Full Day Paracas, Ica & Huacachina

Islands, wine, and dunes, all outside Lima in one long day.

  • Duration: 12 - 14 hours, including transfers from Lima
  • Format: private

This is the region's signature combo excursion, packing the highlights of Paracas and Ica into a single long day. Sold most often as a full-day trip from Lima with a pre-dawn pickup, it starts with a boat ride out to the Ballestas Islands to discover the marine life and seabird colonies of this protected reserve, then continues south to Ica for a stop at a small artisan pisco bodega for a tasting, and finishes at the Huacachina oasis for dune buggy riding and sandboarding before the return drive to Lima at night. Travelers already based in Paracas or Ica can also book it as a shorter add-on covering just the remaining pieces of the loop.

Why we chose it

  • Covers the two most-requested day-trip anchors south of Lima -- the Ballestas Islands and the Huacachina dunes -- in a single booking instead of two separate excursions.
  • A genuine variety of experiences in one day: marine wildlife by boat, a cultural/culinary stop at a pisco bodega, and an adrenaline dune buggy-and-sandboarding finish.
  • Efficient for guests with limited time in Lima who want to see the desert coast without committing to an overnight stay in Paracas or Ica.

Highlights

  • Boat trip to the Ballestas Islands to discover the marine life and seabird colonies, with a pass by the Paracas Candelabra geoglyph
  • Tasting stop at an artisan pisco and wine bodega in Ica
  • Lunch of Peruvian dishes at the bodega in Ica
  • Dune buggy ride and sandboarding at the Huacachina oasis
  • Round-trip transport from Lima with a very early morning departure and a late-night return

Ideal for

  • guests with only one day to spare who want both the coast and the desert
  • first-time visitors to Peru looking for an efficient overview day trip south of Lima
  • travelers already in Paracas or Ica who want to add the remaining pieces of the loop

Practical information

Good to know
This is a long day -- shared full-day departures from Lima typically leave before dawn (around 5:00-6:00 AM) and return around 11:00-11:30 PM, so it suits travelers comfortable with a long bus ride bookended by two active stops. Guests already staying in Paracas or Ica can usually join a shorter version that skips the Lima transport.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this tour if I'm starting from Lima?

Around 12-14 hours door to door -- a very early morning pickup, the Ballestas Islands boat trip, the Ica bodega and Huacachina stops, and a late-night return to Lima.

Can I do this tour if I'm already staying in Paracas or Ica?

Yes -- travelers already based in either town can usually book a shorter version that covers just the remaining pieces of the itinerary instead of the full Lima round trip.

Is lunch included?

Most versions of this tour include a stop for lunch in Ica around midday, often paired with the pisco bodega visit -- confirm inclusions when booking, as this varies by operator.

Do I need to book the Ballestas boat and Huacachina buggy separately?

No -- this combined product bundles the boat trip, bodega tasting, and dune buggy/sandboarding into one booking and one transport arrangement for the day.