With travel to Bolivia from Peru on the rise, this European company has expanded its popular bus line. The great news is it’s making travel between Cusco to La Paz safer, and more fun than ever! This new wave of transportation is a “hop on hop off” bus, and it makes for an exciting way to see both of these extraordinary places in South America. With help across the Bolivian border crossing and multiple stops and tours included, Bolivia Hop is more than worth the price. Here’s how our experience went!
Bolivia & Peru Travel Inspiration
- Three Day Bolivian Salt Flats Tour
- La Paz Bolivia: The Highest Capital City in the World
- Machu Picchu: 10 Tips for the BEST DAY EVER!
- Crazy for Cusco: Peru’s Most Underrated City
Day One: Cusco to La Paz
The first night, we boarded the bus at 10pm to start our adventure. The main office is located right in the center of Cusco, Peru at 172 Meson La Estrella. The reclining seats are pretty comfortable, and we probably would have gotten some sleep if not for the Back to the Future marathon playing! However, you’re given pretty comfortable blankets and before you know you’ll be waking up for you 6am start. 
Day Two: Bolivia Hop Stops
On the second day we arrived in the town of Puno, Peru, at 6AM. The place we were brought for breakfast was cold, damp, and had many other dungeon-like qualities that we won’t list. On the upside though, the locals were very nice and we were grateful to get some food into us. It was your basic toast, eggs, and coffee before we heading out for the day with Bolivia Hop.
Lake Titicaca
The first stop was Lake Titicaca where we enjoyed a beautifully scenic boat ride to the local Uros floating islands. Made up of a combination of tree roots, reeds, and mud, these man-made islands were something to see. This isn’t just a small village were talking either… Shockingly we found out there are over 2,000 inhabitants!
The villagers were very welcoming and gave us a tour of their incredibly sturdy straw huts. Following a quick presentation, we were then given a chance to donate to the local community by buying some of the amazing art. It was wild to find out that the Uro people have been living this way for hundreds of years. Very interesting, but not the type of island we’d prefer to live on!
Some people chose to get off Bolivia Hop and stay back in Puno for a night, but we’re extremely happy we didn’t. After taking a second look at the town there isn’t really much to do, and were ready to head from Peru to Bolivia!
So with that, we headed off to the Bolivian Border Crossing… And just two hours and $55 USD later, we were into Bolivia! You will have a chance to change some money before crossing the Bolivia border, but they take a small cut. Make sure to exchange before you cross so you have some lunch money.
3 Strange Things From the Bolivian Border Crossing
- An Israeli gentlemen was actually turned away for not having a printout of his bank statement. Apparently Bolivia has some serious beef with Israel we didn’t know about!
- Another person didn’t have the required yellow fever card, yet was still allowed to enter the country. Don’t worry, you may have contracted yellow fever… But as long as you have $135 come on in!
- You are required to physically walk across the Bolivian border with all your stuff. Just how we planned our last moments in Peru!
After the Peru to Bolivia Border Crossing
From the Bolivia border it’s only a 15 minute drive to the little waterfront town of Copacabana. This is where you absolutely need to hop off and stay for a night (we stayed two!) The little harbor has plenty of amazing hikes and food to enjoy. We LOVED the time we spent in this town. Besides our tour of the salt flats, Copacabana was probably our favorite destination in Bolivia! It was a great opportunity to hike, swim, bike, and eat endless amounts of Trout from the waterfront stalls!
Isla del Sol
Around 2PM everyday there’s a boat that goes out to Isla del Sol. The ticket to Sun Island is included in your trip with Bolivia Hop as well as an ice cold beer for the ride over. Isla del sol was just the spot we were looking for! The Incas believed that the Sun God was born here, and there are plenty of ruins on the island built in his name.
Our groups guide (who couldn’t of been more than 5 years old) led us on a beautiful hour long hike around the island. The boat was waiting for us on the other side, and we enjoyed the sunset on our cruise back to Copacobana. We only wish that we spent a night at one of the islands small guest houses. Next time!
Don’t Hop the Last Leg
The only downside to Bolivia Hop is that the bus leaves at 6pm for La Paz. This unfortunately means that you won’t get there until after 10PM. Instead, we elected to just pay the $3 USD for the express bus, and officially “hopped off” early! We loved Bolivia hop, but highly recommend the express bus move. Not only do you get into the city at a reasonable hour, but the views en route to the capital city are absolutely amazing!
Should You Take Bolivia Hop?
We typically don’t use tour companies while traveling because we feel a bit restricted. Everything on a schedule, you have to stay with the group, etc… However, on Bolivia Hop we really appreciated the freedom to hop on and off when we pleased. What started off as just an easy way to get across the border, turned into an experience we will never forget. If you’re heading from Peru to Bolivia definitely try out Bolivia Hop!
Have any questions about Bolivia Hop, the Bolivian border crossing, or how to travel from Cusco to La Paz? Please comment below and we’ll be happy to help.
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where in the world are we? Follow our daily adventures on Instagram @nothingfamiliar!
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Where To Stay In La Paz Bolivia
Ultra Luxury (High End) – Stannum Boutique Hotel & Spa – This swanky upscale hotel sits above the city and offers stunning views of La Paz. Just a quick 5 min drive and you’ll be in the heart of the action.
Fun Vacation (Mid Range) –Hotel Casa de Piedra Hotel Boutique – This colonial house with carved wooden walls is right in the heart of the city and perfect for a fun vacation. This hotel offers you the chance to be steps from the action but a safe and warm place to return to.
Hostel Life (Budget) –The Adventure Brew Downtown Hostel – Rooms are simple but location is everything at this popular La Paz hostel. Shared and private rooms available.
For more places to stay in La Paz you can explore the latest prices here!
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