How I got stuck in Peru During the Covid-19 Pandemic

I can’t believe it has been a year since the Covid-19 pandemic sent the world into lockdown. I want to use this post to describe the craziness of getting stuck in Peru during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to reflect on this past year as we hopefully transition into a brighter 2021. 

Last March, everyone’s lives were completely altered and this past year we have had to adapt and persevere through a completely unrecognizable world. I sympathize with anyone who has lost a loved one, struggled with mental health, and with those who have been financially devastated due to the pandemic. I also know firsthand how travelers and the travel industry have been totally disrupted. Whether your trip got canceled before it began or you had to return home mid-trip – it sucked! 

Enjoying the Beach Before Lockdown

March 2020 – Covid-19 Pandemic in South America

My boyfriend and I were traveling in South America for over a year. We actually met in Mancora, Peru, and then we continued to travel together throughout Chile and Argentina. Our travels in South America were almost over and we had tickets booked to return to California on April 7th, 2020. We decided to spend our last few weeks enjoying the sun, surf, and backpacker vibes at Wild Rover Hostel Mancora – the place that we had met 7 months earlier. We had just celebrated Jack’s 25th birthday and began volunteering at the hostel when our world was completely rocked. 

The Covid-19 situation in South America went from 0 – 100 really really fast. We literally crossed two borders the week before and there was almost no mention of Covid-19. All we encountered was a temperature test and health declaration when we crossed from Argentina to Chile. When we flew from Santiago, Chile to Lima, Peru on March 9th there was literally no mention of Covid-19. The virus did not seem to exist in South America and we were happy to be where we were because we were seeing the spike in cases in the USA and Europe. 

Jack’s Birthday Dinner in Mancora

March 15, 2020 – Peruvian President declares a state of emergency

On March 15, 2020 at around 8 pm the Peruvian President declared a state of emergency and stated that all international travel and domestic travel would cease within 24 hours for a 2-week lockdown. I remember sort of being concerned but I didn’t have access to the whole news story and we definitely didn’t imagine the magnitude of what was going to happen. Everyone at the hostel just kept drinking and going on with the night. 

How I Thought Lockdown at Wild Rover Would Look

The next morning the mood had significantly changed. The hostel managers at Wild Rover were scrambling to figure out how they would adhere to the new laws. We were being told that we could not leave the premises of the hostel and if we did we would not be allowed back inside. 14 days of lockdown did not sound too bad at the Wild Rover. We had plenty of booze and a nice big outdoor space with a pool. It sounded sort of fun actually. Anyways, it was unclear if we would be allowed to stay at the hostel.

Around noon we all got called in for a meeting and the managers assured us that we could stay and we would help with painting and hostel improvement projects during the lockdown. This sounded good to us so we relaxed a bit. 

F*** We are Stuck in Peru

Literally, 30 minutes later the corporate bosses of Wild Rover Hostel decided that we could not stay and we were told we needed to leave ASAP. Fuck. We didn’t have anywhere to go and we were running out of time. We attempted to go to the bus terminal and see if we could get to Lima but it would have been impossible. Most of the buses were canceled or had been completely booked up the night before. It’s an 18-hour bus ride to Lima so not an easy trek. I was calling my parents super distraught and we just did not know what to do. There was a lot of fear and misinformation spreading around. 

The Last Sunset

Psygon Surf Hostel – Our Lockdown Accommodation

We ended up crossing the road to Psygon Surf Hostel and luckily they were accepting travelers. It was a family-run hostel and they decided to take everyone in, even though it posed a risk for them and their business. Jack and I lucked out with a private room for $10 each per night and a free breakfast. In hindsight, we really hit the jackpot. 

Our Breakfast Everyday During Lockdown at Psygon Surf Hostel

There were about 25 backpackers in the hostel at the start of the Quarantine. We had access to a pool, hammocks, pool table, and other games. The hostel kept the restaurant open during lunchtime so that we had food. Every night we bought sandwiches and banana milkshakes from the bar. Other backpackers would buy food at the market and cook a BBQ each night. 

We all accepted the fact that our travels would be on hold for 2 weeks, but we remained positive that things would resume once again. There was still so much uncertainty about the Coronavirus and no one knew if people were infected in Mancora or not. 

Psygon Surf Hostel During Lockdown in Peru

The Lockdown Rules in Peru:

As a result of the pandemic, most countries have had to implement a lockdown at one point or another. I imagine that Peru had some of the strictest measures in place. We could only leave our accommodation one person at a time to go buy food or visit the pharmacy. You could not go to the beach or exercise in public. In Mancora, all restaurants and non-essential businesses were closed. In the early stages of the lockdown, alcohol was still allowed, but this changed about 7 days in. 

Everyone in town or walking in the streets had to wear a mask and there were military personnel everywhere. Peruvians were not allowed to drive their cars – unless it was for essential business. There was also a curfew from 4 pm – 6 am. We had never experienced anything like this so I was very hesitant to leave the hostel. Thankfully we had everything we needed in the hostel, and Jack would go out and get us Oreo’s and other snacks. I made it out once or twice in the 3 weeks. 

We Almost Went to Jail

One of the scariest moments happened on the second day of lockdown. At this point we were not sure of how strict everything was. Our hostel was located about 50 meters from the beach so we decided to go for a sunset swim. When we got on the beach there were actually a lot of people out and about so we felt more comfortable.

I was about to jump under my first wave when I caught a glimpse of police cars coming on to the beach. I told Jack that we needed to get out of there ASAP – I knew it wasn’t going to be good. In addition to the police cars, a giant army truck pulled up too. One that would carry a bunch of soldiers under the canvased back.

The police were rounding up people closer to the entrance of the beach and Jack and I made a run for it into the sand dunes behind some beachfront properties. A few other people had done the same. We hid behind the dunes while the police rounded everyone up into the big truck. They were going to take them to JAIL! I was really terrified. After a little while we were able to sneak back to the hostel and we could see the big truck heading down the road. 

We learned our lesson and we did not attempt anymore swims after that. The hostel owners also cracked down on everyone because ultimately their livelihood was at stake too. 

Goat Therapy Animals

Life in the Hostel during Lockdown:

After a few days, we got into a rhythm.  We’d wake up just in time for the end of breakfast at 10 AM, hang around the pool in the hammocks until it got too hot, spend a couple of hours in bed/ do a workout, eat the menu of the day at 2 pm, take an afternoon swim, relax in bed, play a game of ping-pong, eat a sandwich and banana smoothie, chat with some fellow backpackers and then spend the rest of the night in our room. 

I’ll admit I was hesitant to interact much with the other backpackers. I had a lot of fear of the virus and we had no clue if there were cases in Mancora or not. Everyone seemed like they could be infected and I did not want to catch it. The situation we were in was also super stressful so I did not feel like my normal, friendly self. There were a lot of rumors and gossip going around too that did not help with staying positive. 

Fuck We are Stuck in Peru

8 days into the first “2-week lockdown” the Peruvian government extended the quarantine another 2 weeks so that it would extend past the Easter Holiday. There was NO chance of flying home on our original flight. This was when it really hit that we could be stuck here indefinitely. We had signed up on the state department website and joined a few Whatsapp groups for people stuck in Peru. The groups were so stressful with everyone in Peru freaking out. So many people thought they would come to Peru for 2 weeks to hike Machu Picchu and instead found themselves locked in a room 24/7. 

The Borders Closed and No Commercial Flights

The Peruvian government suspended all commercial flights and closed every border so the only way you could get out was through a government repatriation flight. The USA did not have the infrastructure in place to handle the 10,000 + Americans that were now stranded in Peru. It took them a while to start organizing anything. Everyone in Lima was just waiting for the phone call or email that would be their ticket home. We were in Mancora so we had the additional logistical hurdle of driving 18 hours to Lima. 

At least the US government started doing something. It was sort of a competition between us at the hostel of who would get out first. Some people were adamant about staying (crazy) and waiting it out. Others were so desperate to leave. 

Mancora Before Covid-19

The Covid-19 Pandemic Escalated in Peru

Despite the strict lockdown, cases continued to soar in Peru. In addition, a lot of people were disregarding the rules. The government decided to impose stricter laws. The curfew was extended from 2 pm – 6 am in Mancora, Peru. Also, On Monday, Wednesday, Friday only men could leave the house. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday women could leave the house. On Sunday no one was allowed to leave the house. It was hectic! 

We also could not make a lot of noise in the hostel because the police were known to raid hostels. Another hostel that stayed open got raided and anyone suspected of having alcohol was taken to jail for a few hours. My anxiety was through the roof at this point. I was so worried about everything and I just wanted to get home. 

The Hardest Part – Saying Goodbye to Jack

The Worst Part of Being Stuck in Peru – Jack and I got Separated. 

Everything happened so quickly. One minute I had no idea when I would get “rescued” the next I was packed up and leaving the next day, without my boyfriend. Never did I imagine Jack and I would have to split up. Until the last hour, I was fighting to see if he could come with me. Unfortunately, the US embassy would only repatriate American citizens and Jack is Australian. At this point, Jack had not heard anything from the Australian government about when he would be repatriated. I didn’t want to leave him, but I knew this would be my only chance to get out. 

It was a gut-wrenching 24 hours and I have never cried so much! I felt like a terrible person and I felt so guilty for having to leave him at the hostel. I could only pray that Jack would get repatriated soon.

Saved by the Snacks on our 24 hour Journey to Lima

How I finally Escaped Peru during the Coronavirus Pandemic

I ended up boarding a charter bus on April 3, 2020 with all the other Americans in Mancora, Peru – 20 days after the lockdown began. This bus took us to Piura, the capital of the region. Here, stranded Americans from all over this region met up to take the buses to Lima. There were three buses that went to Lima and we had a police escort the whole entire journey. It took 24 hours from when I left Mancora to make it to Lima. I was still in complete shock. I was emotionally devastated that I had to split up with Jack but I was also so freaking happy to be heading home. 

Security Dog

US Embassy in Lima

Once we got to the embassy in Lima, they gave us a snack box, checked us in, and boarded us on buses heading to the airport. We were taken to an airplane hangar that had been turned into the departure terminal. The US military was there assisting with everything. Our luggage was checked by trained dogs and someone came around to stamp our passports. Next, we boarded a massive Boeing Jet that was completely full.

Our flight was going to Washington DC. Everything went smoothly and we landed in the USA around midnight. No one was in the airport. I had to get another flight at 6 am that would take me home to California so I spent the night sleeping on the airport chairs. I had not taken off my mask in 36 hours. 

Repatriation Flight from Lima to DC

Flying from DC to LA

I was so thankful that my flight from DC to LA did not get canceled and I was so relieved to finally touch down in Los Angeles. I was still terrified that I’d contracted the virus en route and could pass it on to my family, but they were not worried so I tried not to be. It felt so good to give my parents big hugs when I arrived. I felt like I had survived something so hectic. An experience that permanently shaped me. The Del Taco stoner burrito and Queso loaded fries really made me feel like I was finally home. 

Hammock Life in Quarantine

What Happened to Jack?

By the time I made it back to the US, Australia had finally contacted Jack. He would have to endure a similar return trip and was scheduled to depart the next day. Due to Australia’s strict reaction to the pandemic, Jack also had to spend 2 weeks in hotel quarantine, and then another 2 weeks of home quarantine when he finally made it to Perth. 

Looking Back on Being Stuck in Peru

We definitely know that we made the right decision. Peru remained on strict lockdown until July and even then, commercial flights did not resume until October (7 months after the initial lockdown!). Looking back on being stuck in Peru, it was actually one of the easier parts of the year. We did not know it at the time, but there were so few cases compared to what the numbers reached at the end of 2020. We had each other, and we tried to make the most of it  despite the anxiety, stress and fear.

Jack and I were kept apart for 4 months before he was finally granted approval to leave Australia and then come to California. It was so difficult to be apart from the one you loved in such a difficult time. The separation challenged our relationship everyday and we had to develop new strategies to stay connected in a long distance relationship. In the end, I received an exemption to return to Australia with Jack at the end of his 90 days in the USA and we finally got to resume our plans of settling down in Perth, Australia – but not until we did another month of quarantine! 

Did you get stuck in Peru? 

Share your story in the comments below! Were you stuck in Peru too? Where were you when the Covid-19 pandemic hit?