Autumn’s Adventures

This blog post is for travelers looking for an accurate route from Jujuy, Argentina > Cusco, Peru and from Cusco back to Jujuy.  I did countless hours of research online trying to find the best and cheapest route to Cusco from Jujuy and I didn’t find much so now I am adding my own experience here in hopes that it will help other fellow travelers.

I encountered multiple strikes on my way to and from Cusco so this route is only by bus as all trains were not functioning in Bolivia when I was passing through.  I went up through Bolivia to get to Cusco and went down through Chile to get back to Jujuy.

At my time of travel the exchange rate was roughly this below:

USD 1 = 3.79 Pesos = 7.02 Bolivianos = 3 Peruvian Soles = 537 Chilean Pesos (6/26/2009)

San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina > La Quiaca, Jujuy, Argentina
Ticket: 35 Argentine Pesos / U$D 9.24
Company: Jama Bus
Duration of trip: 4.5 hours (6:00 am – 10:30 am)

You will cross the border by foot or taxi to reach Villazon, Bolivia.  If you are a US citizen you will need a visa to enter Bolivia which costs U$D135.  You are able to apply for a visa at the border but you will have to make a copy of your passport and provide 2 passport photos.

Villazon, Bolivia > La Paz, Bolivia
Ticket: 80 Bolivianos / U$D 11.43
Company: Expreso Tupiza (I thought the driver was going to tip over the bus)
Duration of trip: ~19 hours (4:00pm – 11:30 AM)

*It is possible to take a train from Villazon to Oruro, Bolivia and then take a short bus to La Paz but during my trip there was a political problem and the trains were not running. There were shitty bumpy roads the whole way there.

La Paz, Bolivia > Puno, Peru
Ticket: 50 Bolivianos / U$D 7.14
Company: 6 de Julio
Duration of trip: 7.5 hours (2:30pm – 9pm [peru time])
*For this bus ride you will disembark and take a boat across Lake Titicaca.  At the Peru border you will walk across the border and get on a new bus.  You do not need a visa for Peru if you are a US citizen.

Puno, Peru > Cusco, Peru
Ticket: 15 Peruvian Soles / U$D 5.00
Company: Power Bus
Duration of trip: ~7 hours (2:15pm – 9:00pm)
*It is possible to take a train from Puno to Cusco but it costs U$D200 roughly.

RETURNING TO JUJUY VIA CHILE:
Cusco, Peru > Arequipa, Peru
Ticket: 60 Peruvian Soles / U$D 20.00
Company: Ormeño S.A.
Duration of trip: ~14 hours (9:00am – 11:00pm)
*We went to Puno first and then went to Arequipa.  This could have been for the strikes and a normal route may be shorter.

Arequipa, Peru > Tacna, Peru
Ticket: 25 Soles / U$D 8.30
Company: Transportes Moquegua Turismo
Duration of trip: ~7 hours (7am – 1:45pm)

Tacna, Peru > Arica, Chile
Ticket: 13 Soles / U$D 4.30
Company: Shared car or “Combi”
Duration of trip: 2 hours (2:30 – 4:30)

Arica, Chile > San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina
Ticket: 38,000 Chilean Pesos / U$D 76.00
Company: Pullman Bus
Duration of trip: 24 hours (9pm – 9pm)
*There are two buses on this trip. You disembark in Calama and wait for 3 hours in the bus station from 6am to 9am.  From Calama you go straight to Jujuy.
*This bus did not serve any hot meals, only cookies, crackers and juice.  Be prepared to bring your own real food even though you are paying a ridiculous price for this bus.

This blog post is for travelers looking for an accurate route from Jujuy, Argentina > Cusco, Peru and from Cusco back to Jujuy.  I did countless hours of research online trying to find the best and cheapest route to Cusco from Jujuy and I didn’t find much so now I am adding my own experience here in hopes that it will help other fellow travelers.

I encountered multiple strikes on my way to and from Cusco so this route is only by bus as all trains were not functioning in Bolivia when I was passing through.  I went up through Bolivia to get to Cusco and went down through Chile to get back to Jujuy.

At my time of travel the exchange rate was roughly this below:

USD 1 = 3.79 Pesos = 7.02 Bolivianos = 3 Peruvian Soles = 537 Chilean Pesos (6/26/2009)

San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina > La Quiaca, Jujuy, Argentina
Ticket: 35 Argentine Pesos / U$D 9.24
Company: Jama Bus
Duration of trip: 4.5 hours (6:00 am – 10:30 am)

You will cross the border by foot or taxi to reach Villazon, Bolivia.  If you are a US citizen you will need a visa to enter Bolivia which costs U$D135.  You are able to apply for a visa at the border but you will have to make a copy of your passport and provide 2 passport photos.

Villazon, Bolivia > La Paz, Bolivia
Ticket: 80 Bolivianos / U$D 11.43
Company: Expreso Tupiza (I thought the driver was going to tip over the bus)
Duration of trip: ~19 hours (4:00pm – 11:30 AM)

*It is possible to take a train from Villazon to Oruro, Bolivia and then take a short bus to La Paz but during my trip there was a political problem and the trains were not running. There were shitty bumpy roads the whole way there.

La Paz, Bolivia > Puno, Peru
Ticket: 50 Bolivianos / U$D 7.14
Company: 6 de Julio
Duration of trip: 7.5 hours (2:30pm – 9pm [peru time])
*For this bus ride you will disembark and take a boat across Lake Titicaca.  At the Peru border you will walk across the border and get on a new bus.  You do not need a visa for Peru if you are a US citizen.

Puno, Peru > Cusco, Peru
Ticket: 15 Peruvian Soles / U$D 5.00
Company: Power Bus
Duration of trip: ~7 hours (2:15pm – 9:00pm)
*It is possible to take a train from Puno to Cusco but it costs U$D200 roughly.

RETURNING TO JUJUY VIA CHILE:
Cusco, Peru > Arequipa, Peru
Ticket: 60 Peruvian Soles / U$D 20.00
Company: Ormeño S.A.
Duration of trip: ~14 hours (9:00am – 11:00pm)
*We went to Puno first and then went to Arequipa.  This could have been for the strikes and a normal route may be shorter.

Arequipa, Peru > Tacna, Peru
Ticket: 25 Soles / U$D 8.30
Company: Transportes Moquegua Turismo
Duration of trip: ~7 hours (7am – 1:45pm)

Tacna, Peru > Arica, Chile
Ticket: 13 Soles / U$D 4.30
Company: Shared car or “Combi”
Duration of trip: 2 hours (2:30 – 4:30)

Arica, Chile > San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina
Ticket: 38,000 Chilean Pesos / U$D 76.00
Company: Pullman Bus
Duration of trip: 24 hours (9pm – 9pm)
*There are two buses on this trip. You disembark in Calama and wait for 3 hours in the bus station from 6am to 9am.  From Calama you go straight to Jujuy.
*This bus did not serve any hot meals, only cookies, crackers and juice.  Be prepared to bring your own real food even though you are paying a ridiculous price for this bus.