ATV riding in Ica: Buggy and sandboarding at Huacachina

Pisco tastings lead to buggy rides across Peru's only desert oasis.

A full-day tour of Ica's wine and pisco haciendas ending with buggy riding and sandboarding in the Huacachina Desert at sunset. You visit Hacienda Tacama (Peru's oldest vineyard) and Hacienda La Caravedo (producing pisco since 1684), taste wines and pisco at an artisanal producer, have lunch, then drive buggies across the dunes as the sun drops. An official guide in English or Spanish leads the group. Private transport and all hacienda entries are included. Not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health. Moderate fitness is needed for the buggy ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ica wine, pisco, and desert adventure

• Visit Hacienda Tacama or Vista Alegre
• Tour Hacienda Destilería La Caravedo
• Explore Artisanal Winery Pisco Nietto and lunch
• Visit Huacachina Oasis
• Enjoy Buggy ride and sandboarding at sunset

The experience

The day starts at Hacienda Tacama, the oldest vineyard in Peru and South America, where a colonial-era building holds the history of Ica during the Spanish Viceroyalty. You learn how grapes became wine and pisco here, then move to Hacienda La Caravedo, which has been distilling pisco since 1684: the finest in Peru, according to the operator. Both stops include tastings. At La Caravedo you get a complimentary pisco cocktail. The third stop is Pisco Nietto, an artisanal winery where you taste mistelas and pisco creams (drinks invented by small producers) and have lunch.

After lunch, the group heads to the Huacachina Oasis, the only oasis in South America, ringed by immense sand dunes. This is where the adrenaline part begins: you climb into a buggy and ride across the desert while the sun sets, then try sandboarding down the dunes. The buggy ride is the centerpiece of the afternoon, timed to catch the light as it fades.

An air-conditioned vehicle picks you up and carries the group between stops over seven to eight hours. The guide is official and speaks English or Spanish. Children are welcome from age 8 onward, though the buggy ride's physical demands mean younger riders should be comfortable with the motion and the heat.

What’s included

• An official guide in English or Spanish.
• private air-conditioned transport.
• entry to Hacienda Tacama and Hacienda La Caravedo.
• tastings at all three wineries.
• a complimentary pisco cocktail at La Caravedo.
• a tourist ticket for the Huacachina Desert.
• lunch at the artisanal winery.
• buggy riding and sandboarding at sunset.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:30 and 10:00

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (8 to 13 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 20 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by trueXperiences - Tours en Ica, Paracas y Nazca

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full day combining Ica's wine and pisco history with desert action, all in one private group with a guide handling the route and the stops. The buggy ride at sunset is the payoff after the tastings and lunch, so the pacing suits travelers who want both culture and adrenaline in a single day.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (8 to 13 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Hacienda Tacama and why does the tour start there?

Hacienda Tacama is Peru's oldest vineyard and sits in a colonial building that dates to the Spanish Viceroyalty. The tour begins there to show how Ica's grape and pisco traditions took root, and you taste the wines and piscos made on the estate.

What happens at the artisanal winery, and is lunch included?

At Pisco Nietto, you taste wines and pisco-based drinks like mistelas and pisco creams that small producers have invented. Lunch is served in this area, giving you time to eat before heading to the desert.

What is the buggy ride like, and when does it happen?

The buggy ride crosses the sand dunes of the Huacachina Desert and includes sandboarding down the slopes. It takes place at sunset, so you experience the light and heat of the desert as it cools.

What is included in the price, and what should I bring?

The price covers an official guide, private air-conditioned transport, entry to both haciendas, tastings at all three wineries, a complimentary pisco cocktail at La Caravedo, a tourist ticket for the desert, and a lunch stop. Tips are not included.