This desert city in southern Peru has sand dunes, colonial mansions, and vast vineyards producing pisco. The Huacachina oasis draws sandboarders to its towering dunes.
Ica lies in one of Earth's driest regions, where massive sand dunes rise next to vineyards and pre-Columbian geoglyphs. In the nearby Huacachina oasis, travelers sandboard down 100-meter dunes, while at the Regional Museum, you'll find 2,500-year-old mummies with intact hair and skin. Local wineries like Tacama produce pisco, Peru's national spirit, continuing a tradition that began in the 1550s. Beyond the city, the mysterious Nazca Lines stretch across the desert floor, and thousands of sea lions and Humboldt penguins inhabit the rocky Ballestas Islands.
Getting to Ica
The city lies 300 kilometers south of Lima along the Pan-American Highway. Cruz del Sur and other bus companies run frequent services between Lima and Ica, with the journey taking 4-5 hours. Many travelers base themselves in Ica, Huacachina, or Paracas while exploring the region.
Climate and Environment
Ica receives less than 1 centimeter of rainfall throughout the year. Summer temperatures reach 35°C from December to March, while winter temperatures hover around 20°C from June to September. Despite the dry climate, farmers grow grapes, cotton, and asparagus using water from Andean aquifers.
Huacachina Oasis
A natural lake sits 5 kilometers from central Ica, with towering sand dunes rising up to 100 meters around it. Palm trees grow along the shoreline, where small hotels accommodate visitors. Dune buggy tours run from morning until sunset, typically lasting two hours and including stops for sandboarding. Local operators organize these tours directly from the oasis.
Wine and Pisco Production
More than 20 wineries operate in the Ica Valley, producing both wine and pisco, Peru's grape brandy. Spanish colonists planted the first vineyards here in the 1550s, taking advantage of the consistent climate and ancient aquifers. Visit Tacama and Vista Alegre wineries for tours and tastings of both beverages.
Regional Museum of Ica
The Museo Regional houses over 1,000 pre-Columbian artifacts. You'll find mummies with preserved hair and skin, skulls showing evidence of ancient brain surgery, and textiles with intricate geometric patterns. The collection includes pottery from the Paracas and Nazca cultures, some pieces dating back 2,500 years. A separate section displays colonial-era items, including 16th-century furniture and religious paintings.
Nearby Attractions
The Nazca Lines, carved between 500 BCE and 500 CE, include geometric shapes and animal figures visible from above the desert floor. From the town of Paracas, boats take visitors to the Ballestas Islands, where colonies of sea lions rest on rocky outcrops alongside Humboldt penguins and more than 60 species of seabirds. The Paracas National Reserve contains distinctive red sand beaches and dramatic 100-meter cliffs above the Pacific Ocean.
