ATV Riding in Huacachina: 2-Hour Dune Buggy & Sandboarding

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/45

Duration17h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

The dune buggy and sandboarding happen back-to-back in the same two-hour block, with photo stops built in.

A full-day trip from Lima combines sightseeing at Paracas and Ica with a two-hour dune buggy and sandboarding experience at Huacachina. Hotel pickup and drop-off, a bilingual guide, boat tour of the Ballestas Islands, wine and pisco tasting, and sunset are included; you choose whether to add the Paracas National Reserve or a campfire picnic. The buggy ride crosses towering sand dunes with stops to take in the landscape, followed by sandboarding on the slopes — both happen in a natural desert setting where walking on sand is part of the experience.

17h

Step-by-step itinerary

Paracas and Huacachina day trip

Transfer from Lima to Paracas
Cruise Ballestas Islands and see wildlife
Visit vineyard for wine and pisco tasting
Free time for lunch in Ica
Explore Huacachina Oasis
2-hour dune buggy and sandboarding
Watch sunset over Huacachina dunes
Return drive to Lima and hotel drop-off

The Experience

The day starts before dawn with a 4:00 AM pickup from your Lima hotel (or a designated meeting point, depending on which experience you choose). The drive south hugs the Pacific coast toward Paracas, where you board a speedboat for a two-hour tour of the Ballestas Islands. You'll spot sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds among dramatic rock formations, including the famous Candelabra geoglyph carved into the cliffs. A certified bilingual guide narrates from the boat, though wind and engine noise mean audio clarity can be uneven.

After Paracas, you stop in Ica for a traditional vineyard visit where a guide walks you through wine and pisco tasting — Peru's iconic brandy — and you have time to buy lunch. The route then heads inland to Huacachina, a lagoon surrounded by towering dunes where you have free time to walk around, photograph, or rest before the main event. The two-hour dune buggy adventure starts mid-afternoon. You ride across the sand dunes with built-in stops for photos and to take in the landscape, then transition directly into sandboarding down the golden slopes. The sandboard is artisanal (no stand-up required), and helmets are provided. This is a natural desert environment, so walking on sand dunes is part of the experience and can be physically demanding.

The day ends with sunset over the dunes — every option includes this moment, though the Premium and Full Experience options add a campfire and picnic in the desert itself. The return drive to Lima takes the evening, with drop-off in Barranco, Miraflores, or San Isidro around 11:45 PM (traffic and external factors can push this later, especially on weekends). A comfortable air-conditioned bus with a restroom and USB ports carries the group throughout. Bring cash for breakfast stops and any meals you want to buy along the way; sunscreen, sunglasses, a bandana for desert wind, and closed shoes for sandboarding are essential.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Lima.
a certified bilingual guide with first aid training.
a two-hour Ballestas Islands boat tour with sea lions, penguins, and seabird spotting.
a traditional vineyard visit with wine and pisco tasting.
a two-hour dune buggy adventure and sandboarding experience with safety helmets.
sunset viewing over the dunes.
a comfortable air-conditioned bus with restroom and USB ports. Entrance fees and taxes are included with the Premium Sunset and Full Experience options.
the Classic option requires separate payment for Ballestas Islands and Huacachina entry.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Peru Bucket List

Is this one for you?Book the Full Experience if you want to add the Paracas National Reserve (Red Beach, La Catedral, and the Isthmus) to your day — it extends the coastal sightseeing before the dune buggy. Choose the Premium Sunset Experience if the campfire and picnic in the desert after sunset appeals to you and you want hotel pickup included. The Classic option works if you're comfortable meeting at a designated point and paying entrance fees separately, and you want the core experience — islands, wine tasting, buggy, and sandboarding — at the lowest price.