When we first arrived in Peru, I’ll be honest… I really hadn’t done much research.
I made arrangements for our first couple accommodations, but soon realized there was a lot more to see than I anticipated.
I went into high-gear, planning a very intricate travel itinerary that would allow us to see everything in Southern Peru, while still working the entire time.
And now I’m sharing the fruits of my labor here with you. Keep reading for the perfect Southern Peru itinerary for digital nomads plus a bonus itinerary!
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Digital Nomad in Southern Peru: Travel Itinerary
Duration: 6 Weeks
After these six intense weeks, you can definitely say you experienced Peru. From the big city to the mountains to the desert to the ocean, you will see it all with this Southern Peru itinerary for digital nomads.
As you can see in the map above, several of these cities are quite far apart. This is where taking an overnight bus will prove the most efficient mode of transportation. It kind of sucks, not going to lie. But I included at least one day in between overnight buses so you can recuperate.
I definitely needed the break since I can’t really sleep in buses, cars or airplanes. However if you are unbothered by the bus situation, you could go even quicker between stops.
I will also mention this is the exact itinerary Jack and I did when we were digital nomads in Peru. Our timeline was a bit constrained because at the end of the 6 weeks, I needed to attend a wedding.
I would have loved to extend our trip even longer, especially in Cusco and Arequipa. I added notes to that effect in each section so you can really make this your own that fits your exact schedule.
When we made this epic journey through Southern Peru, Peru was still suffering the after-affects of Covid on their tourism industry. So for transportation between cities, we used a combination of public buses and Peru Hop, which I’ve described below.
Transportation in Southern Peru
Bus
Everywhere on this itinerary can be reached by bus, many of which are overnight. When purchasing tickets, it may be tempting to go as cheap as possible and get the regular bus seats.
Don’t.
For just a bit more (if anything at all) go for the seats that fully recline. I still slept like sh*t but at least I was comfortable.
It may also be tempting to purchase all your tickets ahead of time. But the bus stations are so chaotic, we found it difficult to even find the bus we bought tickets for.
It might be easier to buy them at the station so they will show you to the bus. For this approach, just walk into the bus station, figure out who is shouting your desired route, and buy your ticket at one of the many counters.
We personally had no issue at the bus stations, but heard stories of people looking away from their bags and thieves running away with them while their not paying attention. Stay vigilant out there.
Peru Hop
Peru Hop is another convenient way to navigate between cities in Southern Peru. I have no affiliation or connection to this company FYI, this is just my honest review.
You pick an itinerary from one of their MANY options, and they pretty much do everything else. It is a bigger up-front cost, but they take care of all the transportation and even include a few tours.
The best part is that they pick you up and drop you off directly at your accommodation. And you can stay at any of the stops for as long as you like, then rejoin when the next bus comes.
My main issue with Peru Hop during our experience was that despite appearing very organized initially, I felt like the communication was lacking and often I was confused where I was supposed to be, and at what time.
Once we almost got left out of a tour because they neglected to tell us we were meeting at another hotel. And another time we almost missed the bus because the person who came to pick us up never said he was outside, then drove away without us.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt, this may have also been a ramification of post-Covid travel. I would still recommend using them to navigate through Southern Peru as the benefits outweigh the cons in my opinion, but really stay on top of them and overcommunicate during your trip.
Lima
Duration: ~1 Week
Lima is the gateway to Peru. Once in Lima, you can get pretty much everywhere else whether it’s by bus, plane, or shuttle. Since Lima is the easiest place to fly into from outside the country as well, it only makes sense to start this itinerary in Lima.
Although some may skip it altogether and head straight for Cusco, I think it’s worth spending time here to see all that Lima has to offer – I’m mainly talking about the food. I have yet to be anywhere that rivals the culinary excellence in Lima. Even ‘ordinary’ restaurants seem to be held to a higher standard.
Although most of the week you’ll probably spend working, that’s ok. There’s really not a lot of typical tourist attractions. The main attraction in my opinion is eating. So plan some nice dinners at Michelin Star restaurants, and eat your way through the city.
Don’t worry about not having enough time to do much sightseeing on this part of the trip, we return to Lima at the end of this itinerary.
Getting to Lima
As the capital of Peru, Lima is the easiest landing spot if you’re coming from out of the country. From the USA, many major cities even offer direct flights.
Customs at the Lima airport is really easy and quick to get through. And once in Lima, you can even use Uber to get around.
Lima Itinerary
| Day 1 | Sunday | Arrive in Lima |
| Day 2-4 | Mon-Wed | Work + Eat |
| Day 5 | Thursday | Fly to Cusco |
Cusco
Duration: 2+ Weeks
Cusco is the crown jewel of this itinerary. There is so much to offer in the city, and makes an excellent jumping off point to visit all the iconic Peru day trips.
If you plan to work most of the time, you will need a minimum of 2 weeks in Cusco, but if you can stay longer, it’s worth it! Also, taking PTO at least one day, if you can afford it, allows you to either spread out the day trips, or include another one!
If you have more time: I wish we could have stayed in Cusco for at least a month. There is so much to see and do. And although we did pretty much everything, there was no time to chill.
For even more information about Cusco and all there is to do there, read The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Cusco, Peru.
Getting to Cusco
I recommend flying in from Lima on a Thursday evening, depending on how long you are able to stay in Cusco, to give the maximum amount of weekends in Cusco.
You also need at least a day acclimating to the altitude, which is why you shouldn’t fly in and immediately do any activities.
If you want to skip staying in Lima and fly to Cusco immediately, there is a hotel right next to the airport which makes this quick turnaround much easier.
Cusco Itinerary
| Day 5 | Thursday | Arrive in Cusco |
| Day 6 | Friday | Work + Acclimate to the altitude |
| Day 7 | Saturday | Machu Picchu, overnight in Aguas Calientes |
| Day 8 | Sunday | Hot Springs in Aguas Calientes |
| Day 9-13 | Mon-Fri | Work + Cusco sightseeing |
| Day 14 | Saturday | Maras & Moray |
| Day 15 | Sunday | Rainbow Mountain |
| Day 16-20 | Mon-Fri | Work + Cusco sightseeing |
| Day 21 | Saturday | Sacsayhuaman + Cusco sightseeing 10pm overnight bus to Puno |
Read more: 5 Iconic Day Trips from Cusco, Peru
The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Cusco, Peru
Book a Free Cusco Walking Tour
Puno
Duration: 2 Days
You really only need one day in Puno (or less). But depending on your work schedule and stamina with the overnight buses, you might need a night to rest in between. At least I did. If you just want to power through to Arequipa (not a bad idea in hindsight), you can leave on the night bus the same day you arrived.
The overnight bus from Cusco will get you into Puno extremely early in the morning. But luckily that means you can make the legendary Lake Titicaca tour at 7am. I highly recommend this tour as it gives you a glimpse into the lives of several unique civilizations living on Lake Titicaca.
If you decide against this tour, there’s really no point in even going to Puno so you could go straight from Cusco to Arequipa instead.
>>BOOK THE LAKE TITICACA Uros and Taquile Islands TOUR NOW!
If you have more time: Although there is not much to do in Puno – and 2 days is already 2-much – if you have more time you could cross into Bolivia, as Copacabana and La Paz are just on the other side of Lake Titicaca.
Getting to Puno
The least expensive option is to catch an overnight bus. The trip by bus is about 8 hours and costs around $14-15 USD (~60 Sol). They are pretty easy to book online from a variety of booking sites if you just google it. But you can also show up at the train station and ask around for the next overnight bus.
If you want to take a more touristic approach, there are a couple options that get you to Puno through their services. The best part is they conveniently pick you up and drop you off directly from your hotel or Airbnb.
Book this One-Way Scenic Touristic Bus to Puno from Cusco with lunch to admire the splendid scenery of the Andes Mountain range with stops at significant points of interest along the journey. This is not an overnight bus, so if this interests you, you will need to plan the tour of Lake Titicaca for the following morning instead.
Peru Hop will take you from Cusco to Puno, as well as all over Peru. The nice part of booking a Peru Hop itinerary is that they include some tours, like the Lake Titicaca tour, in their fare.
Puno Itinerary
| Day 22 | Sunday | 5am arrive in Puno 7am tour of Lake Titicaca |
| Day 23 | Monday | Work during the day 10pm overnight bus to Arequipa |
Book the Lake Titicaca Uros and Taquile Islands Tour
Arequipa
Duration: 4 Days
When we arrived in Arequipa (after I had a nap), I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s a quaint town with lots of cafes, restaurants, parks, and scenic views.
Head to the main plaza and have dinner at one of the many roof-top restaurants that over look the square. Or walk over the river for lovely views of the volcano, Misti.
Arequipa is also known as the ‘white city’ after the color of all the buildings in the city center.
If you have more time: I actually really liked Arequipa and could have easily stayed here several weeks if we could. Then you’d have time to see the Grand Canyon of Peru, Colca Canyon, or hike a volcano.
Getting to Arequipa
The overnight bus from Puno to Arequipa is about 6-7 hours and costs around $13-15 USD (~50 Sol). You will arrive in Arequipa extremely early at 4-5am, so you should book your accommodation with that in mind. I booked ours starting the day before to ensure we could get in as soon as we arrived.
Similar to the journey between Cusco and Puno, Peru Hop runs this route as well and they drop you off at your hotel or Airbnb.
Arequipa Itinerary
| Day 24 | Tuesday | 4am Arrive in Arequipa |
| Day 25 | Wednesday | Work + Monastery of Santa Catalina |
| Day 26 | Thursday | Work + Cooking Class |
| Day 27 | Friday | Work 8pm overnight bus to Nazca |
Book these experiences in Arequipa:
White Water Rafting Down Chili River
Colca Canyon 1 Day Trek or 3 Day/2 Night Trek
Nazca
Duration: 1 Day
The biggest draw to Nazca is to see the ancient Nazca Lines. They are a series of giant geoglyphs, some dating back to 400 BC. Even as recent as 2020, scientists have been discovering new figures with drone technology, and believe there are still more to find.
Due to their incredible scale, they are really only visible from the sky in order to make out the monkey, spider, alien, or condor shapes. They were actually first discovered by accident by a pilot.
If you get motion sickness, or even if you usually don’t, you will this day. The plane ride over the Nazca Lines was almost unbearable as I prayed I wouldn’t spew chunks on everyone in the cabin. The ride is about 35 minutes of hell but you see 12 of the most famous lines.
It’s worth it I swear.
Book the Nazca Flight from Nazca, or even Pisco, Ica, or Lima!
How to overcome motion sickness: While you are at the mini-airport waiting for your turn on the plane, go to the outside snack stand and buy as much of the coca and mint candies you can get your hands on. They saved my life.
If you get seriously motion sick and wish to abstain from the flight, there is a viewpoint along the highway to Huacachina that allows you to see a couple figures. And if you just don’t care about the lines, there’s no point in stopping in Nazca at all because that is all there is in this dusty desert town.
Besides the Nazca Flight, we spent most of the day hanging out in Mom’s Cafe with all our luggage, waiting for our flight time and ride to Huacachina.
Getting to Nazca
This is the last overnight bus, I promise. But it’s a doozy.
The bus ride from Arequipa to Nazca is about 9-10 hours long for $26-ish USD. This leg especially, splurge for the seats that fully recline.
If you decide to travel with Peru Hop, their bus leaves at 5:30am arriving in Nazca at 4:30pm with one stop for lunch. They will stop at the viewing tower for about 30 minutes before continuing on to Huacachina.
This option however, does not include the plane ride over the lines, so if you choose to do that (did I sell you on it with all the motion sickness?) they will make special arrangements for you.
Nazca Itinerary
| Day 28 | Saturday | 5am Arrive in Nazca Flight Over Nazca Lines Leave for Huacachina |
Huacachina
Duration: 3 Days
Huacachina is a desert oasis just outside the town of Ica.
It is a popular destination not only for backpackers and nomads, but for Peruvian families as well. The little man-made lake has paddle boats, but the big attraction is the billowing white sand dunes which practically engulf this little town.
If is fun to hike the dunes in the morning, or at sunset (during the day the sand gets super hot). But the most fun part is taking a ride on the dune buggies for sandboarding and the most incredible sunset in the desert.
The very real chance of death-by-dune-buggy makes it all the more thrilling.
There’s really not much else in Huacachina, so long as you give yourself a day to do the dune buggies and sandboarding, there’s really no reason to hang around. But if you have to work, you might as well do it while laying poolside in a desert oasis.
If you’re short on time: Many of the legendary experiences in Huacachina can actually be done in Paracas as well. You could potentially skip Huacachina altogether and just go crazy in Paracas.
Getting to Huacachina
The journey from Nazca to Huacachina is a relatively short and sweet one. Finally. It’s only about 3 hours, which will put you in Huacachina by dinner time. After the exhausting journey from Arequipa to Nazca to Huacachina, you will sleep amazing tonight.
Unfortunately the bus from Nazca only goes to Ica, and then you will need to get a taxi to Huacachina from there (about 20 minutes).
There is also the Nazca Shuttle which runs daily trips between Huacachina and Nazca. Their luxury shuttles leave Mom’s Cafe in Nazca at 3pm and arrive in Huacachina at 5pm for only $20. They even stop at the viewing tower on the way – amazing.
We were traveling with Peru Hop for this leg of the trip, and since we chose to do the extra Nazca Flight, some guy just drove us to Huacachina in his car. Lol.
Huacachina Itinerary
| Day 28 | Saturday | Arrive in Huacachina |
| Day 29 | Sunday | Sandboarding and Dune Buggies |
| Day 30 | Monday | Work + Hike the dunes |
| Day 31 | Tuesday | Work 6:30pm Leave for Paracas |
Book these experiences in Huacachina:
Paracas
Duration: 4 Days
Paracas is a very small fishing town on the west coast of Peru. We’re finally at sea level.
The town itself is has a few cool restaurants and bars, but the real draw of Paracas is the nature that surrounds it. The Paracas National Reserve spans desert, ocean, and islands, and is home to wildlife like sea lions, dolphins, and migratory birds.
You can take a boat ride to Ballestas Islands, also called “the poor man’s Galapagos,” for an up-close view of some of these animals.
If you have more time: Paracas is an incredible kitesurfing destination. If you’re an avid kiter, or just want to learn, you should definitely carve out some time to kite. Our favorite school, Kangaroo Kite, often does day trips to the reserve for a truly epic kite experience.
Getting to Paracas
Huacachina and Paracas are not very far apart and the journey is less than 1.5 hours.
If you want the cheapest option, again taxi from Huacachina to the bus station in Ica, then catch the bus to Paracas. However, it’s not much more to take a taxi the entire way from Huacachina to Paracas. So if you’re anything like me – I’ll take the taxi.
Or if you’re traveling with Peru Hop, the bus departs at 6:30pm and gets to Paracas at 8pm.
Paracas Itinerary
| Day 31 | Tuesday | Arrive in Paracas |
| Day 32-34 | Wed-Fri | Work + Kitesurf |
| Day 35 | Saturday | Ballestas Islands 8pm Leave for Lima |
Book these experiences in Paracas:
Buggy & Sandboarding in Paracas
Paragliding Over Paracas National Reservation
Lima
Duration: 1 Week
Like I mentioned before, there aren’t a ton of typical tourist attractions in Lima. One of the best parts of being a digital nomad in Lima is just walking around, exploring, and enjoying the city life.
But don’t get me wrong – there is still a ton you can do here.
If you do have some time to sightsee, a boat ride to the uninhabited Palomino Island to see the sea lions would be worth it. Approaching the islands sounds like you’re entering a sports stadium full of screaming fans.
Lima also makes a great home base as you can visit Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, and more as day trips and tours.
For even more information about Lima and all there is to do there, read The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Lima, Peru.
Getting to Lima
Of course the very last leg of our trip had to be the most disastrous. We had a few too many drinks and ended up missing our bus, staying an extra night, and getting an insanely expensive shuttle the next day after somehow losing one of our backpacks.
Anyway, don’t be like us.
The home stretch of this Peru itinerary for digital nomads is only about 3 hours and takes you right up the coast. Buses leave pretty frequently from Paracas (Terminal Cruz del Sur) and a ticket costs about $16 USD.
I believe our spontaneous shuttle cost us $150 which wasn’t our finest moment, but we were struggling both physically and emotionally and just needed to get out of there.
Hopping between Huacachina, Paracas, and Lima with Peru Hop is also very easy and convenient. They depart Paracas at 8pm and arrive in Lima at 11:30pm.
Lima Itinerary
| Day 35 | Saturday | Arrive in Lima |
| Day 36 | Sunday | Palomino Island |
| Day 37-41 | Mon-Fri | Work + Eat |
| Day 42 | Saturday | Goodbye Peru! |
Book these experiences in Lima:
Visit Sea Lions in Palomino Islands
Peruvian Cooking Class & Market
Bonus Itinerary
Another excellent way to see Southern Peru while still working remote is actually the reverse of this itinerary. Not only will you slowly work your way up to the high altitude in Cusco, but you wouldn’t necessarily need to return to Lima if you didn’t want to.
| Day 1-7 | Sun-Sat | Lima |
| Day 8-10 | Sun-Tues | Paracas |
| Day 11-13 | Thurs-Sat | Huacachina |
| Day 14 | Sunday | Nazca |
| Day 15-19 | Mon-Fri | Arequipa |
| Day 20 | Saturday | Puno |
| Day 15-30 | Sun-Mon | Cusco |
Southern Peru Itinerary for Digital Nomads
I hope you enjoy this 6 week Peru itinerary for digital nomads as much as we did. It’s the best way to see all of Southern Peru without taking too much time off work or sacrificing any epic adventures.
Where are you most excited to visit? How will you make this Southern Peru itinerary your own?
