Paracas & Huacachina Day Tour: Ballestas Islands, Dune Buggies

Summary

Explore Ballestas Islands, Ica Flavors & Huacachina Adventure

You’ll see wild sea lions and penguins up close, taste Ica’s best dishes and pisco, then race across Huacachina’s dunes by buggy. It’s a full day packed with real Peruvian flavors, local stories, and pure adrenaline. If you want a day that feels like three adventures in one, this is it.

What’s the experience like?

Salt in the air, a bit of chill on your face—our boat cut through the morning mist as we left Paracas pier behind. The Ballestas Islands came into view, all jagged rocks and noisy colonies of sea lions barking at each other. I spotted a couple of Humboldt penguins waddling along a ledge—tiny but unmistakable. Our guide, Luis, pointed out guano birds circling overhead and explained how locals used to collect the guano for fertilizer. The real surprise? The “El Candelabro” geoglyph carved into the sandy hillside, huge and mysterious, like something out of an old legend. It’s only visible from the water, and honestly, photos don’t do it justice.

Back on land, hunger hit. We ducked into a family-run spot in Ica—can’t remember the name, but you’ll know it by the faded blue sign and the smell of cilantro in the air. Tried carapulcra with dry soup (never had anything quite like it), plus a glass of chicha morada that tasted sweet and a little spicy. The pisco tasting after lunch was a riot—turns out there’s way more to pisco than just sours. The staff walked us through each type, even let us try a grape straight from the press. You’ll leave with a new favorite cocktail, trust me.

Late afternoon, we hit Huacachina. The sun was low, painting everything gold. The buggies were loud and a bit intimidating at first—felt my heart jump as we tore up the dunes. Sand got everywhere (bring a scarf), but I couldn’t stop laughing. Tried sandboarding for the first time; wiped out twice, but who cares? The view from the top of the dunes—lagoon on one side, endless desert on the other—made me forget about the sand in my shoes. We snapped a few photos as the sky turned pink. It’s one of those days you’ll talk about for years.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Paracas and Huacachina Adventure

• Observe marine fauna at Ballestas Islands
• Taste typical Ica dishes and pisco cocktails
• Buggy ride and sandboarding at Huacachina

Top questions

Is this tour suitable for kids?

Kids can join, but keep in mind the buggies are fast and sandboarding can be a bit rough. Little ones need to sit with an adult during transport.

What should I bring?

Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a scarf or bandana (for sand), comfy clothes, and a jacket for the morning boat ride—it can get chilly.

Are meals included?

Yes! Lunch features Ica’s regional dishes and chicha morada. Pisco and wine tastings are part of the experience too.

Is English spoken on the tour?

Absolutely. Guides speak both English and Spanish fluently, so you won’t miss any details or stories along the way.

What if there’s bad weather?

The Ballestas Islands boat trip depends on weather and port authority decisions. If it’s canceled, we’ll offer alternatives or reschedule.

What’s included

You get private transport with AC, a full lunch of Ica specialties plus chicha morada, expert bilingual guides, all entrance fees, pisco tasting, and all dune activities—no hidden costs.