We took an overnight bus from Ecuador into Peru. After extensive research, we decided it would be the easiest way for us to put some miles behind us and to save on a night’s accommodation. Also, to cross the border into Peru during the nights when the border is much less crowded. There are plenty of mixed reviews when it comes to the safety of taking an overnight bus. But we can tell you it was safe, cost effective and comfortable. Here’s our experience crossing the border from Ecuador to Peru on an overnight bus.
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We Booked Through Super Semeria
We researched quite a few different companies and decided to go with Super Semeria because of the reviews. There were also some cheaper options. The price of the ticket was $18 USD per person and there are no bus changes, so the bus you board is the bus that will take you to your final destination in Peru. We bought the tickets the day before departure to ensure our seats on the bus.
Location and Time of Departure
We left at 9:30PM from the main bus station Terminal Terrestre near the airport. We arrived to the bus terminal a little early, as we had already checked out of our hotel and were just wandering around town killing time. We waited near the bus companies office which was just next to where you exit the terminal to get on the bus. Note, you have to pay 10 cents in order to exit the terminal. Outside we handed our bags to one of the bus attendants. He asked for our destination and placed our bags in a separate compartment of the bus in order to prevent confusion when arriving at each stop along the way. This gave us some comfort, and he also gave us a claim ticket to reclaim our bags. So don’t fret over your bag when taking an overnight bus. We suggest you place your carry on, if you have one, underneath the seat in front of you instead of in the overhead compartment. This is safer as you do not have to worry about someone rummaging through your bag when you are sleeping. There wasn’t much room, but for us, we fell asleep without worries and didn’t have any issues.
Arriving at the Ecuador / Peru Border
The drive wasn’t all that bad. It is a little hilly getting through Cuenca, but once out of town it levels out. There are street lights that shine in through the windows and we suggest a sleep mask, as the window curtains don’t work so well. We had the issue of being close to the tv screen. It was broken and flashed bright colors throughout the ride. We arrived at the Ecuadorian border to get stamped out around 1:30AM. The bus pulled into an inspection station and a border agent boarded the bus for inspection. He inspected the bus for any suspicious persons or packages. Next, we all exited the bus to enter the immigration office. There were lots of people outside with luggage, but they were not in line. There was an agent next to the immigration office allowing only a handful of people to enter to avoid the office from being overcrowded. There were four stations for Ecuador and four for Peru, but only the four Ecuadorian stations were open. We read they stamp you out of Ecuador and into Peru here, but for some reason, we only got our stamps out. It was confusing. It took about 30 minutes for us to get stamped out, then we walked outside to where the bus was waiting.
NOTE: It can get a little confusing as there are multiple buildings near where the bus will pick you up to travel to the Peru side. We thought we were supposed to get stamped into Peru at the first location so we got in another line. Turns out this was the line for people entering Ecuador. Luckily the bus crew came and got us and took us back to the bus. Make sure to just go to where the buses are and wait for the crew to let you on. Peru immigration is a little ways further down the road.
Getting Stamped into Peru
We continued on for a couple of kilometers to the actual Peru border. The bus pulled in and another border agent boarded the bus for a bag check. He then cleared the bus and we all exited. The bus pulled right in front of the immigration office and we all lined up outside. For some reason, the immigration agents stopped helping people for about 30 minutes. Once they started agin it took about 20 minutes for us to get stamped into Peru. We boarded the bus and waited for everyone else to get stamped in.
Arriving in Mancora
By the time we were all back on the bus to head to Mancora it was 2:45AM. All in all, it took a little over an hour and a half to get stamped out of Ecuador and get stamped into Peru. This was in the middle of the night, so we can only imagine how long it would take during the day. We arrived in Mancora around 4:50AM and were dropped off on the side of the road in the center of town.
Retrieving your bag at this point can be a little stressful. It is dark, everyone is trying to retrieve their bags at the same time, and you will also have tuk-tuk drivers hassling you. Most of the bus got off at Mancora, so it took about 15 minutes for all of the bags to get sorted out. Once our bags were being pulled, we gave him our claim ticket and were on our way to our hotel.
Our hotel was close to where the bus stop was and it only took us 15 minutes to walk there. Luckily for us, our hotel allowed us to check in early. The owner greeted us at the gate, showed us to our room, and said that she would check us in later. We all went to sleep and finished the check-in around 10:00AM. We were officially in Mancora to enjoy some much needed relaxation on the beach.
TIP: If you take an overnight bus, we suggest you contact your hotel and let them know you will be checking in early. You will arrive really early in the morning and all the stores, restaurants, and shops will be closed. You definitely do not want to be stranded in the middle of the night!
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