Paracas and Huacachina Day Tour: Boat, Winery and Buggy

A Paracas and Huacachina day tour asks for an early start, and rewards it with sea, wine and sand in a single day. After the pickup in Miraflores, the first break is at an artisan bakery, where you can have a hot breakfast if you wish.

At the El Chaco pier you board a boat for the Ballestas Islands, a ride of more than an hour. On the way you pass the Paracas Candelabra, then see sea lions, penguins and many guano birds. Next comes a winery with a restaurant serving traditional Ica dishes, which you can try if you like. In the tasting room you sample more than five wines, piscos and liqueur creams.

• Ballestas Islands, by boat from the Paracas coast
• Ica winery, with pisco, wine and liqueur tastings
• Huacachina Oasis, with buggy and sandboard

At Huacachina, known as the Oasis of America, the buggy climbs and drops over the dunes like a roller coaster on sand. At the top you slide down on a board, and later you can stroll around the oasis. A short stop for snacks and restrooms follows on the way back, and the vehicle returns you to the place where you boarded. Round-trip transport, the guide, the boat, the tastings and photos are part of the tour. Pregnant women, people with back problems and those prone to seasickness should skip it.