Paracas and Huacachina Day Trip from Lima: Wildlife and Desert

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Free cancellation

1/10

Duration15h–16h

GroupUp to 40

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Penguins and sea lions at the Ballestas Islands, then dune buggies through desert sand

A full-day tour from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina combines a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands—where you watch Humboldt penguins, pelicans and sea lions in open water—with an afternoon dune buggy ride and sandboarding in the Huacachina Desert. The tour includes pickup from Miraflores hotels, a guide in English or Spanish, wine and pisco tasting, and lunch; the 15-to-16-hour day starts with a 4-hour drive south from Lima, with a breakfast stop en route.

15h–16h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Paracas and Huacachina

Depart Lima to Paracas with breakfast stop
Arrive at El Chaco port, view Paracas Bay
Tour Ballestas Islands, see penguins and sea lions
Taste traditional wines and piscos, lunch time
Visit Huacachina Oasis
Ride sandy carts and sandboard in dunes
Return to Lima with stop in Chincha for shopping

The Experience

The day starts before dawn with pickup from your Miraflores hotel and a 4-hour drive south toward Paracas, stopping for breakfast along the way. You arrive at El Chaco port mid-morning and board a boat for the Ballestas Islands tour, where the water brings you close to Humboldt penguins, sea lions and pelicans in their natural habitat. The boat also passes an enigmatic geoglyph etched into the coastal rock—a landmark that draws its own fascination without explanation.

After the islands, you return to shore for a wine and pisco tasting that anchors the local culture into the afternoon. Lunch follows, then the group moves inland to the Huacachina Oasis, a small settlement built around a desert lagoon. From there, you climb into sandy dune buggies for a ride across the surrounding dunes; the tour includes a brief sandboarding session on the slopes before the buggies return you to the oasis.

The return to Lima takes another 4 hours, with a stop in Chincha on Saturdays and Sundays for shopping if the schedule allows. An air-conditioned vehicle carries the group throughout, and your guide—speaking English or Spanish—stays with you from start to finish. Children from age 4 are welcome, though infants must sit on an adult's lap.

What’s included

Air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
pickup from Miraflores hotels.
English or Spanish-speaking guide.
boat tour of the Ballestas Islands.
wine and pisco tasting.
lunch.
dune buggy ride and sandboarding in the Huacachina Desert.
all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Zian Peru Travel

Is this one for you?Book this 15-to-16-hour tour if you want to see both coastal wildlife and desert dunes in one day; the early start and long drive from Lima make both Paracas and Huacachina reachable without splitting into separate trips.