Nazca Lines & Huacachina Oasis: Flight, Sandboarding & Pisco Day

Fly over Nazca Lines, sandboard Huacachina dunes, sip Ica pisco

You’ll ride dune buggies across Huacachina’s golden sand, then soar above the mysterious Nazca Lines on a private flight from Ica. Taste pisco straight from the source at a family vineyard with lunch included—all with pickup from Lima and stories from your local guide along the way.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Ica visit, Nazca flight, and Huacachina oasis

• Travel from Lima to Ica (3 hours)
• Visit Huacachina oasis
• Enjoy buggy tour and sandboarding
• Fly from Ica to Nazca lines (1 hour)
• View Nazca Lines geoglyphs
• Visit vineyard for pisco and wine tasting
• Have typical Peruvian lunch at vineyard
• Return to Lima (4 hours)

The Experience

I’d barely finished my coffee in Lima when our driver pulled up—smiling, speaking that soft Peruvian Spanish that always sounds like music. The road to Ica is long but not boring; the desert outside the window kept shifting colors, and I swear you can smell the dust even with the windows closed. We reached Huacachina just as the sun started to get hot. There’s this weird hush around the oasis—palms reflected in still water, and then suddenly engines roaring as we climbed into these dune buggies. I laughed so hard on those first drops my cheeks hurt. Sand gets everywhere (I’m still finding it in my shoes), but sandboarding down those slopes? Way harder than it looks—my guide Diego made it look easy. He grinned every time one of us wiped out.

After all that adrenaline, flying over the Nazca Lines felt almost dreamlike. The little plane rattled as we circled above those ancient shapes—the monkey, hummingbird, and that spiral thing nobody really knows about. Diego pointed out each figure through scratched windows; I pressed my forehead to the glass anyway. It’s strange seeing something so old from so high up—it makes you feel tiny and lucky at once. The desert below looked endless and empty except for those lines carved by hands centuries ago. I still think about that view sometimes when things get too loud back home.

Lunch was at a vineyard outside Ica—a cool stone building with vines crawling everywhere and this faint smell of grapes fermenting somewhere nearby. We tried pisco (strong stuff) and sweet local wine while our host explained how his family had been making both for generations. The food was simple—lomo saltado and fresh bread—but honestly after a morning like that it tasted perfect. Someone asked if we could buy a bottle to take home; our host just winked and poured another round instead.

Top questions

How long does the day trip to Nazca Lines & Huacachina take?

The full day lasts around 14 hours including pickup from Lima, travel to Ica, all activities, and return drop-off.

Is hotel pickup included for this tour?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are included for hotels in Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro or nearby areas in Lima.

Do you actually fly over the Nazca Lines?

Yes, there’s a flight from Ica aerodrome lasting about 1 hour to see 13 Nazca Line figures from above.

Is sandboarding difficult at Huacachina?

It can be tricky for beginners but guides help out—most people have fun even if they fall!

Are food and drinks included on this tour?

A traditional Peruvian lunch plus wine and pisco tastings at an Ica vineyard are included.

What kind of vehicle is used for transport?

An air-conditioned vehicle is used for transfers between Lima, Ica, Huacachina, and other stops.

Can anyone join or is it physically demanding?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels; activities like sandboarding are optional.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Lima neighborhoods like Miraflores or Barranco, an air-conditioned ride to Ica, a private flight over the Nazca Lines with a local guide pointing out each geoglyph below, wild buggy rides and sandboarding at Huacachina Oasis (sand everywhere—just warning you), plus a vineyard visit with pisco tasting and a classic Peruvian lunch before heading back to Lima in the evening.