Are you in Lima and are wondering what tours you can enjoy outside the city in only one day, as well as which are the best daytrips from Ica nearby?

Only a few hours away from Lima, Ica is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing day of adventures surrounded by nature, mystery and warm weather.

Keep reading to know how to enjoy Ica, Peru in only one day, and also how you can plan and organize a trip when coming from the Peruvian capital of Lima.

Ballestas Islands, Winery And Huacachina Oasis

This is an ideal itinerary for those who want to be close to nature, learn about the making process of Pisco and have fun in the sand dunes with an amazing view of the Huacachina Oasis.

Your first stop in Ica will be Paracas beach, famous for being the entrance to the Paracas National Reserve. Here the scientists found more than one thousand species of animals. From here you can take a boat ride to the Ballestas Islands.

Ballestas Islands are considered the “Peruvian Galapagos” due to the number of species of birds and fish around the area. Here there are good chances to see lots of sea lions, penguins, the endemic bird Inca Tern, seals and maybe dolphins.

After the wildlife experience, you can visit a winery, where local families produce artisanal Pisco. This is a great opportunity to learn and also taste Peruvian Pisco.

Continuing with this super adventure, you can visit Huacachina Ica, which is the only oasis of South America. Here you can have a local lunch and spend a relaxing time. Or if you want to feel some adrenaline,  you can hop into a Sand Boogie or practice Sand Boarding!

Ballestas Islands and Nazca Lines

If you want to experience a mix of history, nature and mystery you can enjoy the wildlife at the Ballestas Islands and finish the day by flying over the millenary and enigmatic Nazca Lines.

After visiting Paracas Beach and the Ballestas Islands, you can fly over the mysterious and enigmatic Nazca Lines drawn on the desert by the ancient Nazca people. Up to this day their meaning remains a mystery. Some people believe it was a calendar, others think it was an offering to the gods.  There are many theories about the Nazca lines, including that they were symbols to communicate with aliens. You can choose your favorite theory.

Have in mind that to see the Nazca lines you have to take a 45 minute flight from Pisco and then come back. Once in Pisco, you can return to Lima after a day full of adventures.

Ballestas Islands, Nazca Lines and Huacachina Oasis

If you want to know Ica to the fullest then you must visit all of its main attractions . This is the perfect itinerary for those who want to experience history, nature, mystery and adventure in one day.

First, you can take a boat ride to the Ballestas Islands and enjoy nature and wildlife. Then you can fly over the Nazca Lines, see its mysterious shapes and learn about their history . Finally you can end the day exploring the Huacachina oasis. Here you can go for an exciting sand boogie ride or choose to practice sandboarding in the dunes. This is by far the ultimate adventure which includes the best daytrips from Ica as well as Lima.

How To Plan Your Daytrip From Ica And Nazca

Now that you have seen the amazing things that are worth seeing and doing within the Ica region, you may be wondering how to start planning your own trip. Below we cover the main considerations you’ll want to prepare for before your trip.

Consider Leaving Early To Maximise Your Time In Nazca, Huacachina Ica And Paracas

Given they are all simple daytrips from Ica and Lima, it makes sense to start your journeys as early as possible. This way you’ll be able to make the most of your day, and possibly visit one or two if using public transportation. However if choosing this option then you’ll need to be careful with bus schedules since they are limited – and especially when returning to Ica or Lima.

Head With An Organised Day Tour To Ica From Lima

The very best option which offers more freedom is to head on our full day tour of Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca from Lima. Here we include private transport between all destinations, so you can instead focus on fully enjoying each activity and not worry about missing the last bus back. You’ll also be able to fly over the ancient Nazca Lines – which is otherwise very difficult to do in just one day from Lima.

Packing Properly For These Arid Desert Regions

It’s important to know that regardless of the time of year, both Huacachina and Nazca get really hot during the day (and even Paracas too despite the sea breezes). This means you’ll want to wear light layers and bring lots of sunscreen and water. Also be sure to bring a jumper or coat too given the temperatures can plummet quickly in the evening – which you’ll need especially on buses as they usually leave the air-conditioning on.

Getting Between Ica Huacachina And Nazca

Once you are within the Ica region, your next task will be getting between the different destinations. There is public transport that runs between different towns like that of Huacachina Ica, although schedules may vary. Nazca in particular will be difficult to see in just a day as it’s over four hours away from Ica, and 6 hours from Lima. If you want to experience all of these highlights in just one day, then your best bet would be to head on a full day tour to all of these destinations from Lima.

Overview Of The Best Daytrips From Ica

And that’s all for this guide on the very best daytrips from Ica and Lima that you can embark on.

The Ica region is one of the most incredible regions that you can visit in Central Peru. Not only are there towering dunes and exotic coastal animals, the area is also steeped in ancient history – where we can see both ruins of past civilisations as well as the mysterious Nazca Lines.

Are you looking to explore all of these must-visit destinations? Here at TravelBuddiesPeru we operate a unique day tour from Lima which includes private transport between all sites mentioned here as well as a professional local guide. This means you’ll also be able to see the ancient hieroglyphs of Nazca in just one day from Lima too!