Ballestas Islands & Huacachina Dune Buggy from Lima

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.71 (17 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/18

Duration14h 30m

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Sea lions and penguins by boat, then speed across sand dunes in a buggy

A full-day tour from Lima combines a shared boat ride to the Ballestas Islands—home to sea lions, penguins and seabirds—with dune buggy rides and sandboarding at the Huacachina Oasis, plus lunch and a pisco tasting at a local vineyard. The guide speaks English or Spanish, pickup is included from your Lima hotel, and the day runs about 14.5 hours.

14h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Oasis

Visit Paracas Reserve
Take shared boat ride at Ballestas Islands
See sea lions, birds, and penguins
Enjoy lunch at local restaurant
Learn about pisco and wine production
Travel to Huacachina Oasis
Ride dune buggy in desert
Try sandboarding on dunes

The Experience

The day starts before dawn with hotel pickup in Lima, then heads south to the Paracas Reserve and the Ballestas Islands. You board a shared boat and spend the morning watching sea lions lounge on the rocks, spotting penguins, and scanning the cliffs for seabirds. The boat moves close enough to see the animals clearly but stays at a distance that keeps them undisturbed. On rare occasions the Peruvian Navy closes the port—it happens roughly once or twice in a hundred trips—but the operator has backup alternatives ready so the day doesn't fall apart.

After the boat returns, you drive inland toward the Huacachina Oasis. This is where the pace shifts. You climb into a dune buggy and ride across the vast sand dunes that surround the oasis, speeding through the desert landscape with the coastline visible in the distance. If you want to try sandboarding, you can walk down the dunes with a board and slide back up—it's optional and included. Both the buggy ride and sandboarding happen in a small shared group, so you're not alone but the experience stays intimate.

Lunch happens at a local restaurant near the oasis, where someone from the vineyard walks you through how pisco and wine are made in this region—from planting through harvest to bottling. You taste a selection of local piscos and wines. The air-conditioned vehicle waits outside, and by late afternoon you're back in Lima. Wear comfortable clothes, sunglasses and sunscreen; bring water and a hat. The buggy and sandboarding are shared experiences, and the group stays under 15 people on most days.

What’s included

Hotel pickup from Lima.
a shared boat tour of the Ballestas Islands.
dune buggy rides across the sand dunes at Huacachina.
sandboarding down the dunes.
lunch at a local restaurant.
a pisco and wine tasting with explanation of production.
an air-conditioned vehicle for transport.
a professional guide in English or Spanish.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by HAKU TOURS

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you can follow the commentary comfortably in whichever language you choose—book your preference at checkout. The full day and moderate physical demands (buggy rides, sandboarding, walking on sand) suit travelers who want to move through multiple landscapes in one trip and don't mind an early start and a long day.