Top Things to do in Huacachina, Peru
Huacachina is a peru desert oasis, the small village is centered around Huacachina Lagoon, with palm trees around it and it was thought that it’s green waters had therapeutic properties.
Hacachina comes from two Quechua words, Wakay meaning “to cry” and china meaning “young woman”. It comes from the legend of a beautiful Incan princess who lost the love of her life and her tears created the lagoon, then one day a hunter came and she ran away creating the sand dunes. It is believed that nowadays she lives as a mermaid in the lagoon.
Where is Huacachina
The oasis Huacachina is located near the city of Ica Peru, 300km south of Lima. It is one of the popular places to visit in Peru South America as people make their way south to Arequipa or Cusco.
How to get to Huacachina
There is no airport near Huacachina so you need to get the Lima to Ica bus. It takes around 5 hours by bus from Lima to Ica. There is no direct bus from Lima to Huacachina but from Ica you just need to take a taxi ica to huacachina for 10 minutes.
ATM in Huacachina
There is only one ATM in Huacachina which has a bit of a reputation for not working too often, so make sure you stop off at an ATM in Ica before you get a taxi to Huacachina as most places do not accept cards and you will need to pay by cash.
What to do in Huacachina
Here is a list of all the things there are to do in or from Huacachina. It’s a great place to spend a few days and one of the places I like to go to for relaxing and recharging.
Sandboarding in Huacachina
Huacachina is probably most famous for its sandboarding. With the Huacachina sand dunes surrounding the town it’s very easy to go Huacachina sanboarding, you just need to rent a board in town and climb whichever sand dune you feel like coming down.
If you want to get to some of the bigger dunes then it’s also fun to combine sandboarding ica with a trip in the dune buggy, there they drive you to the top of the sand dunes you and can sandboard down.
Ride in the Huacachina Dune Buggy
A ride in the dune buggy huacachina, is one of the things you have to do when you are in Peru.
You are strapped into the buggy so feel quite safe but it is like being on a crazy rollercoaster, not sure you as you are going up the next sand dune whether the drive will fly off the top of swerve at the last minute.
For the adrenaline junkies out there, it is a must and for others, a crazy experience that just keeps you screaming!!
In a few places the buggy stops to let you off so that you can sandboard down some of the dunes. Normally they start with a few of the smaller dunes and you can choose to either sit or stand on the board. The final dune is normally the biggest and the one you will need to sit down while you fly down the dune.
The trip is finished off with taking a ride to the top of a dune, where all you can see in the distance is more sand dunes to watch the sunset. This is an amazing experience and something you must do while in Huacachina.
I couldn’t recommend this tour enough. I was terrified but honestly loved it and something I always tell everyone going to Huacachina that they must do.
Paddle around Huacachina Oasis Lagoon
If you want something a little bit more relaxed then you can hire a boat or pedalo and go around Huacachina lake. The lake is only small but still it can be nice to relax on the water.
If you want you can also join the locals and paddle or swim in the lake. In the 1940’s Huacachina was a popular spa town for wealthy peruvians who would come and bathe in the water as it was believed it had healing powers.
Nowadays it’s a place a place for relaxing or cooling down in the hot weather.
Chill by the Pool
There are a number of hotels and hostels with pools in Huacachina, so if you are looking for some time to relax and chill out after a busy time exploring Peru, then this is a great place for some down time.
It can get hot in Huacachina so having a place with a pool is great to cool off. The pools are not heated though so if it’s not too sunny then the water will be very cool!!
Watch sunset from the top of a sand dune
Watching sunset while sat on the top of a sand dune is a must in Huacachina. There are 2 options for doing this. The first is to watch as part of the sand buggy trip, where you go out into the desert and have a few of only sand dunes while the sun sets.
The second option is to hike the sand dunes surrounding Huacachina and look down on the oasis while watching the sunset Huacachina. This is always very popular and you will see a lot of tourists as well as locals doing this.
Tour the Pisco Vineyards
The region of Ica is a desert but here you will find the main area in Peru for vineyards and the production of wine and Pisco.
Pisco is the national drink of Peru and many famous cocktails are made from this “Pisco Sour”. Pisco is made from the crushing of grapes and then the liquid is left to ferment for 2 weeks. The liquid is then cooked, turned into steam, condensed which results in the clear liquid we know as Pisco.
In Ica you can tour the wineries and pisco vineyards to see how Pisco is made and to try it and the famous Pisco Sour.
Visit the Nazca Lines
Nazca is around 150km from Huacachina and so a popular day trip you can do from Huacachina is the trip to Nazca to do one of the flights over the Nazca Lines.
It is around a 2 hour 30 minutes drive to Nazca and a great day trip. The Nazca Lines are amazing to see and if you are to visit then a flight is a must.
Visit Islas Ballestas “Poor Man’s Galapagos”
The Islas Ballestas are 75km from Huacachina, just over an hour by car.
From Huacachina it is possible to take a day trip to the port of Paracas, where you can board a boat for a trip around the Islas Ballestas to see the wildlife.
The Islas Ballestas are 24km offshore and are home to penguins, sea lions, blue-footed boobies, pelicans and dolphins.
The Ballestas islands are nothing like the Galapagos but if you haven’t been and want to see some wildlife out to sea then this a great 2 hour trip.
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Where to Stay in Huacachina
Personally I have always stayed in the Hotel Curasi, it is just off the main pedestrian street around the lake and has private rooms and a swimming pool. I have treated myself to a private room while in Huacachina to take some time to relax. Click here for up to date prices for Hotel Curasi.
If you are looking for something a bit more budget then check out Desert Nights Hostel and has a relaxed vibe or if you are looking for more of a party scene then Banana’s Adventure Hostel which has a pool and bar.
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