HUACACHINA OASIS & THE PARACAS RESERVE; 2 DAYS PROGRAM DEPARTING FROM LIMA.

Program: 2 Days / 1 Night

Day 1º: Early departure to the city of Ica – Visit the vineyards of Pisco & wine - Regional Museum of Ica - Dune Buggy Excursion in Huacachina.

08:00 hrs. Our clients are picked up from their hotel in Lima and then travel by private car to the city of Ica, located in the south, some 4 hours away. Once we reach the city of Ica, we will start our tour with a guided visit to the Vineyards 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.
Later on, we will visit 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. Afterwards we will drive southwest towards the Oasis of La Huacachina where our hotel is located. Free time for lunch.
16:00 hrs. You will be picked up from your hotel 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. Keep 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 returnt to the hotel in Huacachina. Overnight at the Hotel Hosteria Suiza *** or similar.

What is included on this day?

• 08:00 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)
• Visit to a traditional vineyard of Pisco + entrance fees.
• Visit to the archaeological Museum of Ica + entrance fees.
• Dune Buggy Excursion around the desert of Huacachina + Entrance fees. (Group avarage - 6 participants.)
• Accommodation at the Hotel Hosteria Suiza *** or similar.

What is not included?

• Meals.
• Extras & gratuities.

Day 2º: Early departure to the Paracas Bay - Boat Excursion to the Ballestas Islands – Land Tour to the Paracas Reserve – Return to Lima in the afternoon.

06:30 hrs. You will be met by our driver/representative at your hotel in Ica and then we will board a private machine and will drive for about 1 hour till the Paracas Bay. At the Paracas Bay we will be met by our local guide who will lead us to the port where we will board a speed boat to visit the Ballestas Islands. During our boat excursion to the Islands you will see many attractions, among them, stands out a huge design etched on the slope of hill, known by the local people as The Candelabra. This is an enormous figure that can be seen clearly from the sea. Our local guide will explain the most important theories concerning this drawing. Afterwards, we will continue our excursion around the Ballestas Islands, where you will see hundreds of birds flying (Peruvian Bobbies, Inca terms, Pelicans, Cormorants and others) above the Islands, as well as dozens of sea lions on the shore of the beaches, and if you are lucky you also can see the famous Humboldt Penguins and dolphins swimming nearby. It is not allowed to land on the Island, which means you will spend all the tour on the boat. After our visit to the islands, we will visit the Paracas Peninsula by land. During our land excursion to the Paracas Reserve, visitors will be able to see some groups of flamingos feeding at the shore of the Ocean. In order to have a better view of them, we will do a short walk to a little tower, from where it is possible to see them better. According to some scholars, the colours of these beautiful birds inspired the general Don Jose de San Martin (the man who set us free from the Spanish crown and declared our independence) to create our red and white Peruvian flag when he landed at the Paracas bay. Later on we will visit the centre of interpretation of Paracas, an interesting building that displays through pictures and scale models, all the fauna, flora, and many other important facts about the Paracas Peninsula. Afterwards we will drive across the Paracas Peninsula following a dirty road, stopping at some beaches for photos. On the beaches we will be able to get off of the car and go for a short walk along the shores. Finally we will visit the little fishing village of Lagunillas, a nice place where we will enjoy a good lunch on a nice restaurant overlooking the ocean.(meals are not included). After lunch we will return to the city of Lima in our private machine. Upon arrival in Lima our driver will drop you off at your hotel. (18:00 hrs). End of the tour.

What is included on this day?

• 06:30 hrs. Pick up from your hotel in Huacachina transfer by private vehicle to the Paracas Bay. (Private transportation shared with a small group - Avarage 6 participants)
• Boat Excursion to the Ballestas Islands + Entrance fees. (Group avarage - 20 participants)
• Land tour the Paracas National Reserve + Entrance fees.
• Return to Lima by private vehicle. (Private transportation shared with a small group - Avarage 6 participants)
• Drop off at your hotel in Lima.

What is not included?

• Meals.
• Extras & gratuities.

Departures:

• 08:00 hrs or als 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.