How to Get From Lima to Huacachina (2023)
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Are you traveling around Peru and need to get from Lima to Huacachina?
Quick Facts
Huacachina is a natural oasis in the desert about three and a half hours south of Lima. It’s said to be the only natural oasis in South America. They’re being a bit generous with the word natural.
To be clear, it used to be fully natural, but as our world changes, the oasis has begun to dry up, so the lagoon, does get some supplemental help.
The oasis is a ten or fifteen-minute drive from the nearby city of Ica, where you can find some good Pisco-tasting tours.
Surrounding Ica and the Huacachina oasis are miles and miles of desert dunes. It’s not at all like the deserts we Americans are used to in the southwest.
The dunes are tall and the sand is soft like fresh snow. These dunes are great places for activities like sandboarding or ATVs.
It’s a super cool place to visit! The only problem? It’s three and a half hours from Lima to Huacachina. It can be a bit tricky to get to if you’re trying to plan your trip to Peru.
How to Get From Lima to Huacachina
There are a handful of ways to get there. I’ll line them all up for you and give you my recommendations, on what I believe to be the best way to get to and see Huacachina.
Your mileage may vary on preferred travel methods, so I’ll include as many as possible. I’ll also throw in a few tips for getting there from other parts of the country like Cusco and Arequipa.
Rent a Car
Personally, I don’t like to drive when I travel. But, I know not everyone is like me. It’s probably better NOT to be like me when I think about it.
So, for those of you not like me, the best option for renting a car is Discover Cars.
With that tool, you can customize pick-up and drop-off locations and times to fit your trip planning.
If you’re going to drive in Peru, especially in Lima, be careful. The streets of Lima are some of the most chaotic I’ve seen in my North American travels. My ride from the airport to my hostel in Miraflores was bordering terrifying and nausea-inducing.
The route to Huacachina is actually pretty simple.
- Hop on the Panamerican Highway and drive south until you reach Ica.
- Get off the Panamerican Highway at the Ayacaba and turn right.
- Turn left after a few blocks onto the street called Huacachina.
- Follow that for ten minutes and you’re there!
Day Trip/Tour
If you don’t want to rent a car you may want to visit Huacachina on a day trip from Lima. This is a good option if you’re not going to be traveling Peru by bus like many people do.
If you want Lima to be your home base, I recommend doing a day trip, because Huacachina is something you won’t want to miss!
The good news about day trips is that there is a lot to see on the route from Lima to Huacachina, and tour companies usually include all of it. On a day trip, you’ll be able to see.
- Paracas – take a tour of the coastal nature reserve or a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands where you’ll see a diverse selection of wildlife
- Ica – visit a Pisco winery and taste the different types of Pisco while learning how it’s made
- Huacachina – the reason we’re here, where you can have the unique experience of an exhilarating dune buggy ride out into the desert and sandboarding down the dunes
If you want to check out Huacachina and the rest but don’t plan on traveling around the rest of Peru, this is the way to do it! You’ll meet some new people and have a ton of fun!
Private Car/Tour
If the tour experience intrigues you but you prefer a private option for just you and your friends or spouse, there are private tours available. You’ll still go to Paracas and see the reserve and the Ballestas Islands, the Pisco tour in Ica, and sandboard the dunes of Huacachina.
This is a more luxurious option, so of course, it will be more pricey, but if you’re accustomed to private tours and private transportation with onboard wi-fi, it’ll be worth it for you.
Our private tour recommendation is all-inclusive and perfect for those looking to have the experience of the tour with a personal touch. The guides are bilingual and very friendly and helpful throughout the day (it is a long day!).
You’ll be offered some snacks in the morning and lunch is included. There is even a vegetarian option for lunch. This recommendation is a luxurious way to get from Lima to Huacachina and see all the sights in between.
Local Bus
The most affordable and budget-friendly way to travel around Peru, specifically from Lima to Huacachina in this case is by local bus. There are a few to choose from, but I recommend Cruz del Sur.
If you choose this option, I’m confident you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The ticket prices are more than reasonable, and the buses are quite large and comfortable.
There exists a bit of a stigma around using local public transportation. Traveling with Cruz del Sur will change that for you. This option requires a bit more planning and research on departure times, tour times (assuming you want to do activities along the way), and return times.
When you rent a car, you have a bit more freedom. When you use a tour option, all the logistics are done for you.
This is certainly the most affordable option, but be prepared to try to line up your tour times to make sure you can get the bus you need back to Lima, or onward if you choose.
Peru Hop
If you want the most inclusive and logistically easy option, Peru Hop might be for you. It’s not the cheapest option, I’ll tell you that, but it takes out a lot of the guesswork.
This option is more for those who are looking to travel past Huacachina and see more of Peru. If you’re looking to see Huacachina and then return to Lima, this option isn’t for you, I’d go with one of the above-discussed options.
Their most popular ticket is called Full South to Cusco. The cost at the time of this writing is $219. There’s a lot of bang for your buck there though. Stops include:
- Paracas (choice of national reserve or Ballestas Islands tour included)
- Huacachina (included Pisco tour)
- Nazca (lines and town)
- Arequipa
- Puno
- Cusco
So, you’ve got some included tours here that you’d normally find yourself paying for. You’re also going to sneakily save some money on lodging, as two of the five nights of their recommended itinerary are spent on overnight bus rides.
If that five-night recommended itinerary is too fast for you, you can extend your stay at any of the stops on the Peru Hop website by logging in with your ticket information.
You’re not just getting bus transport either. There is also a guide on every bus that will give you information and recommendations at each stop and help you set up whatever tour activities you want to do.
If you want to travel around the country and visit more cities in Peru, this is a great way to do it. Don’t let the price tag scare you away. You’re getting a LOT for your money.
From Cusco
Some people start their Peru trip by immediately flying to Cusco from Lima so they can get right to Machu Picchu and everything else Cusco has to offer.
If this is the case for you, and you want to see more of Peru, I’d recommend the reverse Peru Hop ticket, Full South to Lima. The cost of this option at the time of this writing is $189, a little cheaper than starting in Lima.
If Lima and Cusco are your only Peruvian destinations, then I’d recommend our day trip or private tour options after returning to Lima.
From Arequipa
If you find yourself in Arequipa, Peru’s most beautiful city, it’s likely you got there by way of a local bus or you have flown into their airport, so congrats on your sense of adventure!
If you’ve already finished all the best tours in Arequipa and now are ready to move on to Huacachina, I’d recommend the local bus option with Cruz del Sur. Stop in Nazca if you like, but for me, that’s skippable and only serves as a place to stretch your legs.
Again, this is the most affordable and budget-friendly option.
Peru Hop also has an option for a ticket from Arequipa for a price of $139 (again, at the time of this writing), but if you’re already in Arequipa, it might not give you quite as much bang for your buck.
Taking the local bus and finding tour activities upon arrival would likely be your best bet in this case.
Huacachina FAQs
Huacachina is pretty small. It’s one of those places you might not have heard about until you land in Peru and start hearing about all the fun that happens there. But, it’s definitely worth visiting.
There are a few things to know before you to help you plan for your Peru trip.
Is Huacachina Safe?
I would not recommend a destination to my readers if I didn’t believe it to be safe. So, yes! Huacachina is safe.
You should still use caution and common sense. I also recommend you check out our post on traveling around Peru safely.
Before planning your trip, and before leaving home, it’s a good idea to check travel advisories for Peru.
Where Should I Stay in Huacachina?
If you’ve read anything else I’ve written, you know I love hostels. I recommend staying in them for trips like these because I believe it enhances the experience.
For my money, the best hostel to stay in Huacachina is Banana’s Adventure Hostel. It’s laid back, has a nice food menu, and a great outdoor area to hang by the pool, bar, or play some foosball.
It’s also close to all the party spots so you can have a fun night then come back and get a decent night’s sleep. Also, it’s super easy to meet people and make friends at Banana’s.
What Else is There to Do in Huacachina?
In Huacachina, the sandboarding tour is definitely the highlight and main attraction. But there are a TON of other things to do!
If you’re just looking to chill and relax, the courtyard at Banana’s is the perfect place to do it. Between the restaurant, bar, pool, and games, there is plenty to do.
If you want something a little more upbeat, walk down the street to Wild Rover, where there is a party every night. When loud music and dancing are what you’re looking for, this is the spot and is the best party in Huacachina.
If you want to grab a few drinks in a cool spot, a few doors down from Banana’s, on the lagoon side, is a bar called Huacafuckingchina. This is a fun place to hang out, and a photo op at the very least.
The nearby town of Ica is a great place to do a pisco tour and tasting. You can tour the distilleries and the cellars and learn all about how pisco is made. Of course, you’ll also try more different types than you even imagined could exist!
Getting Around Huacachina
I mentioned before that Huacachina is pretty small. The nice thing about this is that everything is pretty close together. There’s no need to rent a car or anything.
Everything you will want or need to do in the oasis is walkable. If you want to get out of the oasis and over to the town of Ica, you can get a taxi. Just remember not to accept the first price they give you.
How Many Days in Huacachina?
My Huacachina itinerary went like this:
- Arrived in the afternoon
- Did the sandboarding tour almost immediately
- Dinner and drinks after the sunset
- Hostel breakfast and walk around the lagoon
- Departed at 10:00 a.m.
- Pisco tour and tasting at Nietto on the way out
Now, I wish I had one more night to spend in Huacachina because there’s another desert activity that I wanted to do. I wanted to do the ATV activity and take the ATVs out into the desert and kick up some sand.
The hostel didn’t have room for me for an extended night though, so I didn’t get a chance.
Technically one night at Banana’s was enough, but I would have liked another night, so I’m recommending spending two nights to make sure you have enough time to do all the activities and still enjoy the town and the oasis.
I should note that the sandboarding tours are available as a day trip from Lima, but I recommend leaving Lima behind and staying in Huacachina.
Can I Swim in the Huacachina Lagoon?
The answer to this question is yes, but DON’T! You won’t get in trouble for swimming, as it’s technically allowed. But the locals will look at you funny and you might get a few concerned citizens telling you to get out.
Due to its state of drying up, it’s mostly stagnant water, which is a breeding ground for bacteria and all kinds of things you want nothing to do with.
Instead, rent a paddle boat and get on the water that way. It’s much safer.
Conclusion: How to Get From Lima to Huacachina
If you’re trying to get from Lima to Huacachina, you’re now equipped with everything you need. I even threw in some tips to get there from Cusco or Arequipa, in case you’ve planned your trip that way.
No matter what you had planned in your original Peru itinerary, I urge you to add Huacachina in. I didn’t know about Huacachina when I planned my trip originally, and I added it in and found it to be one of my favorite stops!
I’m confident that if you find your way there by way of the recommendations and advice in this post, you won’t regret it.
Have fun out there!