🏂🏻 Huacachina Day Trip: Sandboarding & What To Wear

Surrounding a small, natural lake, Huacachina in Peru is the only desert oasis in South America. With a population of about 100 people, the tiny village is visited by tens of thousands of people every year, primarily for sandboarding and dune buggy riding.

My day trip to Huacachina during my Peru trip was thrillingly fun, and here, I share practical tips on visiting it from Lima. This post covers:

• 🌟 Huacachina overview
• 📍 Getting there from Lima
• 🏂🏻 Sandboarding overview
• 🚙 Dune buggy overview
• 🕶️ What to wear and pack

Planning a trip? Here’s what to know about Peru.

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Huacachina at a Glance

Before getting into safety tips and what to pack, here is some general information on Huacachina to help you plan your trip.

🏂🏻 What Is Huacachina Known For?

Huacachina in Peru is known as the only desert oasis in South America. It has some of the largest sand dunes on the continent.

Its massive sand dunes make it a popular destination for visitors interested in scenic desert landscapes and adventure sports, like sandboarding, sand skiing, and dune buggy rides.

Another popular activity in Huacachina is the Pisco vineyard tour to learn about the production of Pisco sour, Peru’s national drink.

📍 Where is Huacachina Located?

Huacachina is located 191 miles (about a five-hour drive) south of the capital city of Lima. It’s located in the Ica region, just 2 miles west of the city of Ica.

🗓️  How Many Days in Huacachina?

Most people recommend staying in Huacachina for one to two days, and most visitors only do a full-day trip.

Given how small the village is (it only has about 100 residents), you can do all of the top attractions in one day and all the main attractions in two days. I booked a day trip tour, so I stayed for a full day.

This 10-day Peru itinerary incorporates a day trip to Huacachina.

☀️ Best Time to Visit Huacachina

The best time to visit Huacachina is during Peru’s dry season, which runs from May to September. This not only corresponds with Peru’s high season, but also avoids the hottest desert time in Huacachina (highs of 86 °F), which is from December to March.

I visited Huacachina in April and found the weather to be nice and warm. I also experienced no rain.

💰 How Much Does Visiting Huacachina Cost?

If you’re visiting Huacachina through a tour, which is the most common and convenient way to visit, you can expect to pay $120 to $140 USD for a day trip and $150 to $170 USD for a two-day trip. I paid $135 for my day trip tour.

I share all my travel expenses in this Peru trip cost breakdown.

How To Get From Lima to Huacachina

Huacachina and the nearby city of Ica do not have a commercial airport, so your only option for getting to Huacachina from Lima is by vehicle.

You can there by booking a tour, hiring a private taxi, taking a public bus, or renting a car.

🚐 Book an Organized Tour

The best way to visit Huacachina from Lima while balancing convenience and affordability is by booking an organized tour. Tours provide direct bus transportation and cost at least $120 for a full-day tour.

There are several tour operators operating trips between Lima and Huacachina. Peru Hop is the most well-known one and the one I booked because it was recommended to me by a friend.

Peru Hop claims to be the only direct bus to Huacachina, but you can find other highly-rated tour operators that also provide direct transportation:

• Inca Trilogy Tours offers the typical activities (sandboarding and dune buggy rides), but also stops in Ballestas Island, the mysterious Nazca Lines, and Ica for a quick wine tour.
• Adanny Tours is similar, but skips the Nazca lines and spends more time at a vineyard.
• Lima Highlights Tours and Sam Travel Experience offer an expensive tour where you can take a flight over the Nazca Lines before getting to Huacachina.

When booking tour operators to Huacachina, look for operators with a good track record and high ratings. This will not only ensure that your trip is well-run, but that you also stay safe when doing sand dune activities.

🚕 Hire a Private Taxi

The most convenient, but expensive, way to travel from Lima to Huacachina is to hire a private taxi.

A private taxi can depart on your schedule, allowing you more flexibility. But the price of a private taxi can be over $200 and cost more than an entire full-day organized tour.

🚌 Take a Public Bus

Local buses run from Lima to the Ica district daily. Once you get to Ica, you’ll have to take a taxi from Ica to Huacachina, which takes about 10 minutes.

The bus is a very affordable option, but not geared towards tourists, so navigating the bus system and ensuring you get on a safe, quality bus can be challenging for foreigners.

🚙 Book a Rental Car

You can also rent a car and drive yourself from Lima to Huacachina.

While the highway connecting Lima and Huacachina is straightforward, most people do not rent cars in Peru for a variety of reasons:

• It’s not necessarily more affordable
• The road conditions can be poor
• Cell signal is not stable everywhere
• Peruvian drivers have a notorious reputation for being aggressive drivers

If you plan to drive yourself, make sure you’re well prepared and are a confident driver.

Is Huacachina Worth Visiting?

Huacachina is one of my most unforgettable experiences in Peru, along with hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

To help you decide whether it’s worth visiting Huacachina, below are the experience’s highlights and lowlights.

⭐️ Highlights of a Trip to Huacachina

Here are some of the best things about Huacachina:

• One of the best places to sandboard in the world – Home to some of the highest sand dunes in South America, Huacachina is a great place for sandboarders of all levels and hosts the Sandboarding World Cup annually.

Sandboarding is like snowboarding, but on sand, and you can do it even if you don’t have any experience. Almost all standard Huacachina day trip tours include sandboarding as an activity.

• Unique experience – People often rave about their first time in Huacachina because of the distinctive landscape and adventure sports. I’ve never done sandboarding or dune buggy riding (and frankly, I barely knew what either activity entailed before my trip to Peru), but can attest it was a lot of fun.
• Unreal landscape – Being in Huacachina can feel like you’re on another planet. Peering down from the top of the dunes, you’ll see a small lake surrounded by endless mountains of sand and a tiny town encircled by palm trees, which is a truly odd sight.

Huacachina also has one of the most beautiful sunsets. Many full-day tours also include a sunset tour.

👎 Lowlights of a Trip to Huacachina

Here are some of the worst things about Huacachina:

• Long transportation time – The only way to get to Huacachina from Lima is by driving and it is a long five hours each way. Huacachina is usually a one to two-day trip for visitors, so it’s a long drive for a short visit.
• Tours don’t spend all their time in Huacachina – Most visitors get to Huacachina through an organized tour. Every tour I researched makes at least one additional stop along the route (usually in Ballestas Islands), which means you don’t get to maximize your time in Huacachina.

For a different kind of adventure in Peru, check out the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Sandboarding in Huacachina

Here’s what you need to know about the sandboarding experience in Huacachina if this is your first time visiting.

🏂🏻 What is Sandboarding?

Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding except on sand. You are strapped into a wooden board and get to go down huge sand dunes for a thrilling moment.

Experience and skills are required to be able to control the speed and remain standing. The majority of Huacachina day trip tours include sandboarding as an activity.

Sandboarding has its own specialized gear and equipment, but tourists in Huacachina simply need to wear closed-toe shoes. See the full Huacachina packing list below.

⚡️ Is Sandboarding in Huacachina Safe?

Sandboarding in Huacachina is safe for beginners and first-timers.

Here are things to know about sandboarding safety in Huacachina:

• The risk of falling is low because you’ll likely be lying down – Since standing up requires some skill and experience, most visitors are instructed to lie down, stomach down, on their boards.

If you want to try standing up, the guides will let you, but you’ll likely fall unless you’re an adaptive and experienced snowboarder.

• If you do fall or roll off your board, the sandy slopes will slow your momentum – The surrounding sand is very soft, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll have serious injuries while sliding down a sand dune.
• You’re a safe distance away from other sandboarders – There are a ton of sand dunes around Huacachina and guides will ensure that you are not sliding down near another sandboarder. For the large hills with a single lane, the guides will ensure the person in front of you has finished sliding before letting you go.
• Only licensed, professional drivers are allowed to drive dune buggies – While sandboarding, you won’t get hit by the dune buggies driving in Huacachina. These drivers know to avoid sandboarding areas, so you won’t have a visitor driving a dune buggy into you and injuring you.

💪 Is Sandboarding in Huacachina Difficult?

As someone who doesn’t skateboard or snowboard, I wondered, “How easy is it to pick up sandboarding as a beginner?” It’s challenging to near impossible to stand up on big hills, but you can give it a try on small hills.

As mentioned above, most tourists will be lying flat on their stomachs while going down a sand dune. Your primary job is to keep your legs up and to hold on to your board.

If you go on an organized tour, you’ll only be sandboarding for one to two hours, which isn’t enough time for the majority of people to master standing up on a sandboard.

Dune Buggy Rides in Huacachina

Here’s what you need to know about dune buggy riding in Huacachina if this is your first time visiting.

🚙 What Are Dune Buggy Rides?

A dune buggy is an open, off-roading vehicle specifically designed to drive on sand dunes. Dune buggying is the recreational activity of driving those vehicles.

During your dune buggy tour, a professional driver will drive up and down the sand dunes at high speeds for a wild ride. Most standard Huacachina day trip tours include dune buggying as an activity.

Going on a buggy tour is similar to riding a roller coaster. However, I don’t enjoy roller coasters and I loved dune buggy riding. All riders, myself included, spent most of the ride screaming and laughing as we sped through a landscape similar to the ones in Mad Max.

⚡️ Is Riding a Dune Buggy in Huacachina Safe?

Here are two things to know about the safety of riding a dune buggy in Huacachina:

• Only experienced drivers are allowed to drive – As mentioned above, visitors are not allowed to rent and drive dune buggies in Huacachina for safety reasons. Only professional drivers with special permits are allowed to operate them.

Many dune buggy drivers have been driving for years (my driver has been driving one for 12 years) and know the surrounding areas well enough to avoid sandboarders.

• You will be strapped down by seat belts – Your driver should make sure everyone is strapped in, tell you to remove your hat so it doesn’t fly off, and hold on to your bag tightly before they start driving.

The best thing you can do to guarantee your safety is to book a tour operator with a good track record. Good tour operators have a higher chance of partnering with experienced drivers with vehicles in good condition.

Essential Tips for a Huacachina Day Trip

Here are tips as you prepare for your Huacachina trip:

• Leave early – Since it takes five hours to travel from Lima to Huacachina one-way, you’ll see that most tour operators will have a 4 to 6 am pickup time. You need to leave early to take advantage of your day trip to Huacachina.
• Consider packing motion sickness meds – Most Huacachina tours also stop in Ballesta Island where you’ll take a two-hour speedboat tour, see Humboldt penguins, and learn some fascinating facts. When the boat stops for visitors to look at the islands, the rocking of the boat is fairly strong.
• Maybe bring a swimsuit – Some people suggest bringing a swimsuit underneath your clothes for the Ballestas Islands speedboat portion, but I think that’s unnecessary unless you’re traveling during the wet season.

• Leave valuable belongings behind – While sandboarding and riding a dune buggy, you won’t want to carry many things with you. Many tour operators allow you to store things at a hostel, but those storages are open and do not have locks, so anyone can access them.
• If you’re given the opportunity to hike a sand dune, do it – It’s a fun physical challenge, the views are amazing, and the “half slide, half walk” that you’ll need to do to get back down is entertaining.

• Don’t forget to bring small bills – Tipping is customary and expected in Peru, so bring some cash for your dune buggy driver.

Packing List for a Huacachina Trip

A Huacachina day trip will last about 18 hours, from around 6 am to midnight. If you’re going with an organized tour, you’ll need to pack for a five-hour bus ride, speedboat tour, sand dune hiking, sandboarding, and dune buggy riding.

Here’s what to pack and wear to Huacachina.

The Peru trip planner below has this packing list in a downloadable Notion.

🎒 What to Pack to Huacachina

Here are the items to bring on the trip and then store before hiking a sand dune, sandboarding, or riding a dune buggy in Huacachina:

• Snacks – It’s a long bus ride trip in the morning and you’re only provided lunch and dinner, so bring breakfast and some snacks.
• Raincoat – If you’re traveling during Peru’s wet season, which runs from December to February, consider bringing a raincoat with you to Huacachina.
• Light jacket (optional) – If you’re wearing a tank or short sleeve, consider bringing a light jacket for the bus ride, as some buses can be cool.
• Earplugs and sleeping masks (optional) – Since you’ll be picked up early (between 4 and 6 am) and be back in Lima around midnight, you might want to catch some sleep on the bus ride. Consider bringing earplugs and a sleeping mask if they help you sleep.

I also recommend bringing a small daypack while hiking a sand dune, sandboarding, or riding a dune buggy. Bring one that you won’t mind getting sandy. Here’s what to carry in your daypack:

• Water bottle – Water is not available during sandboarding or riding a dune buggy, so pack some water in advance. I brought a water bottle that keeps water cold for hours.
• Phone or camera – Bring your phone or camera for photos and make sure it’s tucked away during sandboarding.
• Sunscreen – You’ll want sunscreen to protect yourself against Huacachina’s sun. I recommend packing sports sunscreen in your daypack if you think you’ll need to reapply within three hours, which is roughly how long you’ll be out in the sun on a day trip.
• Cash – Bring small bills to tip your dune buggy driver as tipping is customary and expected in Peru.

😎 What to Wear for Sandboarding in Huacachina

When in doubt about what to wear in Huacachina, remember that you want to be light and protect yourself against the sun and sand. Here’s what I recommend wearing:

• A breathable top (tank, short sleeve, or long sleeve) – Huacachina will be warm (it gets down to 68 °F during the winters), so you want to wear something athletic and breathable. For more protection, opt for a sun hoodie.
• Athletic or breathable bottom (shorts, leggings, or loose pants) – I wore leggings, my partner wore shorts, and I saw other people wearing loose pants. All of these options work. I even saw one woman wearing a loose, athletic dress. You don’t want to wear jeans.
• Sunglasses – When you slide down a sand dune or ride a dune buggy, you’ll want to protect your eyes from the sand. I brought my athletic sunglasses, which were very helpful.
• Light hiking shoes – Running shoes are fine in Huacachina, but you might feel more comfortable with the extra support of lightweight hiking shoes. I wore my Salomon hiking shoes.
• Buff – It’s a good idea to buy a nicer buff to protect your face from the wind and sand. Many vendors in Huacachina will try to sell you a buff if you don’t have one already.

• Sports bra (optional) – Given the Huacachina activities, I brought and recommend wearing a sports bra over a regular bra.
• Sun hat (optional) – I didn’t bring a sun hat, but I saw a few people wearing one for extra sun protection. Make sure to take it off during your dune buggy ride though.

Peru Trip Planner

To make your travel planning easier, download the trip planner below and use it as a starting point. The planner has country-specific travel information, an itinerary, a packing list, and a map with key places pinned.

The trip planner is built on Notion, which I use for all my travel planning (I genuinely love this tool). If you don’t have Notion, creating an account is free.

Thoughts? Questions? Leave a comment below.