Last Updated on July 7, 2024 by Tori’s VA
Lima, Peru is a fun city in and of itself, but if you’re staying in the city for a few days then you’ll want to devote a day or two to explore some nearby areas. The best day trip from Lima is from Lima to Huacachina. It’s close enough to do in a day, it is an incredibly unique destination, there’s so much to do and has delicious food. It doesn’t get better than that!
I spent two weeks in Peru and the day trip from Lima to Huacachina was easily one of my favorite days of the entire trip. I would do it over and over again and recommend the experience to anyone I know, and to you of course! And you can trust me, I did a lot of research when planning out this experience because I wanted it to be the best possible, so here’s what I found.
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What is Huacachina?
Huacachina is a desert oasis town in Peru. An oasis literally means “a small patch of vegetation surrounded by desert”, and they are pretty rare, especially in the Americas! It’s really just a little lake with a small town surrounding it in the desert. And while it is a great little spot to visit, it has become especially popular thanks to the beautiful “Insta” worthy photos of this spot. I’m one who fell for these shots, but I’m so glad I did because it is so much more than a pretty picture.
Where is Huacachina?
Huacachina is located in the Ica Desert, right next to the city of Ica. It is located close to the coast and is south of Lima.
How far is it from Lima to Huacachina?
To drive from Lima to Huacachina will take about 4.5 hours. This will obviously depend on the amount of stops you wish to make, but without stops it is about that long.
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How do you get from Lima to Huacachina?
Public Bus
The cheapest way to get from Lima to Huacachina is via public bus. This option will take about 5 hours and will cost less than $20. However, I do not recommend this option as the public buses are really meant for locals. They do not pick you up from your hotel, only speak Spanish, and are not as clean or safe as the tourist bus options explained further below.
Rental Car
You could also rent a car for your day trip from Lima to Huacachina. This option is also fairly inexpensive because you can get a car for as little as $25 per day. However, you will likely have to pick up the car from the airport which is about an hour in the opposite direction from Huacachina.
Also, you will have to be completely comfortable with driving in Peru, reading street signs, filling up on gas, and figuring out where to go. It is an option, but probably not a good choice for most tourists.
Day Tour
I would only recommend taking a day trip from Lima to Huacachina by taking a day tour with a tour company. This option is the most safe, convenient and stress-free option. There are several tour companies to choose from, but I highly recommend this tour from Peru Hop. It is the tour I took and would take time and time again!
Fair warning, it will be a LONG day! 18 hours to be exact! The tour company will pick you up from your hotel in Lima very early, around 5am. You will ride the comfortable bus to and from Huacachina, with a stop in Paracas. And the cost of the tour will include a tour guide, a boat ride in Paracas and a dune buggy/sand boarding tour in Huacachina. All you will have to pay extra for is food; everything else is included!
Our tour guide was amazing. He spoke perfect English, was extremely organized, and gave us great recommendations along the way. You can read more about our first-hand experience here!
Bonus: Multi-day Tour
So the whole point of this article is to help you plan a day trip from Lima to Huacachina, not a multi-day trip, but I wanted to make you aware that multi-day tours are an option as well, if you want to visit both Lima and Huacachina, but also see other places around Peru!
I would personally recommend using G Adventures for any and all of your time exploring Peru (or South America in general, honestly!). The company is all-around amazing. The prices are very competitive, the service is outstanding and the tours are incredibly thorough and let you see so much of the country and learn the culture. We used them for an 8 day tour after our time in Lima, they’re one of the best Inca Trail tour companies!
G Adventures offers two tours that stop in Huacachina. There’s a short 5-day tour or a longer 11-day tour option. Either could be great choices for your Peru adventures!
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What stops can you make from Lima to Huacachina?
Most of the way between Lima and Huacachina is made up of local communities and not places tourists would want to visit. However, there are a few major stops to make along the way.
Paracas
First and foremost is Paracas, a small coastal town near the Ballestas Islands. These islands are just a quick boat ride away from town and are a must visit on your day trip from Lima to Huacachina.
Known as the Galapagos of Peru, the islands are home to wild penguins (how stinking cool!?!?!?!), fur seals, sea lions and many birds including the Guano. The boat tour will take you around the islands where you are sure to see all of these beautiful animals and more. The animals are completely wild and not harmed in any way, we just get to watch them living their lives on the islands from a safe distance.
Also in the town of Paracas are some great little restaurants and a few hotels to choose from if you wish to stay longer. We had a delicious lunch here on our way from Lima to Huacachina; it actually was one of the best meals of our trip!
Pisco Vineyards
Another popular stop along the way from Lima to Huacachina would be the Pisco Vineyards in the area. The most popular ones to visit are near the town of Ica and not far from Huacachina.
Pisco is a type of liquor that is made in Peru and is most well known for its starring role in the delicious Pisco Sour. So stop by the vineyards to see the pisco being made and learn all about the drink and the process.
What do you do on a tour from Lima to Huacachina?
Okay so clearly my favorite option for a day trip from Lima to Huacachina is on an organized tour with Peru Hop. So, here are the details on what that tour includes!
First off, they pick you up directly from your hotel in Lima! You don’t have to worry about a thing. Then ride in a large, comfortable, air-conditioned bus to the first stop, Paracas! And you can sleep along the way since it will be super early.
On the way to Paracas, the guide will provide you with lunch menus for the recommended restaurant. If you choose to eat there, they will pre-order your meal so everything is super fast and you will have time to sit down and eat in Paracas!
Once you arrive, you will have a few minutes to grab coffee, drinks or snacks and use the bathroom if you need to. Then you will walk a few minutes to the port with your group and jump on a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands. The tour is about 2 hours, is so much fun and has stunning views of the water and islands. (You will also get a sneak peek of the Nazca lines, one of the best ancient ruins in Peru!)
After the boat ride, head to your sit-down lunch and enjoy some Peruvian classics like Aji de Gallina and Causa to name a few. (Make sure to read a full list of best Peruvian dishes or Peru food facts)
Then head to the final destination, Huacachina!! You’ll immediately walk out of town and up into the desert to jump on the dune buggy. That will be your ride for the next hour or so, so get comfy and fasten your seatbelt, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!
The dune buggy ride was way more intense than I had expected, and WAY more fun. It was a thrilling ride up and down the sand dunes of the Icas Desert. You’ll even catch air a few times. It was a little terrifying and a lot amazing. You’ll have a blast and have a smile on your face the entire time.
Along the way you will stop a few times for a chance to go sandboarding. You’ll lay on your stomach on the board and ride down the super tall sand dunes. It looked terrifying at first and I was convinced I wouldn’t try it. But once a few people went down I realized you don’t go that fast. And you can control the speed with your feet. So I gave it a go and had so much fun. We had the chance to do it about 4 times.
End the adventure with a stop to see the sunset over the dunes for the perfect end to an amazing day.
On your way back to the bus grab a super quick dinner for the road. Then you’ll be on your way back to Lima where you can take a nap in the bus before you return.
What are the best things to do in Huacachina?
Huacachina offers so much to do in such a small little town inside a desert! Here’s some of my favorite things to do!
Go Sandboarding
The best thing to do in Huacachina is to go sandboarding. The pros stand up on the board and ride down. But most tourists lay on their stomachs on the board and slide down the dunes. It’s exhilarating and so much fun. You’ll be smiling the entire time.
Ride a Dune Buggy
In order to get out into the desert to go sandboarding you’ll have to first hop on a Dune Buggy. These things can fly up and down the dunes and catch some crazy air. Hold on tight because it is a wild ride!
Take Photos
Face it, Huacachina is an Instagrammers paradise. The desert’s huge sand dunes and beautiful oasis below make for the picture-perfect backdrop. So walk up the dunes and get that famous shot!
Paddleboat on the Oasis
For a more laid-back activity, rent a paddle boat and relax on the water! They cost about 37 soles per hour and you can just hop on from the shore and ride around!
Watch the Sunset Over the Dunes
One of the most memorable parts of the day trip from Lima to Huacachina was watching the sunset over the dunes. The sky lit up in the most beautiful colors as the sun disappeared behind the dunes. It was a magical end to an exhilarating day.
Take a Pisco Vineyards Tour
I mentioned this above, but visiting one of the Pisco Vineyards would be another great thing to do during your trip from Lima to Huacachina. There are some super close to Huacachina. So it is definitely something that you could plan to do while in town.
Try a Pisco Sour
Even if you don’t visit the vineyards, be sure to try a famous Pisco Sour while you are in town. They’re fairly similar to a whiskey sour that’s popular in the states. But personally I liked it made with Pisco SO much more! It was delicious. And be sure to try some local Peruvian food to go with it!
Where to eat in Huacachina?
Speaking of Peruvian food, here are some restaurant recommendations while in town.
Where to stay in Huacachina?
Looking to spend more than just a day in Huacachina? Spend the night so you can have more time exploring the Oasis! There will not be any super fancy five-star hotels, but here are some good options for staying the night.
If you are on the fence about taking a day trip from Lima to Huacachina, get off the fence and book the trip! You will not regret it. It was easily one of the best things we did in Peru, and an experience we will never forget.
