From Lima: Ballestas, Nazca Lines & Huacachina Oasis

Recommended by 93% of travelers

Lima, Peru

14 to 19 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Escape the bustling city of Lima and explore Peru's countryside on this full-day excursion. Enjoy a boat tour of the wild-life rich Ballestas Islands, home to sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and many species of birds. Then, fly over the Nazca Desert to see the Nazca Lines, ancient geoglyphs that have been etched into the earth. End your tour at the Huacachina Oasis, where you have free time to explore.

Learn about Peru's rich history and culture from your expertguide
Upgrade to include sandboarding on Huacachina's golden dunes
Includes hassle-free pickup from your Lima hotel
Check off plenty of highlights in just one day tour

What's Included

Transportation (SUV or Van)
Flight over the Nazca Lines (from Pisco o Nazca airport depending on availability).).
Tour to Ballestas Boat ride.
Travel Buddies Specialist (Guide)
Visit to Huacachina Oasis
English / Spanish speaking guide

Food and Beverages
Tips
Sandboarding
Lima airport pick up and drop off
Airport tax

PEN80.00 per person
Airport/Departure Tax

$80.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Your Lima Hotel: Please provide name and address. Lima airport areas are not included, can be arrange for an extra fee.

Operating hours
.3:30 am

Itinerary

Start your Peruvian adventure with convenient pickup from your Lima accommodation. Then, sit back and relax on a scenic 3-hour drive to Pisco. Experience the wonders of the Ballestas Islands during a 1-hour boat tour where you can see dolphins, sea lions, and penguins in their natural habitat.

Proceed to the Pisco International Airport for a thrilling flight over the Nazca Lines geoglyphs. Learn about these marvel at ancient carvings and enjoy panoramic views of the Ocucaje Valley's marine fossils.

Following this aerial adventure, venture to the Huacachina Oasis, the only oasis in South America, where optional sandboarding and free time to explore await.

Conclude the day with the drive back to Lima and drop-off at your original departure point.

Islas Ballestas

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Nasca Lines

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Oasis Huacachina

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
Passengers weighing more than 100 kg (220 lb) must pay an additional fee of USD 80 for extra weight.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Kathleen_F

It was a spectacular day. The dune buggy ride and sand boarding were thrilling. The Island boat tour was very interesting and we saw penguins, many other birds and sea lions. The guide was very informative. The Nazca lines were a dream come true for me. The pilot was extremely knowledgeable and made sure we were able to see the figures from each side of the plane. I highly recommend this tour.

Reviews

4.6

based on 83 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Not sure i would do it again

Nicole_M, Jan 2026

Pickup for us was 3:30 am. A little over three hours drive for the boat ride. Miguel definitely had us moving because of how far you had to drive from place to place. We got there bathroom coffee and on the boat. Once we were done it was another 3-4 hours to the airport. Bathroom and then practically right on the plane. While you are on the plane he is ordering your lunch. We had like 10 minutes to souvenir shop after and then lunch in the van for another three hours back up to hauchachina. Once we got there bathroom and immediately walk up and jump on a dune buggy and sandboarding thing. Took some pictures and then 3 hours back to lim. Hotel by 11:30pm. It was a long day but we saw alot learned alot our guide took lots of photos and videos of us and sent them to me. Be prepared to rush at each location and nap in the van. We got lucky and it was just us so we practically had a private tour. Otherwise it could have been miserable in the van.

Great Experience, but Very Rushed

Tiffany_F, Dec 2025

We had a wonderful day and overall great experience. We were able to see a lot in a very short amount of time, but the pace felt rushed throughout the day. We even ended up paying our tour operator and driver extra just so we could stop for food at the end, as no time had been carved out for meals. That said, the tours at each location were truly 5-star and a definite highlight. We just wish we had a bit more time to enjoy each stop without feeling so rushed. Hats off to our driver—he was incredibly fast!

Nice tour with many beautiful sights

Daniel_C, Nov 2025

Great tour! Many nice sights in one long day. The guide was nice and friendly. I really enjoyed seeing the Penguins, the flight over the Nazca lines and the ride in car at Huacachina in the sunset. I think we may have had time to eat in the restaurant at Nazca, it was a bit uncomfortable eating in the car, though we saved some time going back to Lima. Good to eat after the flight as it was quite an experience for the body. This was an intense tour with so many nice and beautiful sights.

Great Day

yeney_n, Oct 2025

Long day but worth doing it. Ballesta Island, overflight Nazca lines and Buggy with sandbording. The flight over Nazca too short and fast I would say.

Three Incredible Locations

Nicholas_L, Sep 2025

Three incredible experiences in one day. It makes for a long day but very much worth it! I did wish Paracas was the first stop but not a major issue.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the experience and found the day worthwhile, even with the full schedule. We appreciate your suggestion about visiting Paracas first — feedback like this helps us continue improving our itineraries. We’re very glad you had such a great day with us and hope to welcome you again for more adventures in Peru!

It was a spectacular day....

Kathleen_F, Apr 2025

Spent the day traveling...

Katie_C, Mar 2025

Spent the day traveling with a small group of friends exploring Nasca, Oasis, and Ballaste Islands. Even made it back earlier enough for our flights outta Lima. Jonathan was a wonderful guide and spent time telling us about the history of local areas we were visiting. Even a small pisco sampling during lunch to end another great trip to Lima!

It was a long day but...

Chika_K, Dec 2024

It was a long day but surely worth traveling to see the wild sea life in Ballestas, Nazca lines, and Huacachina Oasis. Our guides are Aimen and Jonathen. They were nice. Only if we have known that the Nazca Line flight might cause motion sickness, we have taken the pills to alleviate the symptoms. Thank you guys for long driving and guiding.

Nazca lines are worth it!

NADYA_R, Oct 2024

Nazca lines were worthy of the early morning and long and uncomfortable ride in a mini van with no leg room

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you found the Nazca Lines worth the early start and the long journey. We understand the ride can be a bit uncomfortable, and we appreciate your patience. We hope the incredible view of the geoglyphs made it all worthwhile. Safe travels on your future adventures!

Ripped off

Antonio_I, Oct 2024

The worst tour I ever taken. Picked time was 4:30am. However, at 4 am I received a text from the guide telling me to hurry up because he has more person to pick up. By 4:15 we were already in a minivan with other 2 tourists. The guide never introduced himself or introduced the driver. He told us we were to enter the Panamericana road and the reason of that name was because the road goes to many countries. He went ahead and said “I know you must be tired” so go ahead an rest. 2 hours into the drive, the driver stop to use the bathroom, only for men because there were nothing for us. We arrived to Paracas and were hurry in a line to a boat. The boat was shared with other 30 persons, therefore we couldn’t go near the rocks or in between because of the boat size( no as shown on the picture). The information was good and the site interesting. Once back on the port, we were taken to an stand to buy “something fast” because we needed to go. I refused to buy from the stand because it was filthy. I walked into a restaurant near by, and asked for a sandwich to go but our guide informed the waiter not to put the order if time was more than 15 min. I this point I was very upset and disappointed. I felt trapped without way to go back to Lima. My husband took his medications with a juice and we left the restaurant. Only to wait 15 minutes in a curved until the driver picked us up. We them way to Huacachina. ( As per schedule we were supposed to go to Pisco Airport for the Nazca Lines tour). Upon arrival we were introduced to a men that supposedly would rent us a sand buggy. He asked the guide in spanish how much he can charge us and he said $60 dollars each!!?? The other 2 tourists decided not to do the buggy, then our guide( Jair) came and said the tour will be $70 dollars since the other people won’t do it!! We decided to find another company to rent the buggy ( there are many in Huacachina) but Jair said we couldn’t go with other people. We them decided not to do anything. We walk to a restaurant and to my surprise Jair was behind us to let us know we have 30 minutes to eat. We ordered a ceviche and 2 beers. Ate as fast as possible not to be late. Towards the end of our rapid appetizer/ lunch Jair came to let us know that our flight to Nazca Lines was delayed for 2 hours due to a mistake from the agency. ( So we could’ve lunch and enjoy the place, instead we rushed one more time.) We finally made to the airport where we wait until 4:30 for our flight ( initially scheduled for 12:15) The pilot was excellent and the airport staff very pleasant. At the end of the flight we ere given a certificate and offered to take pictures with the plane/ pilot. We them hot back in the minivan with no stop until Lima, despite the other tourists request to use the bathroom. We arrived to our hotel in Lima at 10:30 pm, needless to said all restaurants near us were closed because it was Sunday. We ended the night with a piece of cake and a tea. No once Jair give an explanation of places we pass by or even interact with anything that was not his phone. As per the driver he was very rude even with Jair. We all have difficulties opening the van door, he got mad to need to get out of the car and said “ how many times do i need to teach that? Jair no once open assistance to get out the car or get in. The guy gave me the impression he was feeling for someone else. Please don’t be fooled by this people. There is many companies that offer the same experience for a fracción of what they charge. This experience doesn’t cost $550.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Thank you for leaving us your review and letting us know about this bad experience during the tour. First of all, we want to apologize for the guide’s behavior; nothing justifies not performing his job according to the standards we require from them. We understand your frustration, and regarding this matter, we are taking the necessary corrective measures. We would have loved to know about these issues in advance so we could resolve them. Regarding the pickup time, we communicated the day before to reconfirm the time, and since it is early in the morning, we always ask the guides to arrive early and announce themselves as a precaution in case any traveler has overslept. The usual order of activities is Ballestas first, then the overflight, and finally the Huacachina Oasis. However, the tour description clearly states that this order may vary because the airline responsible for the Nazca Lines flights confirms the flight schedule 24 hours in advance. We understand the frustration with the delays; it is very understandable. However, the truth is that the flight delays are beyond our control; they occurred due to strong winds in the Nazca area, which caused the flight schedules to shift. This is something that is completely out of our control, and flight delays happen every day at all airports. The flight was even close to being canceled. Perhaps we failed to properly communicate what was happening. The service to the Ballestas Islands is provided in speedboats that are shared. This is a protected natural area, and the boats approach as close as allowed. All our photos have been taken from the same boats that tourists use daily. Sandboarding and the buggy ride are not activities included in the tour description. While we can provide time for you to practice them and even recommend an operator, the price of the activity is set by them. We are truly sorry for what happened and that you had a different experience than what we aim to offer our travelers.

Fantastic experience

janet_w, Jul 2024

The trip was excellent from start to finish, exceeding all expectations. Jonathon our tour guide made the trip providing helpful tour & local information throughout. It was a long day with a lot packed in but all elements of the day added to the experience. A memorable highlight of our visit to Peru.

A most amazing experience

Benjamin_G, May 2024

This trip truly exceeded my expectations. The flight over the Nazca Lines was phenomenal and the commentary provided by the flight crew was great. They flew over each feature twice to make sure both side of the plane got a good view. Ballestas Island was beautiful and as a bonus we say a seal and whale on the way out. But the real surprise was the Huacachina Oasis. A beautiful site and the dune buggy rides and sandboarding (unexpected surprise) was the perfect and exciting cap to a long (16 hour) day. The tour guide was phenomenal. Extremely helpful and I cannot say enough about the driver whose patience with the horrendous Lima traffic was commendable. Do not miss this opportunity of you have the chance to do this tour,

From start to finish, five stars.

Donna_H, Jan 2024

What an amazing day! Starting with the prompt pick up at 4:30 a.m., Ruddy the guide and Rudolfo the driver treated me to a very memorable, very long day. I chose this tour since it shaved hours off the tour time as compared to the other available tours, and I am so glad I did. Ballestas (three hour drive from Lima) was beautiful, with fewer animals than I imagined but the stunning rock formations and arches made up for that. Then it was off to Pisco airport(a twenty minute drive) for the most important part of the tour for me- the Nazca lines. I do not suffer from motion sickness, though I am happy Ruddy recommended that I take some of the lemon candies available at the check in counter as they helped with some touch and go moments for my stomach as we banked left and right so everyone got a good view of the lines. From there we went to Huacachina(a one hour drive) which was more beautiful than I expected. I ended up not doing to dune buggy and sandboarding as it was quite hot and there is a bit of an uphill walk through the sand, that I was not in the mood for, to reach the point where the activities start but I completely enjoyed strolling around the oasis and having something to eat and drink. Then back to Lima(a four hour drive). I'm not a lover of long car rides in general, but Ruddy and Rudolfo stopped a few times for me to at least get out of the car and stretch for a few minutes before continuing on. Arrived back at 9:30 p.m., exhausted and happy. Ruddy speak English well, is very friendly and full of facts and information, which I greatly appreciated. Rudolfo is a kind man and an excellent driver. Together they are a great team and treated me incredibly well. Five stars all the way.

Great tour

Andrea_Z, Nov 2023

A lot of beautiful scenery and unforgettable things about peru! Our guide Sergio was great at what he did and very friendly, knowledgeable andvpersonable

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and found your visit to Peru unforgettable. It's fantastic to know that Sergio, our guide, made a positive impact with his great skills and friendly, knowledgeable, and personable approach. We appreciate your kind words and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more memorable experiences in the future. Thank you for choosing us and sharing your positive feedback!

Fast Boat, Seals, Penguins, Desert Oasis and Nazca Lines

MICHAEL_P, Sep 2023

The way the tour guides ( Aymen/Aiman and Sergio ) kept us interested and entertained on the long drives to and from Nazca Lines from Lima. The mixed itinerary of boat/island/wildlife, desert oasis , a fine lunch, and the Nazca flight experience was what made it a unique and great tour. Hats off to our very friendly and knowledgeable tour guides who gave us a great inside into contemporary Peru, Peru history and culture ! Try to ask for them if you decide to take a tour , you won't be disappointed!

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you so much for sharing your positive experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that Aymen/Aiman and Sergio were able to keep you interested and entertained during the long drives to and from the Nazca Lines from Lima. It's wonderful that the mixed itinerary, combining boat/island/wildlife exploration, a visit to a desert oasis, a fine lunch, and the Nazca flight experience, contributed to making the tour unique and great. We appreciate your kind words about our very friendly and knowledgeable tour guides. Providing insights into contemporary Peru, as well as its history and culture, is an integral part of our commitment to delivering a comprehensive and enjoyable experience. We're delighted that you recommend asking for them for future tours. Thank you for choosing our tour, and we look forward to the opportunity to welcome you again for more memorable experiences in the future!

Great day ,with incredible views

Aitala_G, Sep 2023

Our tour guide made a extremely long day manageable. Was surprise by the beauty of Ballestas Islands . Only down .I wish we had more information and history of the Nazca line specially in the flight we only got names

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We're thrilled to hear that our tour guide made an extremely long day manageable for you, and that the beauty of the Ballestas Islands surprised you. We appreciate your feedback regarding the Nazca Lines, and we understand the importance of having more information and history, especially during the flight. We'll certainly take this into consideration for improvement in our future tours. It's important to note that, unfortunately, guides are unable to accompany passengers on the flight due to certain restrictions. We hope this information helps clarify the situation. We value your input, and we're grateful for the opportunity to enhance our services. If you have any further suggestions or if there's anything else we can do for you, please feel free to let us know. Thank you for choosing our tour.

I recommend!

Camille_C, Aug 2023

Pick up at 4:30AM, 2 hours drive to go to Ballestas. Very crowded but we waited only 20 minutes. Lot of animals to see! Then 20 minutes drive to go to Pisco Airport to have a 2 hour flight for Nazca. 30 minutes to go to the site of the line. 30 minutes above the lines. 30 minutes or come back to Pisco Airport. Then 2 hours drive to the Oasis. Crowded, a lot of infrastructures. Have a lunch here (even if it’s 4PM…) 4 hours drive to come back around 9PM. The driver Martin was awesome, really safe. The guide was useless, slept the entire time in the car and no explanations about anything.

Amazing tour with great tour guide.

Darlene_N, Nov 2022

Aymen was my tour guide for the day and he did an excellent job taking me around to all my tours. We had a great time with meaningful conversations about life in Peru and various other topics. He ensured that all was taken care of. I highly recommend this trip and Aymen as your tour guide.

Decent Tour

Shea_H, Nov 2022

Although this was a very long day, it was worth the time. Flight over the lines was the highlight. Then the islands 2nd. The oasis was still interesting, but just placed 3rd in my book.

The sights were great the...

Louise_D, Oct 2022

The sights were great the guide wasn’t. The extra hour waiting for the flight was poor the lunch stop we were taken to and paid full price for felt like a con

Both the driver and the...

Ada_P, Jul 2022

Both the driver and the tour guide, Iman and Miguel, were excellent. They both made sure that we enjoyed each activity. They arrived on time and provided lots of information. They had carefully organized each activity and the whole day run very smoothly. We both highly recommend this tour.

Whirlwind of Wonders!

Jes_D, Jul 2022

What a day! My host and driver were excellent. The Ballesta Islands tour was great. The Nazca Lines were amazing. Definitely don't eat before you take that flight. Everyone except me threw up on it. Huacachina was beautiful and we got there close to the sunset. This is a lot to pack into one day. Left at 4:30am and got back at 9pm. If I sandboarded at Huacachina probably would have been closer to 11pm. If you only have one day, this tour is great. Otherwise I'd say definitely try and make a weekend of everything Ica has to offer!

Nice trip

Monica_B, May 2022

It was very interesting but be prepared for a really long day and better not to eat before the flight.

Great way to see Nazca Lines

Cori_H, Feb 2022

Most of the other tours include significant time dedicated to the Huacachina sand boarding, which did not interest me at all. I was excited for the Ballestas instead, but honestly the sea lion boat tour around the Palomino islands was much more informative and I saw more penguins. Ayman was a fantastic, safe driver/guide. I was supposed to go with my friend, but she had to cancel due to work. Fortunately there was another solo traveler so it wasn't super awkward. Flying out of Pisco to see the Nazca lines means ~30 more minutes of flying in a tiny plane, but it saves 3 hours (each way). With my dramamine and ginger candies, I was fine being in the air for 90 minutes, and I was glad I spent the 6 hours looking at birds instead of sitting in a car. Overall - Nazca lines and Huacachina Oasis - definitely worth it. Go to the Palomino Islands instead of the Ballestas if you're based in Lima. The tour company was very communicative - After I booked, we tried to see if we could change days so my friend could come, and they responded promptly via the Viator website that the flights weren't available on other days.

Awesome day trip. Intense day but well worth it!

Jessica_R, Nov 2021

I cannot recommend this day trip through this tour operator (Travel Buddies Peru) highly enough. I wanted to see the Nazca Lines and was intrigued by the Islas Ballestas and the Huacachina Oasis, but oh my word everything just blew me away. Our tour guide (Gabriela) and driver (Alonzo) were fantastic and conscientious professionals. Alonzo was a very safe driver (not trivial in Peruvian traffic, especially starting and ending the day in Lima) and Gabriela is full of information and just a lot of fun. Notes for people contemplating this trip: - The tour operator coordinates with the actual vendors for the Islas Ballestas boat trip and the Nazca Lines plane flight, buying the tickets and reserving spots - they don't own their own boats / flights. So other people outside of your original group will be with you on the boat and plane. This makes complete sense - it would be quite an operation to maintain such expensive equipment in far flung places! - but wanted to provide this detail so people know what to expect. - Bring some sort of anti-nausea medication for the Nazca Lines flight. I used "non-drowsy" Dramamine. It's a small plane flight and the pilots tilt one wing towards the glyphs so that side of the plane can see them, then tilts the plane the other way for the other half of the passengers. Even my stomach was a little queasy, and this after taking the medication! - Unless you shouldn't be in a dune buggy (spinal injury, pregnant, etc), absolutely do the dune buggying and sand boarding at the Huacachina Oasis! So much fun - but bring cash (soles or dollars), as the dune buggy operator we used didn't take credit cards. - Have cash to tip your guide and driver - if your trip is half as good as mine was, I'm sure by the end of the day, you'll agree they wildly deserve it. My friend and I had an absolute blast on this day trip. It was one of the highlights of our time in Peru, on par with summiting Huayna Picchu.

Nazca

Virginia_V, Oct 2019

It was a long day, but so very worth it. Guide was knowledgeable and easy to talk with. He made it a priority to accommodate our needs. I felt like I had made a new friend at the end of the evening. Thank you Caesar.

Excelente y la repetiríamos

Julio_Z, Dec 2022

Serios puntuales y atentos de principio a fin. Viaje con mi hijo y la experiencia fue realmente increíble

Un tour completo, imperdible.

Elizabeth_B, Nov 2022

Me encantó la experiencia de las Islas Ballestas, con las aves, las focas y los lobos marinos. Luego, Nazca, diferente a todo. Extraño y conocido a la vez. Finalmente, el contraste con el desierto y el oasis de Huacachina. Excelente diversión en las dunas, a pesar del sol y el calor. El guia, impecable. Con la información justa, en el momento preciso. Amable y muy educado.

Experiência ruim em Ballestas/Nazca.

Paulocesar_H, Sep 2019

Veiculo de transporte com problemas de manutenção, velho e muito desconfortável, não é o veiculo anunciado. Atraso no passeio a Nazca, oásis de Huacachina sem estrutura para atender visitantes. Saímos de Lima as 4:30 e retornamos às 22:00h, muito longo e cansativo.