Water activity

From Lima: Full-Day Paracas and Huacachina Bus Tour

Activity provider: Peru Hop
Water activity

From Lima: Full-Day Paracas and Huacachina Bus Tour

Activity provider: Peru Hop
Likely to sell out

From US$ 139 per person

Likely to sell out

Take a day trip from Lima to the beach town of Paracas and the oasis of Huacachina with hotel transfers. Enjoy a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands, and feel the thrill of sandboarding in the desert.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 1 day
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the line through a separate entrance
Live tour guide
Spanish, English
Pickup optional
You will be picked up from your accommodation in Miraflores, Barranco, or San Isidro to begin your tour. You will get an email with the exact pickup time before your trip.

Experience

Highlights
  • Take a speedboat out to the Ballestas Islands to see hundreds of penguins and sea lions in their natural habitat
  • Dune buggy up and sandboard down the biggest sand dunes in South America
  • Visit the only desert oasis in South America
  • Benefit from a bilingual guide throughout your entire trip
  • Travel in comfort on a spacious bus with reclining seats
Full description

Discover the serene landscapes of the Peruvian countryside on a day trip from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina with hotel transfers included. See Humboldt penguins and sea lions on the Ballestas Islands and slide down the Huacachina dunes by sandboarding and dune buggy ride. 

Your adventure begins with an early-morning pickup from your hostel or hotel. From here, travel to Paracas, a beautiful small town by the sea, on a spacious bus where you'll be able to relax for the 4-hour ride. Once in Paracas, begin a 2-hour boat tour of the Ballestas Islands, a smaller version of the Galapagos. Spot sea lions, penguins, and plenty of birds up close and all in their natural habitats. You may even get the chance to see a dolphin or two. Around lunchtime, it's time to move on from Paracas to Huacachina, a natural oasis located in the Ica Desert, home to the biggest sand dunes in South America. Enjoy some free time here.

Explore and have lunch (at your own expense) in one of the local restaurants around the oasis. Following lunch, it will be time for 2 hours of exhilarating dune buggy rides and sandboarding.

Dune buggy up the sand dunes and sandboard down these giant hills of sand, a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the only natural desert oasis in South America. In the evening, board your bus back to Lima. Once onboard, sit back and relax on the comfortable seats while you enjoy a movie on board. You will later be dropped off directly at your hotel/hostel upon arrival in Lima.

Includes
  • Transportation by air-conditioned bus
  • Bilingual guide
  • Entry fees
  • Ballestas Islands tour
  • Dune buggy
  • Sandboarding
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Food and drinks
Not suitable for
  • Children under 4 years
  • Pregnant women
  • People with mobility impairments
  • Wheelchair users

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet your tour guide at McDonald's Parque Kennedy to begin your activity.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Passport or ID card
  • Sunscreen

Know before you go

  • During Easter weekend April 06-09 and Independence Day July 28-30, the pickup time will be 1 hour before the usual time. Sandboarding/dunebuggy (Huacachina) will last for 1 hour (all operators) and Ballestas Islands (Paracas) will be 1 hour and 30 minutes
  • This tour is subject to variation without prior notice due to weather issues, strikes and/or demonstrations
  • Pickup is available from all major hostels and hotels in Lima, customers staying outside of the center or at residential addresses should select the meeting-point option
  • Pickup is available from hotels and hostels located in Miraflores, Barranco, some in San Isidro, and some in Lima downtown
  • You will return to Lima around 11:45 PM (Drop-off time will depend on the area you will be staying)
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 259 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.8/5
  • Value for money
    4.7/5

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Star rating:

An amazing experience! The boat ride was beautiful and the wildlife was so cool to see. And the sand boarding! Scary but also so amazing that it was worth it! The bus rides were comfortable and the pick up and drop off was stress free. Lastly, the tour guides, especially Mari, were so nice and helpful that they really enhanced the experience.

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March 26, 2023

I was very satisfied. We saw very beautiful places Paracas with the a lot spices of animal, wonderful. We visited dune in Huacachina also perfect places. Company and our guide was very professional, i can recommend very much. Sanboarding was excellent, our driver on the sand dunes was profesionall also. If i visite Peru in the future probably i can check it again.

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March 26, 2023

What a fantastic tour. It's a long day but totally worth it. Pick up at the hotel was on time. The coach was really comfortable if you wanted to sleep. In Paracas there were toilets at the hotel meeting point. Short walk to the port to get the boat. Saw lots of birds and sea lions with a very informative and humorous guide. Lunch was organised at a local restaurant, this was probably the worst bit. Very rushed and nothing special. I would have gone elsewhere but you don't have long here. Another drive to Huacachina where you get the buggy. Great fun, excellent drivers. Then you sand board down some dunes. Lots of opportunities for photos and finally we watched the sunset. Just epic. One of my best days!

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March 26, 2023

Product ID: 313598