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Paracas, Ballestas & Huacachina: 2-Day Tour from Lima with Luxury Bus

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration2d

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

From Lima to Paracas and Huacachina by luxury bus, wildlife boat tour, secret tunnels and sandboarding thrills

You’ll taste fresh country bread near Lima, walk through history at Hacienda San José’s secret tunnels, spot sea lions on a Ballestas Islands boat tour, and race buggies across Huacachina’s golden dunes—all with hotel pickup and comfy luxury bus rides. Expect honest stories from local guides and moments that linger long after you’re home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel Lima to Paracas

Hotel pickup in Lima
Bus ride south with Wi-Fi
Breakfast stop at Mirasur KM 88
Tour Hacienda San José estate
Arrive and check in Paracas
Free afternoon to explore Paracas

Day 2 — Paracas to Huacachina and Lima

Speedboat tour to Ballestas Islands
Visit Paracas National Reserve
Bus ride to Huacachina oasis
Relax and explore Huacachina
Dune buggy and sandboarding
Bus ride back to Lima

The Experience

I didn’t expect the bread at Mirasur KM 88 to stick in my memory. It was still warm when we broke it open—smelled faintly smoky, like someone’s kitchen on a winter morning. Our guide, Carla, handed me a piece and grinned when I tried to order coffee in Spanish (I think I said something about goats). The ride out of Lima was quiet at first; everyone kind of half-asleep, watching the city fade into fields. Wi-Fi on the bus meant I could send my mom a picture before we lost signal—she replied with just “wow.”

The stop at Hacienda San José hit differently than I thought it would. Carla walked us through these old courtyards and then down into the slave tunnels—dark, cool air that felt heavy even though it was midday outside. She told stories about Afro-Peruvian families who lived and worked here. It wasn’t comfortable history, but I’m glad she didn’t sugarcoat it. Someone in our group asked if people still talk about this part of Peru’s past; Carla nodded and said her grandfather used to tell her stories too. That stuck with me all afternoon.

Paracas itself is sleepy by comparison. We wandered along the bay after check-in—I tried ceviche that was so sharp it made my eyes water (in a good way). Next morning came early: speedboat out to Ballestas Islands, sea air stinging my face awake. Sea lions barking like they owned the place; penguins huddled together looking sort of unimpressed by us tourists floating by. The Candelabra geoglyph on the cliffside looked almost fake from a distance—like someone drew it for us just that morning.

By late afternoon we were bouncing across sand dunes in Huacachina. The buggy driver (I never caught his name) just laughed every time we screamed going over a drop—he’d probably done this a thousand times but still seemed to enjoy it. Sand got everywhere: shoes, hair, even inside my camera bag somehow. Sunset over the oasis felt unreal but also kind of peaceful after all that noise. On the long ride back to Lima I watched videos from the day until my phone died, trying not to fall asleep before our hotel drop-off—I still think about that view from the top of the dunes sometimes.

What’s included

Your two-day adventure includes hotel pickup and drop-off within central Lima zones, all entry fees for scheduled stops like Hacienda San José’s slave tunnels and Ballestas Islands boat tour, breakfast at Mirasur KM 88, bilingual local guides throughout both days, high-speed onboard Wi-Fi on exclusive luxury buses with air conditioning and restrooms—and plenty of time for exploring Paracas bay or racing buggies across Huacachina’s dunes before heading back late at night.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Peru Hop