Ica, Peru
A natural desert oasis surrounded by towering sand dunes. Ride tubular buggies, sandboard down the slopes, and watch the desert sunset.
4.9 from 10,196 traveller reviews on Viator
Tickets & tours
Compare dune buggies, day trips, and overnight glamping.
Most bookedA ONCE IN A LIFETIME Day Trip from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina Oasis with Peru Hop, the MOST HIGHLY REVIEWED Company in Peru. Our Huge Luxury Buses are almost...
Top ratedImmerse yourself in the thrill of the Huacachina desert with an exclusive buggy UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) tour. Navigate through stunning sand dunes while enjoying...
Your adventure begins with an exciting dune buggy ride through the towering desert dunes, where you'll feel the adrenaline rush as you speed up and down. We'll make...
Explore
Read about the main areas around the lagoon.
The surrounding dunes reach up to 100 meters high.
Sandboarding requires lying on your stomach for safety.
Plan your visit
Most buggy tours last 2 hours. Plan for a half-day or an overnight stay.
April to November offers milder days. Summer brings extreme heat.
Direct tourist buses take 4.5 to 5.5 hours from Lima.
Standard shared buggy tours cost $15 to $25 USD. Keep cash for the dune tax.
Huacachina is a natural desert oasis located 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of Ica. A small village rings a green lagoon, completely surrounded by sand dunes. The desert environment receives just 1 centimeter (0.39 inches) of rain annually.
Visitors come to ride tubular 4x4 buggies and try sandboarding. Learn more about Desert Dunes or explore Oasis Village. Entry to the village is free 24/7, but dune access requires a municipal tax.
You can reach the oasis from Lima by bus. Read our guide on the Lima Bus Guide for exact transit times and options.
We clarify which day trips offer direct drop-offs versus taxi transfers.
We highlight where the S/ 8 municipal tax is not included.
We recommend tours that perfectly align with the desert sunset.
From Viator
10,196 reviews of the paracas & huacachina day trip on Viator
Tour was incredible, really good value for money. The boat trip was so nice, we got to see sea lions and penguins! Also the buggy ride and sand boarding was so fun not as scary as expected haha. Our guide Katherine was amazing and she organised everything so well for us so we would have the best experience and kept us informed, especially about our safety in Huacachina.
This was a great excursion! Our guide Katherine was incredible and did a great job making the trip easy and fun! Definitely recommend this tour!
Such a fun experience! I loved the boat tour and pisco winery but the absolute best part was the dune buggying in the sand dunes. Best part of our trip! The tour guide was fun and made the whole experience worthwhile.
Excellent tour, totally worth it if you ever visit Lima. Our tour guide Jacqueline was amazing, professional, and knowledgeable. Highly recommended
Maurisio was our guide and he was excellent! He asked us before how fast we wanted to go and catered everything to what we wanted. He gave us lots of time and took us to some nice locations for pictures. Highly recommend.
It was a core memory for me… the experience was flawless. Very organized great and thoughtful people.
We had the best experience on this tour! They picked us up and dropped us off at our Airbnb, and we had SO much fun on the tour! Couldn’t recommend our driver, Jota, more!
Good experience Was given the option of a slow, medium or fast buggy/group. I chose the fast group, we went up and down the dunes, fast, felt like a rollercoaster. We then travelled using the buggy to 4 different slopes where we could sandboard, belly down. Our driver Armando was very good. We then viewed the sunset with a fire, pisco and beer. Really enjoyed it, excellent scenery.
So much fun from beginning to end! Would 100% do this again and recommend to everyone! You won’t regret it!
Travel tips
Lima Bus GuideCompare public buses and direct tourist buses from Lima.Read 
Buggy Tour PricesLearn the true cost of dune buggy rides, local taxes, and sandboards.Read 
Best TimeFind the best months to visit and the top daily times for dune tours.Read 
Lima Day TripsHow to combine the Ballestas Islands and Huacachina in one day.Read 
Packing for BuggiesWhat to wear for sandboarding and dune buggy tours in the desert.Read 
Ica vs HuacachinaCompare staying at the oasis lagoon versus booking a hotel in Ica.Read Yes. It offers a unique landscape of towering dunes and an emerald lagoon. It is widely considered one of Peru's top spots for sandboarding and high-speed dune buggy rides.
One day is enough for most visitors. You can complete the buggy tour and walk the lagoon in a few hours. Some stay overnight to experience the desert evening.
You take a bus south. Public buses run to Ica in about 4.5 hours, requiring a taxi transfer. Tourist buses drive directly into the oasis. Read more in our Lima Bus Guide guide.
No, swimming is prohibited. Visitors can rent pedal boats or rowboats to enjoy the water safely.
A fair price for a standard shared tour is $15 to $25 USD. You must also pay an S/ 8 municipal tax in cash. See the Buggy Tour Prices breakdown.
No. The closest major international airport is in Lima. You must travel by bus or car to reach the oasis.
Browse all buggy options and secure your spot.
