eSIM for Peru: Machu Picchu coverage, plan prices and how much data you need (2026)

Yes, a travel eSIM works well in Peru: you get prepaid mobile data on a Peruvian network from the moment you land in Lima, and your usual number stays on for calls and texts. With Cabin Mode, 5 GB for 30 days costs $16.00, which covers a typical two-week Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu trip. Just don't expect a signal on the Inca Trail or deep in the Amazon, because nobody's network reaches there.

Peru plans and prices

The Peru-only plans at trip-sized allowances:

Data	Valid for	Price (USD)	Per GB
1 GB	7 days	$3.54	$3.54
3 GB	15 days	$10.18	$3.39
3 GB	30 days	$10.64	$3.55
5 GB	30 days	$16.00	$3.20
10 GB	30 days	$30.40	$3.04
20 GB	30 days	$59.80	$2.99
50 GB	30 days	$156.96	$3.14

Prices checked 25 September 2026. They can change, and the app shows current prices in your currency. As a rough guide, 10 GB at $30.40 is about A$43, £23 or €27 at the 24 September 2026 reference rate. Cabin Mode charges in the currency shown in the app.

Two things stand out. First, the per-GB price barely moves between sizes, from $3.54 down to $2.99. Buying big doesn't save much in Peru, so buy what you expect to use and top up in the app if you run low. Second, the 50 GB plan is listed as 3G/4G. The smaller plans list 5G where the network offers it.

Every Peru plan starts on first connection to a network in Peru. Install it at home, and validity only starts when you land. See every Peru plan.

How much data a Peru trip uses

Peru trips usually mix a big city, an altitude base and a few days with little or no signal. That last part keeps data use lower than you might expect.

A week: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Maps, ride-hailing, train and entry tickets, messages and photos. Around 500 MB to 1 GB a day on the days you're in town. The 3 GB 15-day plan ($10.18) is enough if you lean on hotel Wi-Fi. The 5 GB plan is the comfortable choice.

Two weeks with the Sacred Valley, Arequipa and Lake Titicaca. Plan on 5–10 GB. If you'll be on overnight buses, download shows and playlists on hotel Wi-Fi first.

The Inca Trail or another multi-day trek. Take off the trekking days, since you'll use close to nothing. A 10-day trip with a four-day trek is really six days of normal use.

A month or remote work. Video calls and a laptop add up fast. At roughly $3 per GB, a month of heavy use gets expensive, and this is where a local SIM starts to make sense (see below).

There's an app-by-app breakdown in how much data do I need for a trip.

Coverage: where the signal is, and where it isn't

Peru has four main mobile networks: Movistar, Claro, Entel and Bitel. Coverage and speed on your plan depend on the local partner network. Here's what to expect on the main routes.

Lima, Cusco and Arequipa

These cities have solid 4G, and 5G in parts of Lima. Cusco's centre is well covered, and signal holds in most of the Sacred Valley towns, such as Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo.

Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, has usable 4G. At the citadel itself, reports vary. You may get a bar or two near the entrance and at some higher points, but signal inside the site is patchy and often absent. Don't rely on it. Download your entry ticket, train ticket and passport scan to your phone before leaving town. The PeruRail and Inca Rail journeys through the valley also drop in and out of signal.

The Inca Trail

Expect a signal at the start at Km 82 and for part of the first day, then almost nothing through the middle of the trek. Signal starts to come back near the last campsite before Machu Picchu. There's no Wi-Fi at the campsites. Put the phone in Airplane Mode on the trail: a phone searching for a network drains its battery fast, and you'll want the camera working on day four. If someone at home needs to reach you in an emergency, ask your trekking company about satellite communication. Many carry it.

Other high-altitude treks, such as Salkantay, Lares and the routes around Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca, are similar. There's a signal in the villages and none on the passes.

The Amazon

Iquitos can't be reached by road, only by air or river. The city has mobile coverage, as does Puerto Maldonado in the south. Most jungle lodges are hours away by boat and have no mobile signal at all. Some offer limited Wi-Fi at set times. Treat Amazon days as offline days and tell people at home before you go.

Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon and the coast

Puno has good coverage. On the lake islands and in the Colca Canyon, it's patchy outside the villages. The desert coast between Lima, Paracas and Nazca is generally covered along the Panamericana, with gaps between towns.

Apps you'll actually use in Peru

WhatsApp. This is how Peru communicates. Hotels, tour agencies, guides, drivers and restaurants all run bookings through it. A travel eSIM is data only, so WhatsApp keeps using your normal number over Peruvian data, and the people you message see the number they already have. Keeping WhatsApp and bank codes working abroad covers the setup.
Ride-hailing. Uber, Cabify, DiDi and inDrive all operate in Lima, and ride apps are allowed to pick up at Jorge Chávez airport from a designated zone. In Cusco, Uber and inDrive are available. In smaller cities such as Puno, Huaraz and Iquitos, use a registered taxi company or ask your hotel to call one.
Offline maps. Download the Cusco region, the Sacred Valley and anywhere you'll trek, in Google Maps or Apple Maps, while you're on Wi-Fi.

Phone safety in Peru

Phone theft is the most likely thing to go wrong on a Peru trip. The UK Foreign Office's travel advice (as of September 2026) says street crime is a significant problem in Lima, Cusco and Arequipa, including in Miraflores and Barranco. It advises against using your phone at the roadside, because motorbike riders may snatch it. It also says stolen phones have been used to call the owner's contacts with fake kidnapping claims and ransom demands.

In practice:

Step back from the kerb before you check the map. Doorways and shopfronts are safer than the edge of the pavement.
Book taxis by app or through your hotel, and don't hail one on the street. At the airport, use the official desks or the ride-app pickup zone.
Turn on Stolen Device Protection in Settings › Face ID & Passcode. It adds a biometric check and a delay before a thief can change your Apple Account password.
Set a SIM PIN on your home line in Settings › Cellular › [your usual line] › SIM PIN. A thief who takes out a physical SIM can't use it to receive your bank codes.
Tell family that you'll never ask for money by phone. Agree on a check-in routine so a fake kidnapping call doesn't work.

Setting up for arrival

Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi. The step-by-step install guide walks through it.
On landing in Lima, turn off Airplane Mode.
In Settings › Cellular, choose the travel eSIM for Cellular Data.
Turn Data Roaming on for the travel eSIM, and off on your usual line.

A Peruvian network name should appear within a couple of minutes. Your iPhone needs to be an XR or later and carrier-unlocked. Cabin Mode is iPhone only.

When a local SIM is the better choice

A travel eSIM is best for a trip measured in days or weeks. For a stay of a month or more, a local prepaid SIM from a Peruvian carrier usually works out cheaper per GB. It also gives you a Peruvian number, which is useful for local deliveries, banks and rental contracts. The catch is that you'll need a shop visit with your passport and a phone that takes a physical SIM or a local eSIM. The full trade-off is in eSIM vs roaming vs a local SIM.

Peru with Bolivia, Chile or Ecuador

The Peru plan covers Peru only. On the Puno to Copacabana crossing into Bolivia, your Peru data stops once your phone connects to a Bolivian network, which can happen near the lake before you reach immigration. Have the next country's plan installed first. If Peru is one stop on a longer trip, the South America backpacking guide compares regional plans with buying one per country.

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work at Machu Picchu?

In Aguas Calientes, yes. At the citadel, signal is patchy and often absent, whichever network you use. Download your tickets and passport details before you go up, and don't plan on uploading from the ruins.

Is there phone signal on the Inca Trail?

Only at the start and near the end. There's a signal around Km 82 on day one and near the final campsite, and almost none in between. Use Airplane Mode to save battery, and ask your operator about satellite communication for emergencies.

How much data do I need for two weeks in Peru?

5 GB covers most two-week trips that include a trek and use hotel Wi-Fi. If you post a lot of video or rely on mobile data for everything, take 10 GB, or start with 5 GB and top up in the app.

Does Uber work in Peru?

Yes. Uber, Cabify, DiDi and inDrive operate in Lima, and Uber and inDrive work in Cusco. Smaller cities often have no ride apps, so use a registered taxi company or ask your hotel.

Will my Peru eSIM work in the Amazon?

In Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado, yes. At most jungle lodges, no, because there's no mobile network there. Some lodges offer Wi-Fi at set hours.

Do I need a Peruvian phone number?

Not for a holiday. WhatsApp, iMessage and FaceTime keep working on your normal number over the eSIM's data. A local number only matters for longer stays, such as for rentals or banking.