Paracas and Huacachina Day Trip from Lima – Is it worth it?
Paracas and Huacachina Day Trip from Lima – Is it worth it?
Even more so than me, my boyfriend is the ultimate anti-tourist-trap tourist of all time. Despite being tourists ourselves, he is the first to call out a place for being “too touristy.” Therefore, we don’t usually splurge on these types of tours, but after some local Peruvians told us about their own sand buggy experience, we made an exception. So, to answer the question: YES! The day trip to Paracas and Huacachina was most definitely worth it.
General Notes About Paracas & Huacachina
Paracas is a small coastal town in Pisco, Peru. The main attraction is the boat trip to Ballestas Islands, which was included in the tour we took. It took about three hours to arrive there from Lima, and then it was another hour to Huacachina afterwards.
Huacachina is a “natural desert oasis” near the city of Ica, Peru. Nestled within the sand dunes resides a small cluster of restaurants, hostels, and kiosks where you can buy gear for the surrounding activities. You can visit both places on your own, or with a tour, which is what we did. Therefore, the description of the day below is how the tour was organized, but you can also read the information and use it to create your own itinerary if you want to!
Which Tour to Book?
I booked the “From Lima: Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Full Day Guided Tour” through GETYOURGUIDE. This tour included the boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, but the Paracas town tax, sand buggy tour, and food was not included, just so you’re aware! However, these other fees were cheap, and I just included that into the overall cost before booking, which I still found extremely reasonable.
There were tour other options to choose from, but I found this one was slightly cheaper even with the other fees included. As I mentioned, you could also do the following itinerary by yourself, but with an 18+ hour day, it sounded like a lot to organize myself. The tour we booked was very organized and easy to follow, the bus was super comfortable, and our guide spoke perfect English if that’s important to you!
I promise, if this tour sucked, I wouldn’t take the time to write about it 🙂
Okay, let’s get into the fun stuff now! Here’s how the day went:
1. Bus Ride to Paracas
I wanted to quickly note that the three-hour ride to Paracas from Miraflores was actually an interesting part of the trip for me. After only visiting Barranco and Miraflores, the bus ride provided time to see other parts of Peru, the places where locals actually live. The towns away from the touristy destinations are much different and though this post isn’t about that, I wanted to mention it. As the tour starts promptly at 6 AM, most people (understandably) fell asleep during this long stretch, but I encourage you to look out the window! It’s a little unexpected tour of the country if you pay attention to it.
2. Paracas (Ballestas Island Tour)
After the long ride, we finally got to stretch our legs in Paracas. The beating sun and smell of the ocean revived me, as well as the double shot of espresso I immediately purchased upon arrival. We were led onto a small boat with a shaded cover and handed off to a separate guide for the tour.
Candelabra de Paracas
The first thing we saw was the “Candelabra de Paracas,” an unexpected treat! Carved into one of the land masses near the shore sits a giant trident-shaped geoglyph (I guess that’s the official term, but essentially it looks like someone with massive fingers traced into the sand to create a picture).
The guide explained that its positioning was strategic because the shape faces the winds, creating a self-cleaning mechanism in which the air keeps the picture visible. We casually drove by this site on the way to Ballestas Islands, which was awesome.
Ballestas Islands
Soon after, we arrived at the Ballestas Islands, three masses of coral-looking rocks that were pushed up out of the ocean through tectonic activity. Erosion from the ocean (woah, I rhymed) has created the unique arches and holes within the islands.
We first pulled up to the iconic arch you may see if you look up Ballestas Islands online. Underneath the arch sat hundreds of (very loud) sea lions! We were told that it was mating season, so we were able to see baby sea lions as well. They all sat on the rock, barking and yelling at each other like arguing siblings.
Some of the sea lions could be seen swimming around the boat or climbing up the other nearby rock formations. At one point we were able to drive up close to a pregnant mama sunbathing on the rocks with her baby, which was a very special experience.
As we drove around all three of the islands, hundreds of birds, including the Peruvian Booby, sat on the towering rocks or soared above the boat. We even saw a couple penguins gathered together, staring out into the ocean. This was my first time seeing penguins outside of an aquarium! It was no Happy Feet, but another special experience, nonetheless.
Overall, the tour was about two hours and after spending over three weeks in Lima prior, a trip out into the ocean was much needed. One tip I thought of afterwards was that I thought sitting on the left side of the boat allowed slightly better views. For the most part, the driver did a good job of turning around so both sides could snap unobstructed pictures, but I felt like the left side still had the direct view more of the time.
3. Free Time in Paracas for Lunch
After the boat ride, everyone was given the option to attend a restaurant with the guide for an all-you-can-eat buffet or find lunch on their own. The buffet was almost 50 soles, and while it was tempting, we decided we’d already pushed our budgets to the limit for the day and wandered around to find lunch on our own.
There is a small strip of restaurants near the beach where the workers stand outside and somewhat harass you as you walk by. I understand, but I get sort of overwhelmed when this happens, so we found a quieter cafe a bit more inland. For only about 18 soles I got a tuna sandwich, which was enough to keep me full for a bit longer.
4. Activities in Huacachina
After only an hour-long ride, which seemed like nothing after the first stretch, we arrived at Huacachina. I will say, the actual settlement of Huacachina does not have much. Our guide explained that most of the establishments are owned by three (now very wealthy) families who first encouraged tourism to the area. The whole area can be walked in a very short amount of time.
Therefore, another tip: UPGRADE TO THE TWO-HOUR DUNE BUGGY TOUR! This tip is getting bolded because of how passionately I feel about it! We were initially only going to do the one hour, but I’m so glad we upgraded. Despite how much fun we had on the tour, in hindsight, I also think we would’ve been a bit bored in the town with the extra hour to walk around. It also takes a little bit of time to get all the buggies set up, so I think the full two hours are needed.
5. Huacachina Sand Buggy Tour
The first part of this tour was the dune buggy trip over the towering sand dunes. This was the best part of the entire day!!! Our guide might have been a bit insane, as this was the most reckless form of driving I have ever experienced. Like a rollercoaster, we flew up and down the dunes at a concerning speed. My boyfriend is also the first to say, “Calm down, we’re fine!” in most situations, which is always super helpful, but even he was holding onto the seat belt for dear life.
However, it was SO MUCH FUN! Of course, the tour guides drive the carts every day and know what they’re doing, so I’m sure we were safer than it felt. Plus, the possibility of toppling over and being crushed by a sand buggy is what makes it so thrilling!
Another tip: If you can, sit in the front!!! We were lucky enough to get the front seat, so we had unobstructed views of the dunes during the crazy ride. Despite there being other people on board with us, it felt like it was just me, my boyfriend, and a mentally ill Uber driver.
6. Sandboarding in the Dunes
After making it safely to the sandboarding site, we all hopped out of the buggy and were given boards to ride down the dunes on. Like most people, I laid down on my stomach to ride down. From the top, they look high but it’s a smooth ride down. Plus, after the dune buggy ride, you feel like you can do anything.
Should You Rent Ski or Snowboarding Gear for Huacachina?
If you paid more at the beginning, you could also rent actual snowboard or ski gear, but I don’t recommend this because the dunes aren’t big enough to really make this worth it. I heard someone with skis mention he felt they were actually slowing him down, so that’s just something to keep in mind. If you’re as reckless as my boyfriend, you could attempt the ride down standing up even without the snowboard gear, as long as you’re also willing to wipe out in front of everyone.
Also, be aware that while the ride down the dune is fun, the walk back up is not! I’m in pretty good shape, but trudging back up the sand in the sun is not for the faint of heart. Wear sunscreen and bring water – it is hot out there! Ew, I just sounded 30 years old.
7. Huacachina Sunset & Photo Op
If you’re a big picture-taker, this part of the tour is for you. The sun setting over the dunes is really a magical experience. As the sun fades and it’s not so bright to look out, you can really admire the rolling hills of sand around you. My boyfriend and I sat on top of the dune buggy to watch, snacking on granola with our hands – how romantic!
8. Dinner in Huacachina
After the dune buggy tour, we had about 45 minutes to get dinner. You could pre-order a meal at the meeting point, but being the rebels we are, we ordered from another hostel. We ordered it to-go so we could eat on the bus but ended up having enough time to eat beforehand anyway. We were very hungry after the tour, so if you’re on an even tighter budget than us, I definitely recommend bringing food. Honestly, we were so tired that I slept the whole ride back to Miraflores as well!
So!
Is the Paracas & Huacachina Day Tour from Lima Worth It?
Yes! As I mentioned, we don’t usually book these types of tours due to the fear of tourist traps. While there might not be tons to do in the destinations themselves, the Ballestas Island and Sand Buggy Tours were amazing experiences. The contrast between the boat vs buggy created a day that was both relaxing and exciting. The sand dunes were like nothing I’d ever seen before, and the wildlife on the islands was refreshing after weeks in the city.
Should I Visit Paracas and Huacachina on my Own or With a Tour?
As I previously mentioned, I actually do think booking a tour was better in this case. I’ve been on tours previously where I felt I could’ve organized the whole thing myself and saved money doing so, but unless you’re spending a night in each location, I think it’d be too much. It was nice to relax in between activities and know that the logistics were being taken care of by someone other than myself.
You could spend maybe a day in each place, but I don’t think you need much longer. Like I said, there are many hostels to stay in, which seemed very social and party-oriented (if that’s your thing).
Final Thoughts
This tour was an unforgettable experience and a great way to see parts of Peru that you otherwise may never have the time or chance to stop in. Because Paracas and Huacachina are smaller destinations on their own, I think seeing them in one long, bur worth it, day is a great option. Be ready to clean sand out of all parts of yourself!
Final List of Tips for Paracas & Huacachina
👉 Look out the window on the way to Paracas!
👉 Bring extra snacks, sunscreen, and sunglasses
👉 Skip the buffet if you’re on a budget, there’s other options
👉 Sit on the left side of boat during boat tour
👉 Sit in the front of the dune buggy if you can!
👉 Upgrade to two-hour buggy tour!
👉 Stick with the sand boarding gear provided