Border Crossing Lessons from Peru to Chile & Visiting Arequipa

If you are bussing from Peru to Chile, there are a few things you need to know. So here are the lessons I learned from my border crossing journey from Peru to Chile.

Most people cross the border from Tacna, Peru to Arica, Chile and you can make the whole journey via public transportation.

From Cusco, Peru’s main bus terminal there are multiple bus companies that drive various routes to Tacna. You can catch a bus to Arequipa, and then another bus to Tacna on the border of Chile.

You can also get a bus from Cusco straight to Tacna (for about $20USD), which is a 16-hour bus journey. This is why I recommend breaking it up with a stop in Arequipa, Peru. Cusco to Arequipa is about a 10-hour journey by bus. Arequipa is another 6-hour bus ride to Tacna.

In addition to being a good half way point, Arequipa is a worthwhile detour on your border crossing journey. Here are some quick activities you can do while visiting Arequipa:

• Take a tour of the Museo de Assiento de Universidad where you can see the 500-year-old preserved body of an Incan girl named Jaunita who was sacrificed to the gods around the year 1450. There is something intriguingly eery about staring at the remains of a girl who lived over 5 centuries ago and still has skin and hair! There are also other unique artifacts on display that were found in the surrounding regions of the Andes and the tour guides are knowledgeable and speak English.
• Visit the famous Santa Catalina Monastery where a community lived completely isolated from the world for centuries, until recently when it was opened to the public. Once inside, you can stroll through the colorful streets and corridors and have a cappuccino in a flower-filled courtyard with the nuns.

From Tacna, Peru you have a few options to cross into Chile via Arica.

• Get a private taxi that will take you across the Chilean border to Arica (this is what I did since it was late at night and I didn’t want the hassle of public transit)
• Use the public bus, which departs every 20 minutes and carry around 50 people for about ($3.50 USD)
• Use a collectivo (a small bus), which depart whenever they are full and can carry up to 15 people. This will cost closer to $6USD

No matter which method you use, you’ll need to pay a 2 PEN (60¢) exit tax in Peru. Don’t forget to get a receipt (you’ll use it to enter the area where public buses and collectives, and taxis are waiting to depart for Chile).

Keep in mind that with a bus and collectivo, you have to wait for everyone on board to clear customs at the border.

Currently, U.S. citizens don’t need a visa to visit Chile for less than 90 days. You should always check the embassy for updated entry requirements though.

You’ll arrive at the international bus station in Arica, Chile. Across the street is the domestic bus station where you can catch a bus to the capital city of Santiago and other destinations.

Since I typically travel on a budget, a tactic I often use to save money while backpacking– is booking overnight buses. That way you don’t waste daylight hours traveling and you save money on a hostel/hotel if you sleep while you are in transit.

Here are some tips for the border crossing journey based on lessons I learned in the process:

1. ALWAYS PAY A LITTLE MORE FOR THE “CAMA.” Sometimes it is better to splurge on transportation (especially if it means ensuring your safety and comfort). When traveling in South America by bus, ALWAYS PAY A LITTLE MORE FOR THE “CAMA” VS. THE “SEMI-CAMA”. Trust me, you will thank yourself and me when you are reclining flat in your comfy chair snuggling into your wool blanket for a good night’s rest.

2. Book a hostel in advance in Arica or don’t arrive late at night expecting to find something safe and comfortable. Always try to avoid arriving late at night in a new town without having your accommodation already reserved. Otherwise, you might find yourself wandering around at midnight, settling between two bad options and 12,000 Chilean pesos (16 USD) later you end up curled in a ball in your sleep sack trying to avoid bedbugs, hugging your belongings to avoid theft scenarios considering the flimsy plywood door that stands between you and the world.

3. No liquor (pisco) or fruit can come with you across the border. Eat any fruit you have before crossing South American borders by bus or car. When crossing through border towns in South America, you can be subject to a random inspection where your fruit is confiscated due to “Fruit fly free zones.” Not much explanation is given, but the signs are pretty clear “NO FRUIT.”

4. Don’t forget about the 2-hour time difference from Peru to Chile (You add 2 hours in Chile)

5. You need to drop off your luggage for inspection at the border crossing

Overall, crossing the border by ground transportation is relatively cheap, but it will be at least a day’s journey if you are coming from Cusco, Peru.

I’d recommend staying in Arica a night to break up your travels before carrying on in Chile.