Destinations
Internet in Peru: Lima, Cusco and the route to Machu Picchu
The cities are fine and the highlands have their gaps. What to expect on the train, in the valley and on the climb, and what to have downloaded.
Irene Salazar 6 min Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash Peru is a country of contrasts in this too: Lima and Cusco are well covered, and the route almost everyone takes runs through valleys and mountains where the signal appears and disappears.
By area
| Where | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Lima | Wide 4G and 5G in places |
| Cusco city | Good |
| Sacred Valley | Good in the villages, patchy in between |
| Train to Aguas Calientes | Comes and goes |
| Machu Picchu | Limited, and with crowds the network saturates |
| Jungle and Peruvian Amazon | Little or none |
The classic route, step by step
Between Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu there are trains, buses and walking. Entry to Machu Picchu runs on timed slots and a ticket, so the sensible thing is to carry it downloaded and not depend on opening your inbox up there.
If you walk the Inca Trail or a multi-day route, count on being without signal for long stretches and tell someone your plan.
Altitude and the battery
The cold of the highlands shortens the battery noticeably, and a phone hunting for a network in areas without coverage uses twice as much. Two habits that help: carry a power bank and switch on flight mode when you know there will be no network.
What you will use
Between 300 and 600 MB a day. It is a trip of many photos and quite a lot of messaging with agencies and accommodation.
How to keep your home line from spending without your noticing is in what to do on landing, step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is there coverage at Machu Picchu?
Limited, and with a lot of people connected at once the network saturates. Carry your entry and tickets downloaded.
And on the train to Aguas Calientes?
It comes and goes: over a good part of the route there are stretches with signal and others without.
Is coverage good in Cusco and Lima?
Yes, wide 4G in both, with 5G in parts of Lima.
How many gigabytes do I need for Peru?
Between 300 and 600 MB a day, so around 3 to 6 GB over ten days.
Why does my battery drain so fast?
Because of the cold in the highlands and because a phone hunting for a network where there is none uses twice as much. Flight mode on those stretches helps a lot.
