Paracas and Huacachina Day Trip from Lima. Peru
Do you want to take a day trip to Paracas and Huacachina from Lima, Peru?
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting these two destinations in Peru!
Paracas is nicknamed the “Mini Galapagos” because of the wildlife you can see off the coast, especially sea lions and penguins! It’s also known for its vineyards where pisco, a grape brandy, is produced. Huacachina is a real desert oasis that’s unlike any place you’ve been before — you have to see it to believe it.
Both destinations combine well into a day trip from Lima because Paracas is on the way to Huacachina and breaks up the driving time somewhat. But keep in mind, this is a LONG day trip no matter what!
If you’re interested in doing this day trip, here’s everything you need to know…
⭐ Short on time? These are the top tours and activities I recommend. If you book directly through a link on this page, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Stay to Wander!
Best Tours to Paracas and Huacachina:
- The Paracas and Huacachina tour I did with Peru Hop
- A highly-rated alternative that also includes lunch at a vineyard
How to Visit Paracas and Huacachina
This is a day trip you definitely need to book a tour for. You could technically rent a car and drive to Paracas and Huacachina yourself, but then you’d have to arrange the activities (a boat tour in Paracas and a dune buggy tour in Huacachina) on your own. Not to mention, the roads aren’t always in good condition.
I think this is a day trip that’s best left to the pros.
I booked this full-day tour to Paracas and Huacachina with Peru Hop and I would highly recommend it. Peru Hop is one of the top-rated tour and transportation companies in Peru, and I used them another time and had a good experience with them (actually, they went above and beyond for me!)
So I would definitely recommend traveling with Peru Hop for this trip.
However, I also noticed this highly-rated tour which includes all the same things PLUS a lunch at a vineyard and optional pisco tasting, for almost the same price. So that looks like a good option too.
Here’s an overview of what you can expect, regardless of which tour you book:
Ballestas Islands Boat Tour
Your day trip will start with an early morning pickup from your hotel or hostel — you’ll receive the exact time from the tour provider but it will likely be somewhere around 5 AM. Like I said, it’s a long day!
You’ll drive 3.5 hours to your first stop, Paracas. I highly recommend bringing breakfast and snacks with you on the bus. You’ll also have a little time to buy snacks before the boat tour once you arrive in Paracas.
For the next two hours, you’ll take a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, where you’ll see sea lions and penguins in their natural habitat. This was a really cool experience but be prepared for a strong smell around the islands from bird droppings. The boat ride can also be a little bumpy since you’re in the Pacific Ocean. I don’t suffer from motion sickness but I know it bothered a few people in my group.
Another thing you’ll see from the boat is the Paracas Candelabra. This is a fascinating ancient geoglyph etched into the side of a hill. The mysterious design dates back to at least 200 BC. It looks like a candelabra but it’s thought to represent the trident of an Incan god or possibly a local hallucinogenic plant.
Lunch in Paracas (or Vineyard)
If you book the Peru Hop tour, you’ll have time after your boat tour to eat lunch on your own in Paracas. There are quite a few restaurants in town to choose from, many with fresh local seafood on the menu.
Personally, I remember struggling to find something to eat in Paracas as a vegetarian. I’m sure there were options, but I remember most of the restaurants being overpriced and/or crowded, and I ended up just buying a variety of snacks from a corner store instead of eating a proper lunch since time was running out.
If you book this alternative tour, you’ll head to a nearby vineyard for your included lunch instead. You’ll also have the chance to do a pisco tasting for an additional charge. Personally, I like the idea of having lunch included in the tour (with vegetarian options available) since I struggled to eat in Paracas.
Huacachina Desert Oasis
Your final stop will be Huacachina, a small oasis in the middle of the desert. If you’re coming directly from Paracas, it will take about 1.5 hours, or a little less if you do the tour with lunch at the vineyard.
You’ll have some free time to explore the town, although there’s not much to it. It’s worth walking around and you can take a peddle boat around the small lake in town, or you can just hang out for a while at the hostel where the tour bus will drop you off (they have a restaurant, bar, and swimming pool.)
Next up, you’ll take a dune buggy tour around the desert. This is super fun and thrilling, and not for the faint of heart! It’s a very bumpy ride and like being on a nonstop rollercoaster — I loved it.
You’ll also have the chance to test your dune boarding skills. Note that you’ll be required to go dune boarding lying down on the board on your stomach unless you shell out some extra money for a “proper” dune board, which was $15. I didn’t mind going down on my stomach, although when I later went dune boarding in Morocco I tried it standing up and I have to admit that’s a lot more exhilarating.
One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll have to walk back up the steep dunes with the board in hand!
It’s a fun experience, though, and you’ll finish the evening seeing the sunset in the desert.
Getting Back to Lima
After you finish up your dune buddy tour in Huacachina, it’s time to head back to Lima.
This is the longest drive of the day and honestly the worst part since you’ll be so tired already. Be prepared for a solid 4.5-hour drive back to Lima. I know that when I got on the Peru Hop bus I was wishing I could simply teleport myself back to Lima and skip the long journey that was ahead.
Luckily, Peru Hop buses are really comfortable (with large seats, USB ports, individual temperature controls, onboard restrooms, etc.) so it makes the lengthy drive a little more bearable.
You’ll be dropped off at your hotel or hostel in Lima around 11:30 PM that night.
Is It Worth It?
Overall, a day trip to Paracas and Huacachina is worth it if you’re short on time.
I think I would have actually preferred to spend the night in Huacachina because the 4.5-hour drive back to Lima that evening was brutal. This is actually an option that Peru Hop offers too.
However, I heard from some people who did that that it was too much time in Huacachina. Since you have to wait until the next evening to head back to Lima (or another Peru Hop destination like Nazca or Arequipa), you’re kind of stuck there and there’s really not much to do in the middle of the desert.
So yes, I ultimately think taking the day trip is worth it!
I would also definitely recommend booking the Peru Hop tour or this alternative tour.
Day Trip to Paracas and Huacachina
This guide showed you how to take a day trip to Paracas and Huacachina.
As long as you prepare yourself for the long day, going to Paracas and Huacachina on a day trip from Lima is a lot of fun. It’s a very unique experience to see two super cool (and different) destinations.
Enjoy your trip!
Related Guides:
