Peru is an incredible country, rich in history, versatile in landscapes, and filled with amazing cities and nature-related destinations. Lima, which is the capital, lies on the Pacific coast of the country. It is one of the largest cities in South America. Any trip to Peru isn’t complete without two things. One, a trip to Machu Picchu (which I’ll discuss in a separate blog post), and two, a couple of days spent in Lima.
Since it’s the capital, Lima is the most popular destination for flying into Peru. Chances are, if you’re planning your visit, Lima will most likely be your first stop anyway. And it’s a fantastic place to start your Peruvian adventures. However, I won’t really be discussing Lima in this post. Don’t worry though! I have you completely covered with a separate blog post here, where you can check out all of the best things to do in Lima.
Instead, I’m going to be outlining exactly what you should do after you’ve visited Lima and you’re ready to move on to your next destination. Get ready for the best weekend road trip getaway!
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Renting A Car In Peru
This section is not based on personal experience, but instead on research that I did in hopes that it will be helpful to anyone attempting this road trip and needing to rent a car. I was lucky enough to make a wonderful group of friends early on in my trip and they actually invited me on this road trip with them- hence, I did not need to rent my own car or go through the process.
Where To Rent A Car in Peru
Lima has many options for car rentals. It’s best to rent from one of the larger international companies as these cars are usually better maintained and prices are guaranteed. Here are the top recommended car rental company:
Cost of Renting A Car In Peru
On average, car rentals in Peru cost anywhere between $20-$40 a day. A smaller vehicle is going to lean towards $20, whereas a mid-size or SUV will be in the $40 range. I’d suggest getting something mid-sized. Most of the roads you’ll be driving are highways and they are well enough maintained that you shouldn’t run into issues. I always suggest paying the extra money for car insurance. Also note, you will come across tolls so be sure to keep small bills or coins with you as they do not accept credit cards.
Driving in Peru
As I did not personally drive, I can only speak from what I witnessed as a passenger, but I found driving in Peru to be very intimidating. The drivers are aggressive and often don’t follow common rules of the road. You’ll also need to watch out for pedestrians, who generally cross at any time. If you don’t consider yourself a skilled enough driver and don’t feel comfortable driving in another country, I would explore other options to make this road-trip work.
Your Weekend Road Trip Itinerary
Peru is such a diverse country and this road trip will allow you to experience many different, beautiful landscapes. On the morning of your road trip, be prepared to leave early! Somewhere around 6 am will allow you to avoid most of the morning traffic and ensure you’ll be able to make all of your stops without having to rush.
Your first stretch of driving will be about 3.5 hours. There are a few big rest stops along the way where you can grab breakfast, snacks, drinks, and use the bathroom. They are right on the side of the road so you can’t miss them. Once you have road trip snacks and good music blasting, those 3.5 hours will fly by!
Stop # 1: Paracas, Peru
Paracas is a small, beautiful town on the country’s west coast. It’s set on a sheltered bay and is home to some beautiful beaches and incredible wildlife. This will be your first stop! If you leave Lima by 6 am, you should expect to arrive in Paracas around 9:30 am. Take some time to walk the street of El Chaco, which is the main village. Check out the souvenir shops and admire the beautiful beaches.
One of the top attractions in Paracas (and one of the main reasons to visit) is an incredible boat tour to the Ballestas Islands. On this tour, you’ll get to witness some of the most beautiful scenery and wildlife that this part of Peru has to offer.
Once you get to El Chaco and make your way toward the pier, you’ll encounter people selling boat tour tickets. I suggest buying through the locals versus a pre-bought online tour. You’ll get a much better rate for the same tour. The tours leave pretty frequently so buy your tickets and get in line! We managed to get on a 10 am tour, which was perfect timing.
The boat ride is about an hour before you reach the Ballestas Islands. Even though it was a very warm day, once the boat started moving the wind really picked up, and the water splashed everywhere! I suggest bringing a waterproof layer to avoid being uncomfortable and cold.
The views are unbelievable once you reach the Islands. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I was in a completely different country. One of the coolest parts of this tour was getting to witness hundreds of sea lions in their natural habitat! It was such a wonderful experience.
After the boat tour, grab lunch at one of the local spots along the beach and then get ready to head off to your next destination.
Stop # 2: Paracas National Reserve
Plan to leave Paracas by 1 pm and head to Paracas National Reserve. You’ll have about a 25-minute drive. Paracas National Reserve was established in 1975 and spans 827,800 acres of desert, ocean, and islands. It’s home to some incredible wildlife like sea lions, dolphins, and migratory birds. This is a protected region and a very special place where you can witness the ocean meeting the desert- something I’ve never seen before. The cost to enter is 11 soles per vehicle and is worth every bit.
This is a place where you could easily spend the entire weekend and still not see everything, but on trips like this, it’s important to just make the most of your time. Right upon entering we immediately encountered something incredible. Just off of the side of the road in the middle of this desert landscape was a lake. Surrounding the lake we watched dozens of flamingos in their natural habitat. Keep your eyes open for them! But take note, it is prohibited to walk closer to them. We learned this the hard way after a few guards came running toward us.
As you keep driving though, you’ll experience beautiful landscapes and amazing scenery. Enjoy the ride!
Stop # 3: Playa Las Minas
Eventually, make your way to Playa Las Minas, which is located inside of Paracas National Reserve. Playa Las Minas is a gorgeous beach, which is inside of a picturesque cove. Here, you will see a perfect example of the Pacific Ocean currents hitting the desert of South America’s mainland. It’s absolutely beautiful!
There’s a large parking lot, which makes it very convenient for visitors, public bathrooms, and places to buy water and snacks. I would recommend bringing your own toilet paper, (just in case) an umbrella if you’d like shade from the sun, sunscreen, and towels of course. Take some time to relax on the beach, enjoy the breathtaking views, and maybe dip your toes into the Pacific Ocean.
Stop # 4: Huacachina, Peru
After you’ve soaked up some sun, head for your final destination, Huacachina. Huacachina is a desert oasis, located right outside of Ica, Peru, which is about an hour and a half from Playa Las Minas. Huacachina is the perfect destination to spend a weekend! It’s a fun, lively town with great activities and an incredible, unique landscape, unlike most other places you’ll see in Peru.
How To Spend The Weekend In Huacachina, Peru
Huacachina is a small town, which you can easily explore in just a few days. These are my recommendations for how to spend your time there:
Where To Stay
We stayed at Bananas Adventure Hostel and I couldn’t have been happier with our experience there. It’s in a central part of town, it’s very affordable, and the atmosphere/social setting couldn’t have been better. It was the most perfect place to meet other travelers and make great friends. They offer dorm-style rooms or private rooms, there’s a restaurant on-site with incredible food, and the pool was a really nice touch.
What To Do
One of the main things people come to Huacachina for is to sandboard. I didn’t personally sandboard, but I did go on an awesome tour and watched all of my friends do it, which was good enough for me. Whether you’re into it or not, I’d highly recommend going on one of the tours and getting to experience the sand dunes up close. The landscape is really incredible and the views of Huacachina are the best from above. Most places in town offer these sandboarding tours, however, we booked ours through Bananas Adventure and got a really good rate.
Another excursion we booked right through our hostel was a Pisco tasting tour. Pisco is the national spirit of Peru and it’s definitely worth trying if you’re in the country. I’ll be honest, Pisco is not my favorite thing, but it was interesting going on the tour, learning more about it, and getting to try different ones. We also got to participate in crushing grapes with our bare feet! A tradition that still holds up today.
This concludes my weekend road trip itinerary! I hope that you found this post helpful and that it inspires you to do your own road trip from Lima. This trip was honestly one of the most memorable parts of my time spent in Peru, which I can’t say enough- it’s an incredible country! Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below and as always, happy travels!
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