Short answer: Viajero Kokopelli Hostel is the one we would book first, for the pool, the two bars and a location two minutes from the Plaza de Armas. Wild Rover Hostel Cusco is the biggest party of the six, and Loki Hostel Cusco runs themed nights and a signature drink that does most of the work. Cusco beds are cheap but they move around by season, so compare on Hostelz before you book.
The former Incan capital, now officially the “Historical Capital of Peru”. Cusco sits in the southeastern Andes, a compact city of under half a million people with more history per square metre than almost anywhere in South America, plus a long list of restaurants and bars. Here are the best party hostels in Cusco.
The history is the headline, but the nightlife is genuinely good, and it’s concentrated enough that you can walk the whole scene in an evening. The crowd is mostly backpackers who’ve just come off a trek or are about to start one, which makes for a specific and quite fun energy.
One thing to get straight before anything else: Cusco sits at roughly 3,400 metres. Drinking at that altitude is not the same as drinking at sea level, and your first night should not be your big night. There’s a whole section on this further down and it’s the most useful part of this guide.
This guide is an extension of our handwritten guide to the best hostels in Cusco.
🥳 The COOLEST Party Hostels? Our favorites are:
- Viajero Kokopelli Hostel
- Wild Rover Hostel Cusco
- Pariwana Hostel Cusco
- Loki Hostel Cusco
- Selina Saphi Cusco
- Hommam Hostel Boutique
Money-saving tip: Compare hostel prices with Hostelz.com. You can even filter specifically for Party hostels on Hostelz.com.
This guide is perfect for YOU, when you want …
- to party!
- a social Hostel to actually meet people!
- a cool hostel with drinking games and such!
The main party area is San Blas, up the hill from the centre, with cobbled streets and colonial buildings full of bars, clubs and cafés that stay open until the small hours. Plenty of venues do live music, so you can catch a local band or find yourself dancing to Latin beats you didn’t plan on.
The other hub is the Plaza de Armas. The main square is where everyone meets before heading to the surrounding bars and clubs, and the cocktail bars around it are better than they need to be. Pisco sours everywhere, and a few places doing odd things with coca and chicha.
Got travel plans in Peru? We have a detailed guide to the best hostels in Peru.
You can browse all 5 Star Hostels here, and every guide in the “Best Hostels in” series here.
Quick Introduction to Cusco
Average price for a bed: Hostels in Cusco cost 7€ to 11€ per night for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 15€ up to 53€ per night. This is a rough average just to give you an idea. Please always check exact rates on Hostelz.com.
The 18% tax exemption nobody tells you about: Foreign visitors staying in Peru for fewer than 60 days are exempt from the 18% IGV sales tax on accommodation. To get it you need to show your passport and your entry stamp or immigration record at check-in. Some places apply it automatically, some don’t mention it unless you ask, and on a longer stay it’s real money. Ask.
Check-In and Check Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3pm), while the Check-Out time is before 11:00 (11am). Hostels usually offer luggage storage in case you arrive earlier or leave later. Make sure you check if luggage storage is free or if there is an extra cost.
🔥 New to Hostels? Read our guide to staying in a Hostel for the First Time here. We especially recommend reading:
- How to book hostels? (and websites to save $)
- 63 Craziest Party Hostels in the World (with Map)
- How does the Hostelworld App work exactly? Our Advanced Guide
The Coolest Party Hostels in Cusco are …
Let’s jump right into the fun hostels in Cusco for partying:
- Viajero Kokopelli Hostel
- Wild Rover Hostel Cusco
- Pariwana Hostel Cusco
- Loki Hostel Cusco
- Selina Saphi Cusco
- Hommam Hostel Boutique
These are our favorite hostels in Cusco to party. We put all these hostels on the map, including our own insider tips for bars, clubs, and popular night life areas in Cusco (and more!).
Best Party Hostels in Cusco Compared at a Glance
The whole guide in one table:
| Hostel | Best for | Vibe | Area | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viajero Kokopelli Hostel | Best all-rounder | Sunny, social, surprisingly clean | 2 minutes from Plaza de Armas | A swimming pool plus a Pisco bar and an international bar |
| Wild Rover Hostel Cusco | The biggest party | Loud, relentless, famous for it | 800m from Plaza de Armas, up the hill | Weekend DJs, panoramic views and daily happy hour |
| Pariwana Hostel Cusco | Solo travellers | Busy but balanced | 400m from the main square | Salsa and cocktail classes, plus a courtyard to recover in |
| Loki Hostel Cusco | Themed nights and drinking games | Full-on, backpacker institution | 600m from the main square | Constant themed parties and a signature house drink |
| Selina Saphi Cusco | Digital nomads | Design-led, calmer, colourful | 5 minutes’ walk from the square | One of the few proper coworking spaces in the city |
| Hommam Hostel Boutique | Adults-only, central and quiet-ish | Boutique, small, grown-up | Two blocks from Plaza de Armas | Adults-only policy and a terrace with table tennis and beer pong |
How to Pick the Right Cusco Hostel
Six hostels, six fairly different weeks:
- You want the party but also to function: Viajero Kokopelli Hostel. The pool and the sunshine make the recovery days genuinely pleasant, which matters more here than anywhere.
- You’re here to go hard: Wild Rover Hostel Cusco. It has the biggest reputation in Cusco and it earns it. Do not book this one for the night before a 4am trek pickup.
- Solo travellers: Pariwana Hostel Cusco. Salsa and cocktail classes are a low-effort way into a group, and the location is the most central of the six.
- Couples: Selina Saphi Cusco has private rooms with private bathrooms and the calmest atmosphere on this list.
- Groups: Loki Hostel Cusco. Themed parties and a bar as the meeting point give a group somewhere to be together.
- Working while you travel: Selina Saphi Cusco, for the coworking space. Cusco has surprisingly few.
- No kids, thanks: Hommam Hostel Boutique is the only adults-only option here.
- Cheapest bed on your dates: compare all six on Hostelz. Cusco jumps hard in June and July.
Hostelgeeks Tip: Book your hostel around your trek, not the other way round. Most Machu Picchu, Salkantay and Rainbow Mountain trips leave between 3am and 5am. Pick the party hostel for your first and last nights and something calmer in between, or accept that you’ll be hiking at 5,000 metres on two hours’ sleep.
The Best Party Hostels in Cusco, In Detail
Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type
| 🥳 Best Party Hostel: | Viajero Kokopelli Hostel |
| 👫 For Socializing: | Loki Hostel Cusco |
| 🎤 For Activities: | Wild Rover Hostel Cusco |
| 📍 Top Location: | Pariwana Hostel Cusco |
| 🎒 for Backpacker: | Hommam Hostel Boutique |
| 🤑 Budget-friendly: | Viajero Kokopelli Hostel |
| 👩💻 For Digital Nomads: | Selina Saphi Cusco |
1. Viajero Kokopelli Hostel
The tropical thing shouldn’t work at 3,400 metres in the Andes, and somehow Viajero Kokopelli Hostel pulls it off. If you’re after budget accommodation that doesn’t feel budget, this is probably the best on the list.
Guests consistently describe the same things: good energy, a lot of smiling staff, and somewhere you can actually rest. A little luxury at a backpacker rate.
Most days here are sunny, so the outdoor space gets used. There’s a swimming pool, a common area, a pool table and foosball. Two bars, a Pisco bar and an international one, both with long happy hours. Breakfast is good and the place is properly clean, which for a party hostel is not a given.
The staff will point you at the best nights out and sort tours and excursions while they’re at it.
Location: A 2-minute walk from Cusco’s Main Plaza, which is about as central as this city gets.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
2. Wild Rover Hostel Cusco
A panoramic view of the city and a party that comes to find you. Wild Rover Hostel Cusco is the loudest of the six and makes no apology for it.
Don’t be surprised to walk into a salsa lesson or a cocktail-making class in the middle of the afternoon. Local DJs come in at the weekend and the music spreads wide enough that there’s something for most people.
There’s a bar and restaurant on site doing Peruvian dishes and drinks, and happy hour happens every single day.
Honest note: it’s up the hill, which means the walk back from the centre is genuinely uphill at altitude. You’ll feel it. On the other hand, the view is the reason people book it.
Location: 800 metres from the Plaza de Armas.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
3. Pariwana Hostel Cusco
Location first: Pariwana Hostel Cusco is 400 metres from the main square, which in a city where everything is uphill is worth real money.
The rooms come with the useful free stuff, including luggage storage, a security locker, a city map, internet, linen and pillows. Cocktail and salsa lessons run regularly, and a local DJ plays every weekend into the early hours.
There’s a courtyard for the recovery days and a common room full of board games. But you’ll spend most of your time at the bar and the restaurant, both of which are better than they need to be.
The staff here have a reputation for sorting things out, which on a trip that involves trek bookings and altitude is more valuable than another happy hour.
Location: 400m from the main square, 300m from the Church of the Company and 300m from the Central Market.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
4. Loki Hostel Cusco
Stay at Loki Hostel Cusco and the city opens up easily. The team here spend as much effort on what you do outside the hostel as inside it.
Inside, it’s themed parties more or less constantly, a long list of activities, and games designed to get a room of strangers shouting at each other within twenty minutes. The food and drinks menu is extensive, and the bar is the meeting point for everything.
There’s also a house signature drink, which we won’t spoil except to say it works.
Location: 600m from Cusco Main Square, 600m from La Merced Church and 4km from Velasco Astete International Airport.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
5. Selina Saphi Cusco
Unremarkable from the street, then you walk in. Selina Saphi Cusco is full of light and colour, clearly built by people paying attention to the city around them.
It’s also one of the few proper coworking spots in Cusco, which makes it the obvious pick if you’re working while you travel. That’s rarer here than you’d expect for a city this full of long-stay travellers.
Dorms are comfortable and come with the things that matter: sockets, a personal shelf, a locker. Bathrooms are shared in the dorms, and there are private rooms with private bathrooms if the budget stretches.
The staff are the other reason people rate it. Friendly, genuinely helpful, and good for tips on what’s worth doing. It’s a short walk to most of the city’s highlights.
Location: Five minutes’ walk from the Main Square, near La Merced Church, the Inka Museum and the Religious Art Museum. The nearest airport is Alejandro Velasco Astete International, about 6km away.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
6. Hommam Hostel Boutique
Hommam Hostel Boutique is the only adults-only option on this list, which for some people is the entire pitch.
There’s a restaurant and bar on site and a reception desk staffed for most of the day. It sits right in the heart of Cusco, so the sights and the bars are both on the doorstep.
Dorms have shared bathrooms, and the terrace is where the evening happens, with table tennis and beer pong up there.
It’s the smallest and most boutique of the six. If the big hostels feel like too much but you still want a bar and a terrace full of travellers, this is the middle ground.
Location: In the city centre, two blocks from the Plaza de Armas and the San Pedro market, half a block from Calle Marquez. Close to the Central Market, La Merced Church and the Church of the Company.
Check prices at:
Hostelworld | Booking.com | Hostelz.com
That’s the six. Pick the one that matches your week and your budget, book it, and go.
Backpacking Tips for Cusco
History, food and a nightlife scene that punches above its size. Before you book, a few things worth knowing.
- Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain, is spectacular and it is not a casual morning out. The summit sits above 5,000 metres, higher than Everest Base Camp, and the hike takes around three hours. Do it on a clear head after you’ve acclimatised for a few days, not as a hangover cure. People get properly ill up there every week.
- Qoricancha is the one temple you should not skip. The Inca built it as the empire’s most important religious site and lined its walls with sheets of gold, which the Spanish stripped and melted down. What’s left is the stonework underneath, which is arguably more impressive.
- Machu Picchu is the obvious one, but see Pisac too. The ruins above Pisac are about an hour from Cusco in the Sacred Valley, far quieter, and you can walk the terraces without a timed ticket and a queue.
- Book Machu Picchu well in advance. Entry is capped, tickets are sold by circuit and time slot, and they sell out in high season. This is not something to sort out the day before.
- Check the festival calendar before you book. Cusco’s traditional festivals run for days with live music and dancing in the streets, and Inti Raymi on 24 June fills the entire city. Brilliant if you plan for it, expensive and fully booked if you don’t.
Fun Tips for Party Hostels in Cusco
As you have come to realize, staying at a party hostel is a little different than staying at a regular hostel. Here are some tips to make your stay go a little smoother, and how to be prepared:
How to identify a party Hostel? 4 Simple indicators:
- Is there an age limit? 18+ and an upper age-limit are indicators
- Do they offer Pub Crawls and Drinking Games in the hostel?
- Check for party pictures
- Filter the Reviews on Hostelz.com for keywords like "Party", "nightlife" or "social"
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Things to Bring & Pack
There are a few things backpackers should be sure to bring when staying at a party hostel specifically. These items include earplugs (for early mornings and loud roomates), a padlock (lock up your valuables BEFORE going out), headache medicine (always usefful!), and condoms.
Especially for the bigger European cities where pickpocketing is common we recommend wearing trousers with zippers. This limits the chances of stealing from your pockets.
Read: 23 best items to pack for staying in a hostel
Be Sociable
One of the best things about a hostel is being able to meet new people from every corner of the world. Be sure to talk to people and mingle. Travelling solo is great and life-changing, yet enjoying it with new friends can be even better. Locals especially, can show you hidden secret and some of the best spots in the city.
Read: 18 Rules for Hostels and how to build life-time friendships in Hostels
Altitude: The One Thing to Get Right in Cusco
Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres. That’s higher than most European ski resorts, and if you’ve flown in from Lima at sea level, your body has had roughly an hour to deal with it.
What that means in practice for a party trip:
- Alcohol hits harder and faster. Everyone says this and everyone finds out anyway. Two drinks on night one will do the work of four. Go slowly until you know how you’re handling the altitude.
- Don’t make your first night the big one. Give yourself a day or two before the serious night out. Altitude sickness and a hangover feel almost identical, which makes it genuinely hard to tell whether you need water or a doctor.
- Drink far more water than feels necessary. The air is dry and you dehydrate quickly, which makes everything worse.
- Coca tea is offered everywhere and most hostels have it free at reception. It helps with mild symptoms. It also shows up on drug tests, so skip it if that’s a factor for you.
- Acclimatise before you trek. Two to three days in Cusco before the Inca Trail, Salkantay or Rainbow Mountain. The mountain will still be there.
- Know the warning signs. A headache that painkillers don’t touch, persistent nausea, breathlessness at rest or confusion means go down and get help, not sleep it off.
None of this should put you off. Most people feel a bit slow for a day and then fine. It just pays to be the person who planned for it.
When to Visit Cusco
The dry season runs roughly May to September and it’s the reliable time to come: clear skies, cold nights, and the best conditions for trekking. It’s also the busiest and priciest, with June to August the peak.
The wet season, November to March, brings afternoon rain and the Inca Trail closes entirely in February for maintenance. In exchange you get cheaper beds, thinner crowds and green mountains instead of brown ones.
April and October are the sweet spot: decent weather, fewer people, lower prices.
The date to know is Inti Raymi on 24 June, the Inca festival of the sun. The city fills completely, accommodation books out months ahead, and the whole of Cusco is in the street. Plan around it in either direction.
How Many Days Do You Need in Cusco?
Five nights minimum, and that’s before any multi-day trek.
You need two days at the start just to acclimatise, which nobody wants to hear but everybody should. Then a day for the city and San Blas, a day for the Sacred Valley or Pisac, and a day for Machu Picchu.
If you’re doing the Inca Trail or Salkantay, add four or five nights on top. Cusco is a base as much as a destination, and most people end up staying longer than they planned.
Getting There and Around Cusco
Alejandro Velasco Astete airport sits right in the city, about 4 to 6km from the centre, so the taxi in takes fifteen minutes. Most flights come from Lima and they’re cheap and frequent. The overnight bus from Lima takes over twenty hours and is only worth it if you’re breaking the journey.
The alternative worth considering: come overland from Arequipa or Puno and you gain altitude gradually, which makes arriving in Cusco far more comfortable than flying straight up from sea level.
In the city, walk. The historic centre is small and everything in this guide is within fifteen minutes on foot of the Plaza de Armas. The catch is that Cusco is built on a hill and you are at 3,400 metres, so a five-minute walk uphill feels like twenty. Take taxis after a night out, agree the fare before you get in, and use an app if you’d rather not negotiate.
For the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, colectivos and trains run from Cusco and most hostels will book them for you.
Our Insider Tips
As mentioned in the beginning, this guide is an extension of our article “best hostels in Cusco”.
Two more things. San Blas is beautiful and it is straight uphill from the centre, so factor that into where you sleep. And the San Pedro market is where to eat cheaply, especially the juice stalls and the soup counters, which will do more for a hangover than anything at 3,400 metres has a right to.
Your Shortcut:
- Viajero Kokopelli Hostel – Best Hostel for Couples
- Pariwana Hostel Cusco – Best Hostels for Solo Travelers
- Tucan Hostel – Best Hostels for Groups
What about the cheapest hostels in Cusco?
Of course, there are always cheap hostels. But how do you actually find them? When you are traveling on a shoe-string budget and you want to save every dollar, there are ways to find the cheapest places in Cusco.
- Open Hostelz.com with a full list of all hostels in Cusco
- add your dates
- Order the listings by price
Simple as that.
Hostelz.com is a price comparison site for hostels. They list every single one in the world and tells you exactly which website is cheaper to use.
Another smart Tip: Check what is actually included, and what is excluded. Take a closer look at the location, too. A further location might mean more costs in transport.
Any Discounts?
You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the freshest hostel discounts directly in your inbox. We even have special discount codes we only share in the newsletter.
It is completely free to join!
How to book?
The most popular booking platforms are Booking.com and Hostelworld.com. On both platforms, your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.
We included some handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.
Read: Step-by-Step guide on how to book with Hostelworld
We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible! All of Cusco best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish and good hostels, secure your room/bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.
The coolest Hostel App you need comes as well from Hostelworld. It gives you super cool features like you can contact your hostel mates beforehand, ask questions, and make plans together. Find more details in our review of the app.
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to download the Hostelworld App from the App Store - like a real Hostel Geek!
Need an eSIM Card for Cusco?
Get your eSIM Card with Airalo.com instantly online. It is easy to set up and cheap! Read our review of Airalo here.
No more searching for mobile shops. Get your eSIM Card for now and enjoy it instantly after landing in your new destination.
Our Favorite Hostels in Cusco put on a map + sights
Let us have a look at the handmade map we have created for you. As promised, below we list all party hostels and best hostels in Cusco, as well as sights and our own travel tips.
Personally, we love to plan our trips with a map. It’s just easier. We thought this map will help you with planning your trip too.
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FAQ
More questions left? No worries, we are here for you.
What is the best party hostel in Cusco?
Viajero Kokopelli Hostel is our first pick, for the pool, the two bars and a location two minutes from the Plaza de Armas. Wild Rover Hostel Cusco is the bigger, louder alternative.
How much does a hostel in Cusco cost?
Roughly 7€ to 11€ per night for a dorm bed, with private rooms from 15€ up to 53€. Compare your dates on Hostelz, and expect higher prices through the June to August trekking season.
Do I have to pay tax on accommodation in Peru?
Foreign visitors staying under 60 days are exempt from the 18% IGV on accommodation. Show your passport and entry stamp at check-in, and ask if it isn't applied automatically.
What is the best area to stay in Cusco for nightlife?
Around the Plaza de Armas, which puts you within a few minutes of the bars and clubs. San Blas has the best atmosphere but it's uphill, which matters more at this altitude than it would anywhere else.
How high is Cusco and will the altitude affect me?
Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres, and most people feel breathless and slow for the first day or two. Alcohol also hits considerably harder, so take the first night gently.
Are hostels in Cusco safe?
Yes. The hostels here have lockers and 24-hour or near-24-hour reception, and Cusco is a well-travelled, tourist-focused city. Take a taxi rather than walking back alone late, and agree the fare first.
What is the best hostel in Cusco for solo travellers?
Pariwana Hostel Cusco, where the salsa and cocktail classes make meeting people effortless, or Viajero Kokopelli Hostel if you'd rather it happened around a pool.
Which Cusco hostel is best for digital nomads?
Selina Saphi Cusco, which has one of the few proper coworking spaces in the city along with private rooms and a calmer atmosphere.
Is there an adults-only hostel in Cusco?
Yes, Hommam Hostel Boutique is adults-only, with a bar, a restaurant and a terrace with table tennis and beer pong.
How many days do you need in Cusco?
Five nights at minimum, including two to acclimatise before any serious activity. Add four or five more if you're doing the Inca Trail or Salkantay.
When is the best time to visit Cusco?
May to September for dry, clear weather, though June to August is peak season. April and October give you similar conditions with fewer people and lower prices.
How do I get from the airport to central Cusco?
Alejandro Velasco Astete airport is only a few kilometres from the centre, so a taxi takes about fifteen minutes. Agree the fare before getting in, or use a ride app.
Do I need to book Machu Picchu in advance?
Yes. Entry is capped and sold by timed circuit, and tickets sell out in high season. Book before you finalise your Cusco dates rather than after.
More guides
Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Cusco for nightlife and party. We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel guides to destinations:
Discover all for an epic backpacking trip:
- best hostels in Peru
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- coolest party hostels in Lima
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- best hostels in Cusco
And other places throughout South America:
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You can find all our new and updated articles for Best Hostels in here.
We also created a huge guide to hostels. Here we cover how to build lifetime friendships in hostels, the perfect packing list and more.
Over to you
Do you have any questions left, maybe doubts? Then please leave it in the comment below. We are very keen to help you - and actually you would even do us a favor!
Your question will help us to improve this Cusco guide.
Last note: Our commitment
This is a genuine article to help you travel a bit smarter, and find the best place on a budget! We will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We are constantly updating all our guides to keep them as fresh and accurate as possible.
Safe travels,
The Hostelgeeks
