This Paracas, Ica & Huacachina Day Trip lasts approximately 19 hours, starts before dawn from selected pickup points in Lima and combines a Ballestas Islands speedboat trip, an Ica winery visit with wine and pisco tasting, and free time at Huacachina before returning to your original departure area. The activity is conducted with a guide who speaks English and Spanish and operates with a maximum of 25 participants.
The first destination is Paracas, reached after the early road journey south from Lima. From the coast, you board the included speedboat and pass the Candelabro, a large geoglyph cut into the northern side of the Paracas Peninsula, before continuing towards the Ballestas Islands. These protected islands support sea lions, Humboldt penguins and large populations of seabirds, although wildlife sightings naturally depend on the conditions on the day.
Back on land, the route continues inland towards Ica. A local winery introduces the region’s long relationship with grapes through a tasting of wine, pisco and tejas. The producer can vary, so the reservation should not be interpreted as guaranteeing a particular estate. Meals are also not included, despite the itinerary including opportunities to stop for breakfast and lunch.
The final major stop is Huacachina, the natural oasis surrounded by dunes just outside Ica. Here you have free time to walk around the lagoon, shop and take photographs. Activities such as dune buggy rides or sandboarding may be available locally but are not included in the standard booking.
You can check availability and book this Paracas and Huacachina day trip from Lima up to 10 hours before departure while places remain. Keep in mind that meals, local tourist charges and optional Huacachina activities are paid separately.
How the Paracas, Ica & Huacachina Day Trip Works
This is a very long day. The published duration is approximately 19 hours, with departures beginning in Lima at around 4 am and the return taking place after the visit to Huacachina.
During booking, you choose from the pickup points available for your date. The current route uses locations in San Isidro and Miraflores, including points close to Avenida Javier Prado, Avenida José Pardo and Larcomar.
You are also asked to provide your hotel details. If direct pickup from your accommodation can be offered, the operator will confirm that arrangement after booking. Do not assume hotel pickup is automatically available until you receive that confirmation.
Transport between Lima, Paracas, Ica and Huacachina is by bus. The Ballestas Islands section is completed by speedboat and is already included in the activity.
The tour has a maximum published group size of 25 people. Civitatis describes it as a small-group activity, but the practical maximum is therefore considerably larger than a private or very small-group tour.
The guide speaks English and Spanish. English guidance is included, but the product may involve both languages rather than an exclusively English-speaking group.
Meals are not included. The itinerary describes opportunities to eat during the day, including after arriving in Paracas and later around the Ica section, but you should budget to pay for food yourself.
Paracas and the Ballestas Islands
The first part of the excursion is centred on the coast at Paracas. After the early journey from Lima, the group reaches the waterfront and prepares for the speedboat trip towards the Ballestas Islands.
The islands should not be confused with the Paracas National Reserve. Ballestas belongs to Peru’s Reserva Nacional Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras, a protected network that includes islands and coastal sites used by important populations of marine wildlife.
The Paracas Candelabra
Before reaching Ballestas, the boat passes the Candelabro on the Paracas Peninsula. This large geoglyph measures approximately 180 metres and is positioned so that it can be seen particularly well from the sea.
Its age, creators and original purpose remain uncertain. Different interpretations have been proposed over time, but the tour is more useful when the monument is presented as an archaeological question rather than assigning it a definitive meaning that has not been demonstrated.
Ballestas Islands wildlife
The Ballestas group is formed by rocky islands shaped by marine erosion. Arches, cliffs and exposed rock create nesting and resting areas for birds and marine mammals.
Species documented in the protected area include South American sea lions, Humboldt penguins, Peruvian boobies and other seabirds associated with the productive waters of the Humboldt Current.
These are wild populations rather than animals kept for visitors, so no particular species or number of animals can be guaranteed. Weather, season and normal wildlife behaviour all affect what can be observed during an individual boat trip.
The visit takes place from the boat. You do not land on the Ballestas Islands during this itinerary.
A separate local tourist charge applies to the Ballestas portion of the trip and is not included in the base reservation price. Check the current amount before departure because these fees can change.
Ica Winery, Pisco and Regional Tastings
After returning to the pier in Paracas, the excursion turns inland towards Ica. The drive takes roughly an hour and moves from the Pacific coast into one of Peru’s best-known grape-growing regions.
Ica produces both wine and pisco, Peru’s grape spirit. Vineyard cultivation and distillation remain a significant part of the region’s gastronomic identity, making the winery stop a logical part of the route rather than simply a break in the journey to Huacachina.
Wine and pisco tasting
The tour visits a local winery where you learn about regional wine and pisco production before tasting several products. The included tasting currently covers wine, pisco and tejas, a sweet associated with Ica.
Civitatis does not guarantee a named winery on the published itinerary. The producer can therefore vary and the booking should not be made on the assumption that you will visit a particular historic estate or brand.
The tasting is included, but lunch is not. The itinerary allows an opportunity to eat around this part of the day, so keep money or a payment card available for your own meal.
The same distinction applies earlier in Paracas. Although the supplier’s narrative mentions breakfast and suggests trying ceviche, the formal activity details classify meals as an additional expense rather than a fixed inclusion.
Huacachina Oasis and Free Time in the Desert
From the winery, the drive to Huacachina takes only a short time. The oasis sits beside the city of Ica, surrounded by some of the large dunes that characterise this section of Peru’s coastal desert.
Huacachina is a natural oasis centred on a lagoon and has become one of the most visited locations in the Ica region. Restaurants, shops and visitor services surround the water, while the dunes rise immediately behind the settlement.
What is included at Huacachina?
The standard tour gives you free time to walk around the oasis, take photographs and visit shops before meeting the group again for the return to Lima.
That free time should not be confused with an included desert activity. Buggy rides, sandboarding and other optional experiences in Huacachina are listed separately from the base tour.
Some traveller photographs and reviews may show those activities because participants can sometimes purchase them locally. Their appearance in reviews or product imagery does not make them a guaranteed inclusion.
A separate local tourist charge also applies in Huacachina. It is not included in the main booking price, so allow for this additional payment during the day.
Return to Lima
After the free time at Huacachina, the group meets again for the long road journey back to Lima. The itinerary includes a short stop along the way before returning to the original pickup area.
The published 19-hour duration makes this substantially longer than an ordinary day excursion. Avoid scheduling a dinner reservation, evening flight or other time-sensitive commitment immediately after the expected return, as road conditions and Lima traffic can affect arrival time.
Practical Information and Frequently Asked Questions
The excursion lasts approximately 19 hours and combines a long-distance bus journey, a speedboat trip, a winery tasting and free time at Huacachina.
You can currently book up to 10 hours before departure while places remain. Confirmation is immediate and the voucher is electronic.
Civitatis currently lists the activity as wheelchair accessible but does not publish more detailed accessibility conditions on the English booking page. If you require specific boarding assistance or adaptations, check the arrangements for your departure before travelling.
Pets are not permitted. Free cancellation is currently available until 24 hours before the activity begins; later cancellations and no-shows are non-refundable.
How long is the Paracas, Ica & Huacachina Day Trip?
The published duration is approximately 19 hours from the early-morning departure in Lima to the return after Huacachina.
Where does the trip start?
You select from available meeting points in San Isidro and Miraflores during booking. You can also provide your hotel details in case the operator is able to arrange direct pickup, which must be confirmed separately.
Is the Ballestas Islands boat ride included?
Yes. The speedboat trip is included in the reservation. The separate local tourist charge associated with Ballestas is not included.
Will I see sea lions and penguins?
Sea lions, Humboldt penguins and numerous seabirds inhabit the protected Ballestas area, but sightings of any particular wild species cannot be guaranteed.
Does the trip visit a winery?
Yes. The itinerary includes a visit to a local winery in Ica with wine, pisco and tejas tasting. A specific winery is not guaranteed in the published programme.
Are breakfast and lunch included?
No. Although the itinerary describes opportunities to eat during the day, Civitatis lists meals among the items that are not included in the booking price.
Are buggy rides and sandboarding included?
No. Optional activities in Huacachina are excluded from the standard booking and must be arranged separately if available.
How large is the group?
The activity has a published maximum of 25 participants.
Is the tour conducted in English?
Yes. English guidance is included, and Civitatis states that the guide speaks both English and Spanish.
Are there additional fees?
Yes. Local tourist charges for the Ballestas Islands and Huacachina are currently paid separately, as are meals and any optional activities at the oasis.
What is the cancellation policy?
You can cancel without charge until 24 hours before the activity begins. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded under the current conditions.
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