THE CITY OF ICA & THE OASIS HUACACHINA. 2 DAYS PROGRAM DEPARTING FROM LIMA.

Program: 2 Days / 1 Night

Day 1º: Private car to the city of Ica – Dune Buggy tour in the afternoon. Overnight at the Huacachina Oasis.

08:30 hrs. Our clients are picked up from their hotel in Lima and then travel by private transportation to the city of Ica, located in the south, some 4 hours away. Upon our arrival in Ica we will head towards the Huacachina Oasis where our hotel is located. Time free at the hotel for lunch. (Huacachina has plenty of restaurants overlooking the lagoon so you may just walk a round anf find one.)
16:00 hrs. You will be picked up from the restaurant by our local guide and afterwards we will start our dune buggy excursion to the desert of Huacachina. We will drive across the desert in a 4x4 buggy vehicle, and will make various stops along the way for pictures. The desert of Ica is the most beautiful in our country and offers stunning landscapes, not only of sand dunes, but also of the Huacachina lagoon, from above. There will be some points where you will have the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of one of most popular sports in Ica “Sandboarding”. Our driver will take you to the summit of some dunes, and from the very top you will be able to slide down. Before you start to sand surf, our guide/instructor will teach you specific techniques to ensure a safety ride. There are actually plenty spots to sandboard around Huacachina Oasis, with a wide variety of dunes, suitable for the very beginners, as well as for professional sand boarders. Bear in mind that on this tour you will not have to walk up the dunes to go for a second or a third ride, our driver will do all the lifting job for you. As you can see it will be very easy and cool. Finally we will return to the hotel. Overnight at the Hotel Hosteria Suiza or similar.

What is included on this day?

• 08:30 hrs. Pick up from your hotel in Lima & transfer by private vehicle to the city of Ica. (Private transportation shared with a small group - Avarage 6 participants)
• Dune Buggy Excursion around the desert of Huacachina + Entrance fees.
• Accommodation at the Hotel Hosteria Suiza *** or similar. (Double or Matrimonial room)

What is not included?

• Meals.
• Extras & gratuities.

 

Day 2 º: City Tour of Ica. Visit the Vineyards of Pisco, the Regional museum of Ica and Ica's downtown.- Return to Lima by private transportation.

09:00 hrs. You will be picked up from your hotel in Huacachina. We will start our city tour with a guided visit to the Regional Museum of Ica, an interesting building that houses the remains of the ancient cultures that developed on the southern coast. We will start our visit, walking through the pre-Inca rooms, which display fine textiles from the Paracas people, wonderful pieces from the Nazca culture, featuring amazing musical instruments and great pictures of the Nazca Lines. Here we will also see some spectacular weapons and wood carvings from the Wari Empire, Ica Chincha and Inca culture. On the other side of the Museum, we will visit the anthropological room, which exhibits human remains from the same cultures mentioned above, featuring deformed skulls, cranial surgery practiced on ancient Peruvians, beautiful head-dresses, well preserve mummies, including babies and trophy heads. Later on we will travel further north and visit a Vineyard of Pisco. At the bodegas, as they are locally known, we will do a nice walking tour exploring with a local guide the premises where this delicious Peruvian drink is made. According to history this Brandy-like liquor was made since 1540 in Peru, and at this time it was known simply as a spirit drink, it was not till the XVII century that the grape brandy was baptized as Pisco. It is said that when the Incas arrived in this area around 1450th, they saw millions of sea birds at shore of the Pacific Ocean, near the bay of Paracas and they were so amazed, that they baptized the area with the name of Pisco, a Quechua word that means “bird” and that later would pass the name to the spirit. Here we will learn more details about this popular drink, visiting the whole vineyard, including the tasting room where you can try the different types of spirit the locals produce.
12:00 hrs. We will return to Lima on our private transportation. Our driver will stop at a nice restaurant on the way back to Lima for lunch. (lunch at your own expense). We will be arriving in Lima around 18:00 hrs. Upon arrival our driver will drop you off at your hotel in Lima. End of the tour.

What is included on this day?

• Breakfast at the hotel in Huacachina.
• Visit to a traditional vineyard of Pisco + entrance fees.
• Visit to the archaeological Museum of Ica + entrance fees.
• Visit Ica's main square.
• Return to Lima by private vehicle. (Private transportation shared with a small group - Avarage 6 participants)
• Dop off at your hotel in Lima.

What is not included?

• Meals.
• Extras & gratuities.

Departures:

• 08:00 hrs. or at request.

Recommendations:

• On this tour you must bring light clothing, as the weather on the southern coast used to be very hot, especially in summer time (from December to March) when temperatures can reach 40º C / 104 ºF sometimes.
• We suggest to bring sun block to avoid sun burning, a hat, a bottle of water and sun glasses.

Additional information:

• All your personal information is required at the moment of your booking.
• Confirmation of the excursion will be received at time of booking.
• All tours are operated in English unless otherwise stated.

Travel voucher:.

• You will receive an electronic voucher via e-mail once your booking is confirmed.
• For every confirmed booking you will be required to print your electronic voucher for presentation at the moment we start the excursion. The electronic voucher acts as a confirmation for all the services you request.

Local Operator Information:

• We will send you complete operator information, including phone numbers at your destination.
• Our Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.