2 Day Tour from Lima: Paracas, Ballestas Island and Huacachina
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Lima, Peru
- 2 days (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Embark on a 2-day adventure to Paracas, Ballestas Island, and Huacachina from Lima. Begin by spotting the diverse marine life, including sea lions, penguins, and dolphins, on a boat tour around Ballestas Island. Next, take a guided tour of the Paracas National Reserve and enjoy spectacular views along the Pacific coastline. Finally, visit the oasis of Huacachina and take a thrilling dune buggy and sandboarding experience.
- Make the most of your limited vacation time in Peru
- Enjoy the convenience of all-inclusive transportation
- Upgrade the tour to include an ATV experience
- Get complimentary admission to all visited attractions
What's Included
- Luxury Transportation: Exclusive luxury buses equipped with air conditioning and onboard restrooms
- Stay connected with free high-speed Wi-Fi powered by Starlink, available on every Peru Hop bus
- Pick up and drop off at your hotel
- 2-hour boat tour to the Ballestas Island
- Paracas National Reserve Tour
- 2-Hour Sandboarding, Dune Buggy Tour with Sunset Toast
- Bilingual Guide
- The Only company with Luxury Buses for the long journey, others use small vans
- Secret Slave Tunnels, Hacienda San Jose
- Food
- Accommodation
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
View the pickup list when booking to see if your hotel is included among the pickup points. If it is not on the list, choose “I'll decide later" or "My hotel is not on the list" and after booking let us know where you are staying. We will inform you whether we can pick you up directly at your hotel, or the nearest alternative. -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in San Isidro: between 5:50 am and 6:00 am -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in Miraflores: between 6:00 am and 6:40 am -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in Barranco: between 6:45 am and 7:00 am
Start time.6:30 am
Itinerary
Day 1
Lima - Paracas
4 Stops
Miraflores (Pass By)
1
Mirasur Restaurante KM 88
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Hacienda San José
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Paracas
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: Not included
Day 2
Paracas - Huacachina - Lima
5 Stops
1
Las Islas Ballestas
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Paracas National Reserve
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Paracas
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
4
Huacachina
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
5
Huacachina
5 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: Not included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- The bus will be back in Miraflores around 11:30 pm - midnight (will be later for Lima downtown)
- Minimum age for the buggy and sandboarding tour is 7 years
- The Only company with Luxury Buses for the long journey, others use small vans
- The tour runs with slight adjustments during the following holidays: Easter weekend (April 2-5) and Peru's Independence Day celebrations (July 27-29). The pick-up time will be 1 hour before the usual time.
- Pickup time and detailed information will be to shared through Whatsapp. Please download Whatsapp if you don't have it
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 40 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 678 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Such a good trip! Peru hop is an amazing travel company with great logistics and organization! Highly recommend! Thanks to Sergio for making it so memorable!
Nice trip to Paracas , the National.Park and Huacachina. Buses are comfortable.
Guides were nice and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, Calin! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your full-day trip to Paracas and Huacachina, and we appreciate your kind words about our comfortable buses and knowledgeable guides.
If you're in Peru and looking for awesome activities to do from Lima, look no further. The landscapes are gorgeous and absolutely worth it. You will get great photos and memories from this experience.
Peru Hop makes the logistics of transportation simple and easy. Our guide, Monica went above and beyond to personally assist each traveler when they needed it. I almost got left behind at one point when the group was leaving and I was in the bathroom but Moni saved the day . Miguelito our driver was experienced and got us to each destination smoothly despite some of Peru's more challenging roads.
If you're unsure about some details of the trip, Peru Hop responds clearly and is very helpful at providing additional information. They also use WhatsApp during the tour to send you information and contact you if needed, which makes things very convenient. Note that you also don't need to book the Golden Shadows Trek ahead of time or separately as Peru Hop will give you the option during this tour to include that at a small additional cost. This extra piece of the adventure is totally worth it.
Keep in mind that it is an action packed two days so come ready with energy to spare. There is ample downtime available after arriving in Paracas and on the bus.
Overall, would highly recommend this tour to make your Peru experience even more unforgettable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed review of your experience with us!
We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the incredible landscapes, activities, and unforgettable moments during your 2-day adventure. It’s wonderful to know that Monica, Miguelito, and the rest of our team helped make your journey smooth and enjoyable, providing support and guidance along the way.
We’re also happy to hear that our communication through WhatsApp and the information provided before and during the tour helped make your experience even easier.
Thank you for choosing Peru Hop, and we hope to welcome you again on another adventure through Peru soon!
This is an in-your-face tour de force experience. Speed boat to see colonies of penguins, seals, cormorans and myriads of other birds - check. Outlandish views in the Paracas reserve - check. Mad Max experience in the gigantic dunas of Huacachina - check.
Also, you can't help but be impressed by the HopPeru staff - they handle a tough logistic challenge (hundreds of people with individual itineraries) with ease and smile, pro-actively helping you with the questions even before you have them; so the trip flow doesn't stress you at all.
Now why 4 stars. A couple of reasons:
- The dune driving is crazy - acceleration, speed, turns, jumps. I haven't seen this mentioned in the description or in the comments. For most people, this is not a problem. Adrenaline junkies like me had a great time. Normal people will probably enjoy the thrill. But it scared some of the folks. Pro tip: if you take a seat in the middle of the last bench (and close your eyes), you'll be spared some of the excitement.
- The buses to Paracas and to Huacachina were great, huge leg space. The bus back to Lima was packed to the limit, very poor leg space; with people declining right on you, it was a tough 4-hour night ride..
Pick up at 6 am too early. Driving too long to Paracas. Not providing proper time to go washroom. Not drive us to hotel, only at meeting point that’s unexpected. We arrive at Lima close to mid 12:00. Too late and too tired. We can only buy some wraps eat it on bus for dinner. The good experience for drive us on off road vehicle on sand which is unforgettable. But I won’t be go the 2nd time
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Hi Elaine,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that the dune buggy experience was a memorable highlight of your day.
We would like to provide some context regarding the schedule of our Paracas & Huacachina Full Day Tour. The Ica region is located several hours from Lima, and as the activities in both destinations operate at specific times, the early departure is necessary to fit both Paracas, Huacachina, and all included experiences into one day. This schedule is provided before booking, and many passengers use the morning journey to rest and enjoy the comfortable bus ride.
While this allows passengers to discover two of Peru’s most popular coastal destinations in one day, it naturally involves longer travel times due to the distances involved.
Regarding bathroom stops, our team includes scheduled breaks during the journey, and passengers can always let our hosts know if they require additional assistance. We will review how we can communicate this information more clearly before the tour, so passengers have an even better understanding of what to expect during the journey.
For the return to Lima, we offer drop-offs at designated meeting points in certain areas due to local access restrictions and traffic conditions. This information is communicated as part of the tour details before booking.
We’re happy that you were able to enjoy a memorable moment with the dune buggy experience.
Warm regards,
Peru Hop
What a fantastic trip with Luis, Eduardo and Mr Johann. Well organised with so many very different experiences. It was a long bus trip back to Lima but well worth it for the trip. Highly recommend,
Well organized tour , Ana did an excellent job keeping us posting with timelines and events . Ana and Mike are excellent tour guides.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Similiana,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour and that Ana and Mike made your experience so memorable.
Safe travels
Peru Hop
Overall, Peru Hop provided an enjoyable and enriching experience The tour was well run. The use of the limited time was excellent.we were able to cover many interesting activities in 2 days.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed your Peru Hop adventure and made the most of your two days with us. It’s wonderful to know our team helped you experience so many highlights in a short time.
Warm regards,
Peru Hop
Superb 2 day tour, worth every penny, small towns of paracas and Huacachina are worth visiting. Paracas gives you the tranquility of the ocean and Huacachina gives you the thrills of your life.
Peru Hop has a well organized itinerary on this excursion. Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Amit,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed both the tranquility of Paracas and the adventure in Huacachina.
Our team takes pride in organizing seamless itineraries, and we truly appreciate your recommendation.
Safe travels,
Peru Hop
Julio Cesar was our guide, and he was amazing. The experience overall was very well organized. We highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Leyda,
Thank you so much for your kind words and for recommending the 2 Day Tour! We’re really happy to hear that you had a great experience and that everything was well organized.
We’ll also make sure to pass your feedback on to Julio Cesar; he’ll be thrilled to know he made your trip so memorable.
Warm regards,
Peru Hop
We had a fantastic 2 day tour with Neil as our guide. He was very knowledgeable, fun, and did a great job keeping everyone informed of the plans. We were very impressed with PeruHop, it was a very well run organization. All activities, bus transfers, and meeting points/timelines were well communicated and went off without a hitch. The busses were comfortable, although the first one had small legroom. With the amount of driving between destinations, we were very happy to do this in 2 days instead of 1. It was a more relaxed pace (although day 2 is long, but worth it), and added some more activities that the one day tour doesn't offer. Fio was our guide on the return to Lima and she was great to help organize all the drop offs. I would highly recommend using PeruHop for bus tours, especially this 2 day from Lima!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Jake,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed and enthusiastic review! We’re really happy to hear you had such a fantastic 2-day tour and that both Neil and Fio played such a special role in your experience.
It’s great to know you appreciated the clear communication, smooth organization, and relaxed pace that allowed you to fully enjoy each activity.
We also truly value your honest feedback about the bus legroom and will make sure it is shared with our team as we continue working on improvements.
Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’re delighted our team helped make your trip memorable and stress-free.
Safe travels,
Peru Hop
Well, what can I say other than what an amazing experience. It was definitely worth the money.
The first day you arrive in Paracus around 2pm leaving you plenty of time to look around and prepare you for day (which is needed). We also meet up in the evening for dinner and drink to get to know each other abit more, which was great.
Day two was amazing. You visit the Ballestas islands and get to see sealions, penguins and many birds. Paracas nature reserve with it's stunning landscape and beautiful views. Stop for lunch and a wine tour at a vineyard before arriving in Huacachina.
The dune buggying and sandboading in Huacachina was incredible and so much fun I loved it.
We had Roberto as our guide, he definitely made our trip. He was sweet, knowledgeable, kind, helpful and fun.
I would definitely recommend this trip, just wish I had booked a night in Huacachina too as day two is very tiring but worth it.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello Clare.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review!
We’re really grateful you chose to travel with us and trusted us with such an important part of your trip. It means a lot to know the experience felt worthwhile and enjoyable from start to finish. Roberto will be absolutely delighted to read your kind words, he truly has a special way of connecting with people and making each trip memorable.
Your feedback and recommendation are deeply appreciated. We hope Peru left you with unforgettable memories and that we’ll have the chance to welcome you again on another adventure in the future! 😊
This tour is a MUST DO - and nothing short of value for money. Do no hesitate in booking this tour.
Pick up is within Miraflores/Barranco areas only. So if your hotel is not in that area- you will have to meet them at a point. The start time is super early- around 6am
We then stop for breakfast; tour a museum and tunnels; and then we stop in the town of Paracas. Absolutely love it - it’s a beach town. You have the afternoon to enjoy. Book a hotel in advance (understandably this is not included!).
They did a quick meet up for dinner in the evening so everyone could get acquainted and comfy.
Then next day, rise early for the ballesta tour (on the water)- with the sea lions and cute penguins.
After did a couple scenic stops, headed to the vineyard for lunch and a wine tour and then to Huacachina.
This is a cute and quaint lil town that has all the sand dunes and the buggy ride. We had a sunset picnic type vibe after - and watch the sunset.
We then grabbed food and headed back to Lima. We got back around 11:30am-12 midnight.
It was worth every penny.
Roberto was my guide, he was SUPER patient, it was a big group but he was able to attend to eveyoneeeee in a timely manner. Got to our hotel, got us all boarding in a timely manner. Took our pictures. We never felt rushed- and he was never annoyed. Hands down supeeeer professional.
I was a solo traveler an he even helped to get a taxi to my hotel in Paracas cause over was down. Believe me when I say BOOK, BOOK, Book !!!
Amazing trip! Very well organized and get to see a lot in short time. The guides are amazing and the activities are great.
The guide was professional, informative and helpful. The days are laid out well and each stop has added something different to make our trip memorable. The lunch stop had delicious food and the wine and pisco tasting was great! A highlight was the speedboat to the island but the most surprisingly amazing stop was the national reserve in paracas!
Note for the buggy and sandboarding there is a decent amount of walking up hill on sand to the buggy’s and seems difficult for those with health limitations
This trip is amazing and they have everything scheduled perfectly! The free time in Paracas is really nice and the boat ride and sand dunes are just incredible!
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Hi there!
Thank you for your glowing review! We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the trip and appreciated the perfect scheduling. It sounds like you made the most of your free time in Paracas and had a blast on the boat ride and dunes! We truly appreciate your feedback!
Kind regards,
Peru Hop Team.
Every part of this tour was awesome 👌 and I definitely recommend the Golden Shadow Trek in the evening of day one!!!!
Day 1 is ok but necessary for your EPIC day 2. Not any fault of the tour, just the way it is for getting to Paracas. If you have extra budget book the Hilton Doubletree in Paracas and take a pass on the 3 options they give you. But day 2 is the trip of a lifetime and creates forever memories. Peru Hop is professional and super patient and kind. And VERY well organized. It can’t be a simple operation! Bravo to the team and giving me a super special trip 🙌🏼
The tour to the Ballestas Islands was very bad: the boat broke down, the captain asked the guide Carlos 4 times to call and request a boat change because it was overheating and the guide ignored him. The sea was rough because there was a lot of wind and finally the boat arrived and they transferred us.
The guide apologized and blamed the government (nothing to do with it).
The tour to Huacachina was a 100, our dune buggy driver Gustavo was very good, very experienced and fun.
Our general tour guide Lizbeth was very kind and indicated everything to us step by step.
The company Peru Hop that handled all the logistics is highly recommended.
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It was a great trip and nice stops, very breathtaking. It would only be important to mention in advance that you visit the slave tunnel and that it is very narrow and should not be entered if you are claustrophobic!!!! It is also important to mention that the tour guides also get off the bus on the way home before all guests have been dropped off. It is difficult to then argue with the Spanish-speaking bus driver that it is not his hotel.
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It was a great experience; Nilo was the guide through Peru Hop. Everything was very organized. The explanations were good.
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Magnifica guía , por entornos espectaculares
La puesta de sol en la reserva de Paracas es inolvidable
Response from Host, Nov 2024
¡Hola!
Muchas gracias por tu maravillosa reseña. Nos alegra saber que disfrutaste del tour y agrademos tu gentil apreciacion de nuestro staff. Esperamos verte nuevamente para seguir explorando juntos más maravillas.
¡Saludos cordiales!
Peru Hop
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