Ica City Tour + Buggies & Sandboarding: Pisco, Oasis & Dunes

Sandboard down massive dunes at sunset, then watch the Huacachina oasis fade behind you.

An eight-hour tour of Ica combines city landmarks, a working pisco and wine bodega with tastings, the Huacachina oasis, and a buggy circuit through desert dunes where you can try sandboarding. Hotel pickup and a live guide in English or Spanish are included. Children from age five are welcome. On holidays, pickups start from the main square and Huacachina, and the buggy ride may run shorter.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ica city tour and desert adventure

• Pickup from hotel in Ica
• Visit Ica main square, temple, and Mall of Luren
• Stop at Margarito candy store for typical cookies
• Visit Cachiche town and witch circuit
• See the 7-headed palm tree
• Tour El Arrabal winery and taste piscos and wines
• Lunch at winery restaurant
• Explore Huacachina Oasis and take photos
• Ride buggies on Ica dunes
• Practice sandboarding
• Watch sunset over the desert
• Return to hotel or bus station

The experience

Eight hours covers the full sweep of what makes Ica distinct. You start with hotel pickup in the city, then move through the main square and the Temple and Mall of Luren before stopping at Margarito, a candy shop known for typical Ica cookies made with pisco. The route then heads to Cachiche, a small town with a circuit honoring one of the region's most famous witches, and passes the 7-headed palm tree, a tree with a genetic malformation that locals say holds mysteries.

The winery stop at El Arrabal, founded in 1982, is where you learn how pisco and wine are made by hand. You taste different varieties produced there and have time to eat lunch in the vineyard restaurant, which serves regional dishes. Just 5 kilometers from the city center lies the Huacachina oasis, ringed by tropical palms and massive dunes. You walk around it for photos and to take in the quiet.

The desert portion happens in a professional buggy driven through the big dunes of Ica. You shoot photos from the vehicle, then step out to try sandboarding down the slopes. The buggy circuit ends as the sun drops, and you return to the Huacachina office before heading back to your hotel in Ica. On holidays the buggy portion may run about an hour instead of the standard length.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Ica or at the bus station.
• visits to the main square, Temple and Mall of Luren, Margarito candy shop, Cachiche town, and the 7-headed palm tree.
• pisco and wine tasting at El Arrabal bodega with lunch at the vineyard restaurant.
• entry to Huacachina oasis.
• buggy ride through the dunes and sandboarding.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• all transport during the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (5 to 17 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 34 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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 2.32

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sam Travel Experiences

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you follow the commentary in your language. The eight-hour pace fits a single day without rushing, and buggy rides on holidays run shorter if you have limited time.

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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: Child (5 to 17 years). Children under 5 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 exactly happens at the pisco bodega?

El Arrabal, a family winery founded in 1982, walks you through the handmade process for pisco and wine production, then offers tastings of different varieties made on-site. Lunch at the vineyard restaurant is included, with typical regional dishes available.

Can I actually sandboard, or just ride in the buggy?

You do both. The buggy takes you through the dunes for photos, then you get out and try sandboarding down the slopes yourself before the sunset return to Huacachina.

How far is Huacachina from central Ica?

The oasis sits just 5 kilometers from the city center, so the drive is short. You have time to walk around the lagoon and take photos before the buggy portion of the day.

What happens if I book on a holiday?

On holidays and festivals, hotel pickups move to the main square in Ica and Huacachina instead, and the tour ends at the main square. The buggy ride may also run shorter, around one hour instead of the standard time.