Sunset Dune Buggy and Sandboarding Tour Huacachina

Huacachina oasis

Huacachina is a tiny village built around a natural lagoon in the middle of the desert, about 5 km from the city of Ica and some four to five hours south of Lima. Palm trees and huarango trees ring the green water, and enormous dunes rise on every side, making it one of the most photographed places in Peru. Local legend says the lagoon was formed from a mirror dropped by a young princess fleeing a hunter, and that she still lives in its waters as a mermaid.

Today the oasis is a lively base for desert adventures, with small hotels, cafés and a lakeside promenade. It lies inside a regional conservation area, and a small conservation tax is paid on site. Many travellers ask if Huacachina is worth visiting: for its scenery and the dune buggy rides, it is one of the highlights of southern Peru.

The dunes by 4WD buggy

The dunes around Huacachina are among the tallest in South America, some reaching more than 100 metres. A Huacachina dune buggy tour is the classic way to explore them: open-frame buggies with roll bars and seat belts race up the slopes and drop over the crests like a roller coaster, while the driver picks the line and adjusts the speed to the group.

Along the way the buggy stops at viewpoints where you can see the oasis from above, the endless ripples of sand and the outline of the Ica valley in the distance. These stops are perfect for photos, and the crew records photos and videos of your ride. After a 10-minute walk from the starting point to the buggy parking area, the desert part of the tour lasts about two and a half hours.

Sandboarding on a high dune

Halfway through the ride the buggy stops at one of the highest dunes so you can try sandboarding. The boards are used lying down on your stomach or sitting, which makes it easy for first-timers: the guides show you how to hold the board, lift your feet and steer with your hands, and you glide down the slope with the sand hissing beneath you.

You have time to ride down several times, starting on a smaller slope and moving to steeper ones if you feel confident. If you want to try real stand-up sandboarding or sandskiing, equipment can be rented for an extra fee. Wear sports shoes and clothes you do not mind filling with sand, and keep sunglasses on to protect your eyes.

Sunset over the Huacachina desert

The highlight comes at the end: a special stop on top of a dune to watch the sun go down. As the light drops, the dunes turn gold, then orange and finally purple, with long shadows stretching across the sand and the oasis lights coming on below. It is a calm, unforgettable moment after the thrill of the ride.

The shared tour starts in the afternoon so the timing matches the sunset all year round. The best time to visit Huacachina is from April to November, when the air is clear and cooler; in the summer months from December to March the afternoons are very hot but sunsets are spectacular. After sunset the buggy brings you back to the starting point and our driver returns you to your hotel.