Huacachina Travel Guide – Peru’s Desert Oasis (+ Map)
TL;DR
A tiny desert oasis surrounded by golden dunes, Huacachina is where adrenaline meets awe – think sandboarding, dune buggies, and sunsets so surreal they’ll make you forget it’s one of Peru’s most popular backpacker spots.
Wondering if Huacachina is still a hidden gem? The truth is that it might not be hidden anymore, but it’s still a gem.
After exploring Huacachina ourselves, from heart-pounding dune buggy rides to serene sunset views, we’ve gathered everything you need to know before you go. This guide is for adventure seekers and curious travellers who want the real story – no hype, no filters. If you’re craving epic desert fun, gorgeous scenery, and a dash of backpacker energy, Huacachina might just be for you.
Huacachina Travel Guide
Huacachina Map
Is Huacachina Worth Visiting?
Is Huacachina a desert paradise or just a tourist trap? Honestly, it’s a bit of both – but in the best way. This tiny oasis in the Peruvian desert is stunning, with golden sand dunes, a palm-fringed lagoon, and sunsets that feel straight out of a postcard. The catch? The whole town feels like a resort for backpackers and adventure travellers.
Sandboarding down massive dunes, racing through the desert in a buggy, or simply soaking in the surreal scenery makes it one of those experiences that’s weirdly magical, despite lacking an authentic Peruvian feel. So yes, Huacachina is worth visiting, as long as you know what you’re signing up for: epic desert fun with a healthy side of tourist energy.
Where We Stayed in Huacachina
To be honest, Huacachina is known to be a bit of a backpacker party place, with the most notorious party hostels being Wild Rover and Viajero. We stuck to one of the few non-party hostels located directly in the oasis, Banana's Adventure Hostel, and can fully recommend it. The rooms are comfy, the staff is lovely, the food is tasty (the included breakfast buffet was the best on our whole half-year trip), the dune views from the rooftops are stunning, and they have a refreshing pool.
The hostel is social, but they turn down the volume of the music in the evenings so that boring people like us can actually sleep, and party goers can move to a party hostel (which is not far away at all).
How to Get to Huacachina
If you come from Paracas, there’s one direct shuttle to Huacachina per day from Wayki Bus, as well as loads of connections with Cruz del Sur (and some with Peru Bus) to Ica. You can check out the bus schedule and buy tickets here. You can get an easy 15-minute Uber to get from Ica to Huacachina.
If you come from Nazca in the other direction, there is again one daily shuttle to Huacachina from Wayki Bus. Cruz del Sur buses from Nazca to Ica leave regularly throughout the day. The ride should take less than 3 hours. You can check out the bus schedule and buy tickets here.
How to Get Around Huacachina
Huacachina is tiny and very walkable.
Things to Do in Huacachina
1. Go on a Buggy Tour
The main event in Huacachina is probably a buggy tour in the surrounding dunes. These tours typically start in the afternoon and include a combination of
- Racing through the sand dunes on a buggy.
- Sandboarding.
- Watching the sunset above the oasis.
While we had a great time, be warned that the buggy ride was much more adventurous than we thought. For us, it felt more like a roller coaster ride than a car ride.
2. Go Sandboarding
If you want to avoid the wild buggy ride, you can theoretically rent a board in town and go sandboarding on your own. We’re not sure how often you’ll make it up the steep dunes, though.
3. Watch the Sunset
Likewise, if you want to avoid the buggy ride and the sandboarding, you can climb the dune behind Huacachina on your own to watch the sun go down behind the oasis.
4. Relax at the Oasis
While you cannot swim in the oasis, you can rent paddle boats to have some fun on the water. You can also just walk around the lagoon or sit at its shore to relax. Some restaurants like Nuna Cocina Bar come with a view of the water.
5. Day Trip to Fly over the Naza Lines
Another great adventure that you can experience from Huacachina is a day trip to the Nazca Lines. These are over 700 ancient geoglyphs carved into the soil of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru, created between 500 BC and 500 AD. They were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The designs span about 50 km² (19 mi²), with figures as long as 370 m (1214 ft), best seen from the air.
We thoroughly enjoyed our flight over the Nazca Lines and have written a full review about our tour:
Where to Eat in Huacachina
Most hostels in Huacachina, including the Wild Rover, Viajero, and Banana's Adventure Hostel, have their own restaurant on site, so you don’t really need to venture out if you don’t want to.
We quite enjoyed the meals in our hostel restaurant, The Tiki Backyard Huacachina.
If you’re looking for an affordable menu del día with a view of the oasis, check out Nuna Cocina Bar.
How Many Days in Huacachina Do You Need
In case you’re not a super slow traveller, one full day is enough to relax at the oasis during the day and have your dune adventure in the evening.
Many travellers, who are short on time, even opt to do a day trip from Lima!
Huacachina Tips
ATMs in Huacachina
Currently, there is only one ATM in Huacachina, and we heard a lot of stories about fraud (fake bills & money being debited but not coming out). We recommend stocking up on cash in the nearby city of Ica.
Supermarkets in Huacachina
Huacachina is a tiny tourist town in the desert. There are some very small and heavily overpriced mini markets. If you want to do some proper shopping, you need to head to Ica.
Internet in Huacachina
We had great internet both in our accommodation and with our eSIM card.
Is Huacachina Safe
Huacachina is a tiny and touristy oasis in the desert. This place is as safe as they come if you keep to your wits.
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