The Best Weekend Trips From Lima Peru

Lima is the industrial capital and business hub of Peru, but working in the constant traffic and urbanity of Lima can get tiring. Luckily, Lima is surrounded by some of Peru’s most magical vacation spots. You get to choose from hiking in the Andes, laying out at the beach or surfing down sand dunes in the desert. Here is our guide to the best weekend trips from Lima.

Paracas and Islas Ballestas

3 1/2 hours from Lima, this stretch of desert beach is one of Peru’s most popular tourist attractions and for good reasons. The rugged untamed beauty of the coastline is captivating and you can also do a boat tour of Islas Ballestas, dubbed the poor man’s Galapagos. It’s one of those places that you’ll want more time in: between the beaches, the beauty and wild life, you might want to take Monday off, too.

Cerro Azul

Huacachina

The little desert oasis in the middle of one of the driest deserts in the world. Huacachina has recently reemerged as a favorite among Limeño weekend getaways and with travelers heading south from Lima. The towering sand dunes are just there to be marveled at with a cocktail in hand, but are meant to be experienced, too. You can take an off-roading, sand buggy trip through the desert and get your surf on, riding down these giant sand dunes on what resembles a snowboard. Another favorite pastime in Huacachina is hanging out by the pool and drinking something very cold, preferably a beer.

Punta Hermosa

Along with Cerro Azul, Punta Hermosa makes up the best beach vacations away from Lima. Punta Hermosa is only an hour away from the city and has some of Peru’s most beautiful and accommodating beaches. Well known for its big waves, holding annual surf competitions, Punta Hermosa has everything you could want in a weekend beach vacation.

Ica

This is your wine tasting weekend vacation. Ica is home to Peru’s best and most famous vineyards, making Peru’s tastiest pisco and wine. You can stay at one of the vineyards, get a tour, learn how to make pisco, and, of course, drink. You can also arrange sand dune trips and sand boarding from Ica.

Nasca Lines

The inscrutable lines in the middle of the desert demand the attention of archeologists and conspiracy theorists all over the world. You’ll drive about 7 hours, but it is more than worth it. The lines are one of the most remarkable sights in the world. You’ll take a small plane for about 20 minutes high in the sky giving you a bird’s eye view of the geoglyphs.

Marcahuasi

The mysterious and eerie stone forrest in the Andes just out of Lima is a perfect weekend trip for those also looking to get some hiking in. It’ll take about half a day just to get to the town to begin your hike, so you’ll reach the base camp by nightfall. You can then explore all the miraculous stone figures Sunday before you hike back down and return to Lima.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.