Ballestas Islands and Huacachina dune buggy from Lima

Boat ride to penguin colonies, then sand dunes at speed

A full-day tour from Lima combining a boat ride around Ballestas Islands in Paracas National Reserve, lunch and wine tasting at a local winery, and dune buggy rides over the Huacachina oasis. The guide speaks English or Spanish, pickup from central Lima is included, and the day runs about 14 to 15 hours start to finish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Paracas, Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Tour

• Board at Larcomar Shopping Center
• Travel to Paracas (3 hours)
• Arrive in Paracas and board boat
• Boat tour to Ballestas Islands
• See sea lions, penguins, and Candelabro
• Travel to Nietto Wine and Pisco Winery (1 hour)
• Lunch and wine tasting
• Visit Huacachina Oasis
• 4x4 dune buggy ride
• Sandboarding on dunes
• Return to Lima (4 hours)

The Experience

The day starts with a 3-hour drive south from Lima to Paracas, arriving around 9:30 am. From there you board a boat for a 1 hour 40 minute tour around Ballestas Islands, where you watch sea lions and Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat. The boat passes the Candelabro, a large figure carved into the hillside whose origin remains unknown. The marine life here is dense—colonies of seabirds including pelicans, boobies and seagulls crowd the rocks alongside the sea lions.

After the boat returns, you head inland to the Nietto Wine and Pisco Winery for lunch and tastings of Peruvian wines and pisco. The drive takes about an hour. Once you've eaten and tasted, the tour moves to Huacachina, a small oasis town surrounded by massive sand dunes. Here you trade the vehicle for a 4x4 dune buggy and ride over the dunes at speed—the operator calls this the extreme part of the day. At the top of the dunes, sandboarding is available if you want it. The return to Lima takes roughly 4 hours and may stretch longer if traffic backs up near the city.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Lima.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• the boat tour around Ballestas Islands.
• lunch and wine and pisco tastings at the winery.
• dune buggy rides over the Huacachina dunes.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Milenario Tours

Is this one for you?The day is long and the pace moves fast—you're on the road or in motion for most of it, with the dune buggy rides as the most physically demanding stretch. This suits someone who wants to pack multiple landscapes and activities into a single departure from Lima and doesn't mind an early start and a late return.

Traveler reviews

4.40★★★★★★★★★★

20 verified traveler reviews

5 ★14

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What will I see on the boat ride to Ballestas Islands?

The Ballestas Islands boat tour lasts 1 hour 40 minutes and passes sea lion colonies, Humboldt penguins, and thousands of seabirds including pelicans, boobies and seagulls resting on the rocks. You'll also see the Candelabro, a mysterious carved figure on the hillside.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch and wine and pisco tastings at the Nietto Wine and Pisco Winery are part of the tour, served between the boat ride and the dune buggy portion of the day.

What's the pickup arrangement from Lima?

Hotel pickup from central Lima is included; the tour departs from the intersection of Av. Larco and Armendariz in front of Larcomar Shopping Center. Pickup from Miraflores hotels costs an additional $10 per person.

How long is the full day from start to finish?

The tour runs 14 to 15 hours total, including the 3-hour drive to Paracas, the boat ride, lunch, the dune buggy adventure, and the 4-hour return to Lima.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide is live and speaks English or Spanish, and you choose your language when you book.