How to Get from Lima to Huanchaco by Bus
Did you know that Peru is actually a surfer’s paradise? With incredible waves that are still relatively undiscovered and hence comparatively empty line-ups.
Along the northern coast of Peru, you will find Huanchaco, your typical surfer town. The vibes are relaxed and you can find some delicious food plus the nicest people.
On top of that, it is easily the cheapest place I have ever seen for surf lessons. You can get a 3-hour lesson starting at just $15 – that is unheard of. Rentals are at most $5 per day, which makes Huanchaco the perfect place to learn or improve on surfing.
You can find countless daytrips to Chicama from here, which is hailed to be the longest surf wave in the world. Usually a wave is ridden for seconds, in Chicama you can be on one for minutes if your legs hold out.
About twenty minutes from Huanchaco is also Chan Chan, a pre-Columbian city that is now an archaeological site. The sheer size of Chan Chan is hard to comprehend and the history of it is fascinating. Truly worth a visit.
Here is exactly how you can get to Huanchaco from Lima by night bus:
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How to get from Lima to Huanchaco by bus?
Bus from Lima to Trujillo
The cheapest way to get to Huanchaco is first getting the night bus from Lima to Trujillo. Trujillo is the bigger town that is near Huanchaco. I went with Cruz del Sur, which is one of the most touristy bus companies in Peru, but Linea is also an amazing company and can be even more affordable.
For Linea, the bus station in Lima is either by Av. Passeo de la Republica or the Gran Terminal Plaza Norte. If you are coming from Miraflores or Barranco, the Av. Passeo de la Rrepublica is closer.
For Cruz del Sur, stations in Lima are either Avenida Javier Prado or also Plaza Norte. Javier Prado is closest to Miraflores and Barranco. You can get a cheap InDrive taxi there or the local buses/trams if not too late in the evening.
Related Article: Ultimate Guide to Travelling Peru by Bus
The night bus takes 10-11 hours and is usually pretty comfortable and I have had no safety issues. If you are travelling alone, I would recommend booking a seat on the right side of the second floor which is the single seat area. There are curtains so you will be fully hidden. My favourite seat is the one all the way in the front on the right as it is behind the stairs and no one is behind or in front of you, meaning a more peaceful sleep.
When taking the bus, try and avoid going to Terrapuerto in Trujillo as that is a fairly unsafe area outside so you have to take a Taxi (which is still so affordable here). The closer you can get to the area of Av. Espana, the better, as from there you can take the public buses for less than a dollar.
For Linea, that means Av. América Sur and for Cruz del Sur, it is the main Trujillo stop by Amazonas.
Bus/collectivo from Trujillo to Huanchaco
Once you have made it to Trujillo, you will be bombarded by Taxi drivers at arrival. I would recommend avoiding them as they overcharge. If you want to take a taxi, use the InDrive app.
The cheapest way to get to Trujillo is by public bus. I have indicated on the map below the areas where you will be able to spot the buses.
I walked to Av. España, which is the big roundabout where all buses in Trujillo pass through as that’s what the locals at the bus station told me to do. Many say that the roundabout by Óvalo Grau also has the right buses pass through and its a shorter walk for Linea buses.
Watch out for a bus that says Huanchaco at the top, wave to the driver to get them to stop and get on. There are no set bus stops, so as long as you are in the right area, you will be able to hop on a bus.
There are different routes around Huanchaco, so I would recommend asking your hostel/hotel in advance which bus route is the best and where to get off. You can then look for the right route at the top and in the front window of the buses and let the driver know your stop. This isn’t essential as Huanchaco is super walkable but it will make your life a little easier on arrival.
You pay 2.5 soles ($0.70) when getting off in cash and they tend to have some change.
Another option are collectivos which look like small white vans. They will likely have a sign in the front window to indicate their direction and should cost around the same as the bus. I tend to prefer the bus.
How much is a taxi from Trujillo to Huanchaco and vice versa?
On my way back from Huanchaco to the Linea Bus Station in Trujillo, I ended up taking a taxi as it was late at night. I booked it using InDrive (cheaper alternative to Uber where you “haggle” for the cost of the ride) and pay in cash. I think I paid around 15 soles so $4. It should be between 10-20 soles and around 25 soles for the airport.
How to get to Chan Chan from Huanchaco?
If you want to visit the Archeological site of Chan Chan from Huanchaco (highly recommend) you can either take the local bus or a taxi. We had to take an unofficial taxi as the whole country was on strike that day and paid around 35 soles. It would be a lot less if you can get a taxi through InDrive.
The same buses that go to Trujillo also go past Chan Chan. There are no official stops so you have to let the driver know that you’d like to get off. You can either do this at the start and say “La entrada para Chan Chan”, or follow your journey on Google Maps and say “Baja” which means stop when you come close. Pay when you exit, it should be around 2 soles ($0.50). The buses stop along the main road from which you have a 15 minutes walk to the ruins of Chan Chan.
Where to stay in Huanchaco?
Huanchaco is a super walkable, small surf town. It is connected to Trujillo, the nearby city, by local buses. For surfers, the pier in the middle of the city was kind of used to divide beginners (on the right side when looking towards the sea) and more advanced (to the left), though it can change based on conditions.
Huanchaco is also incredibly affordable to stay in, with the most expensive places costing around $50 per night. If you are looking to relax, surf, do some yoga and see incredible sunsets, here are the best accommodation options in Huanchaco:
Related Article: Where to Stay in Huanchaco, Peru
Everything you need to know about visiting Peru:
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