Unique Tour to Paracas, Huacachina, and Sunset at the Oasis

There was so much good on this trip, but the overall experience was dampened by disorganization and a bad attitude from the tour guide. The good: Huacachina was AMAZING. What a gorgeous place. I wish we could have spent more time there. Dune-buggying up the sand dunes, and sand-boarding down was a blast, and an unforgettable experience. The dunes themselves were gorgeous and we were lucky enough to see them at sunset. The tour of the Ballestas islands was very thoughtful and informative, and we got to see a ton of fantastic wildlife. Penguins, seals, sea lions, crabs, pelicans, one person even saw a dolphin. We stopped at a nice little restaurant in Ica for lunch, and while we may have been a bit warm, the staff was welcoming and the food was delicious. I had the ceviche and it was quite refreshing after a day in the sun. The not-so-good: Unfortunately, our tour guide made the whole experience chaotic from start to finish. She was ill-prepared, and we often ran late (and were blamed for it). She would tell us to start walking, then dawdle in the back of the group, getting frustrated when we didn't know where to go. More than once, we would set out in the direction she pointed us in, only to be told after a few minutes of walking that we were going the wrong way. She was also unable to answer our questions when asked, and seemed distracted/confused. During the pisco/winery tour, she had to translate for us, as the tour guide there spoke no English. I found out later, from a Spanish speaking friend, that she was not directly translating, and was abridging the information. She also spoke quietly and unenthusiastically, so it was difficult to tell when she was actually giving the tour. Additionally, the bus was extremely cramped. It seemed like there were two more rows than there should have been. There was no way to get comfortable, and if the person in front of you reclined their seat, you basically had no room. In short bursts, it was manageable, but the drive from Huacachina back to Lima is almost five hours. Be warned. All in all, we don't regret going on this trip, but we wish we had been prepared to know that we would be receiving little guidance throughout the experience. If you can, I recommend finding a trip that spends more time in Huacachina. That was the part of the adventure that we'll never forget.

It was a really great Experience, a must do when in peru, the tour guide narda was good and speaks English well.. my group was fun and I would say this was the best day ever. Great adventure

Oswaldo was a fantastic guide, he was very patient and had a great energy about him which made the group more hyped up. It was a busy but fulfilling day. Would definitely recommend.