📱 Essential Travel Apps for Peru

Ride-hailing for Lima, Cusco, Arequipa. Safer than street taxis, prices shown upfront. Lima traffic chaotic—Uber/Cabify essential. Typical ride S/8-15 ($2-4 USD). All three work well in Peru.

💡 Uber most widespread, Cabify more premium

Pay for Lima public buses via phone. Scan QR codes on buses, load balance with debit/credit/Yape. Avoids need for cash. Metro de Lima and Metropolitano also have card systems.

💡 Useful for Lima if using public transport

Public transit directions for Lima, Cusco, Iquitos. Real-time bus/metro info, route planning. Free alternative to Google Maps for public transport.

Peru's most popular mobile payment app. Send money, pay bills, split costs. Widely used locally. Requires Peruvian bank account or phone number—useful for longer stays.

Best overall flight search. Price tracking, flexible dates, and the cleanest interface. Use the calendar view to find the cheapest days to fly.

"Everywhere" search shows you the cheapest destinations from your home airport. Perfect for spontaneous trips. Also great for whole-month search.

Predicts when flight prices will rise or drop. Set alerts and book at the perfect moment. Can save hundreds on international flights.

Compares results from multiple search engines. Sometimes finds deals the others miss. Always worth checking for international flights.

Best for complex multi-city routes and flexible dates. Can combine airlines that don't normally work together. Great for round-the-world trips.

Works excellently in Peru cities. Download offline maps before trip (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley). Shows real-time traffic, transit info. Essential for navigation.

💡 Download Lima and Cusco offline—spotty data in mountains

Detailed offline maps with hiking trails. Better than Google for Inca Trail, Rainbow Mountain, Colca Canyon. Completely offline. Essential for trekking.

💡 Download Cusco region, Sacred Valley, Arequipa areas

Plans routes combining buses, trains, flights. Useful for Peru's complex transport (Lima to Cusco by bus, plane, or combinations). Shows all options with times and costs.

Negotiate-price ride-hailing. Name your price, drivers accept/counter. Works in Peru. Cheaper than Uber if you know local rates. Good for budget travelers.

Wide range of hotels, apartments and hostels across Peru. Free cancellation on many rooms, plus app-only discounts. Peru has an excellent hostel scene—S/30-80/night dorms.

Rent apartments, houses in Lima, Cusco. Great for longer stays or if you want a kitchen. Many options in Miraflores, San Blas. Cheaper than hotels for groups.

Best platform for hostels. Peru has excellent backpacker scene. Pariwana, Wild Rover, Kokopelli chains. Read reviews from actual backpackers. Dorms S/30-80 ($8-21 USD).

Book hotel rooms just for the day to nap, shower, or recharge during layovers. Useful for Lima airport connections. Way better than sleeping at gate.

Download Spanish language pack for offline use. Essential in Peru—limited English outside tourist areas. Camera mode translates menus, signs instantly. Learn basic phrases.

💡 Essential for rural areas, buses, markets

Peruvians use WhatsApp for everything. Hotels, tour operators, hostels prefer it. Free international communication. Essential for booking tours, confirming reservations.

Store your luggage anywhere — cafes, hotels, shops. Perfect for those hours between checkout and your flight. Lima, Cusco have locations. Insured and secure.

Get discounted "surprise bags" of food from restaurants and cafes at end of day. Save money and reduce food waste. Limited availability in Lima currently.

Enter destination, dates, activities — it builds packing list based on weather. Essential for Peru's varied climates (Lima fog, Cusco cold, Amazon heat). Great for altitude prep.

Recent reviews help find authentic spots, avoid tourist traps in Cusco. Many scam tours exist—read reviews carefully. Filter by language to see what locals recommend.

Largest selection of tours to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley. Read reviews, book instantly, mobile tickets. Owned by TripAdvisor.

Great prices and instant confirmation for Peru tours. Often cheaper than booking directly. Excellent for Machu Picchu train tickets, Inca Trail permits.

Private tours, food experiences, cooking classes with locals in Lima, Cusco. See authentic Peru, not tourist version. Unique experiences like market tours, home-cooked meals.

Plan hiking, cycling and outdoor routes with turn-by-turn voice navigation and offline maps. Community-driven with 45M+ users sharing routes, tips and highlights worldwide. iOS & Android (free with premium options).

Multi-currency card with good exchange rates. Better rates than banks for Peruvian soles. Debit card accepted in cities. ATMs charge S/15-20 ($4-5 USD) fees—withdraw large amounts.

💡 Rural areas still cash-heavy—carry soles

Expense splitting for groups. Track who paid for tours, accommodation, meals. Peru is budget-friendly but costs add up—track from start to avoid confusion.

105: National Police
116: Ambulance (SAMU)
117: Fire department
0800-2-5465: Tourist Police (English-speaking in Cusco)

Save before traveling:
• Your embassy contact
• Travel insurance emergency number
• Bank fraud line (card theft common in Lima)
• Altitude medication info

Subscription travel-medical insurance built for long trips and remote work. Covers emergency treatment and evacuation, runs month to month rather than per trip, and can be started after you have already left home. Private clinics expect payment upfront and public hospitals vary enormously, sometimes within the same city. Altitude sickness and adventure sports are the usual exclusions worth checking before you book anything.