Huacachina: How to Visit Peru's Desert Oasis

The dune buggy and sandboarding tours are epic. There aren’t many regulations in Peru and the drivers will take you on a ride you won’t soon forget. The buggies fly over the dunes stopping at progressively higher ones so that you can participate in the second aspect of this tour -— sandboarding. It’s not like snowboarding, and you’re more likely to seat your ass than stay upright, but they also give you the option of zooming down on your stomach (which I recommend). Just one tip, keep your mouth closed or you’ll be picking sand out of your teeth long into the night.

How to get there

5 hours south of Lima and just an hour east of the Pacific coast is Huacachina. The closest town is Ica. Coming from Lima, the best way is to take a bus -— Cruz del Sur, Peru Hop and Soyuz have frequent trips —- to Ica and then a 10 minute cab ride to Huacachina.

What to consider

• The town is so tiny you can walk around the entirety of it in a few minutes.
• Taxis frequently go to Ica.
• Did you know Peru makes wine? You can take wine tours (and even better taste the Pisco) in Ica—they range from industrial operations to very rustic antiquities.
• From late February to early March is the grape harvest, and if you’re in Ica then, you might be encouraged to take off your shoes and help squash the grapes, a la I Love Lucy.
• You’ll want to catch the sunset from the tops of the dunes. Most of the afternoon tours will keep you on the dunes to see the sun dip.
• Bring cash to Huacachina. There’s only one ATM in the town, and it’s often out of money.
• You can stay in Huacachina, but the food and drink is way overpriced. It’s worth the charm of it, though.