Exploring Peru: Day Trip Extravaganza
Immersive sunsets on the desert horizon, up-close sea lions and penguins, and adventure activities—this full-day trip covers a desert oasis, coastal beach town and thrill-seeking sand dunes. A must-do for anyone visiting Peru.
I was stoked when I was called out to operate a 5-day duty to Santiago, Chile. The trip length allowed me enough time to go off-station (leave Santiago). Examining the world map and researching direct flights, I had Peru at the top of my list of countries I wanted to visit in South America.
I flew directly into Lima from Santiago with LATAM Airlines. The flight was seamless, and they even provided a meal. Flight time from SCL to LIM is approximately 3.5 hrs.
*Note, if you intend on catching the QF27 SYD-SCL as your flight out of Australia, you will require a visa to enter Santiago as a tourist, please check visa information on smarttraveller.com and seek advice from your travel agent regarding visas if you intend on spending time in Santiago. If you are transiting through SCL airport you should not require a visa, however, I am not a visa specialist so please double-check as I hold dual citizenship, I don’t require a visa in Santiago.
Where to stay in Lima?
Two main areas are popular among tourists, and I recommend staying in either of these areas. Barracas and Mira Flores. If you book your accommodation in either of these areas, you are in the hub of Food, Bars, Shopping, and Nightlife.
I stayed in Mira Flores. I loved this area because I felt safe walking around alone at night. People are friendly, and it's close to an abundance of shops, restaurants, and, let's not forget, the coastal sea breeze.
As soon as I passed customs, I booked an Uber to travel from the airport to Mira Flores, which cost about $30 AUD. Always used trust apps such as Uber, which is used worldwide, to book your taxi’s and never get into cars from people who try to approach you.
Ensure you withdraw some cash in your local currency back home and convert it to Peruvian Sole (the local currency) when you arrive. Most places take cards, but there is a high surcharge.
My favourite hack for saving money on accommodation when I travel is to book a private room in a hostel. You're practically staying in a hotel but for the hostel price.
During this trip, I stayed at Casaroma Hostel. Run by a family, Casaroma was cosy, clean, and welcoming. Breakfast was included each morning, and the location could not have been more perfect. I was within walking distance of the pick-up point for my day tour bus.
The day I arrived into Lima was a Sunday, which to my lack of knowledge, not a lot of restaurants and bars were open. However I did find a local hotel restaurant that served the most delicious and fresh Ceviche.
Restaurant Recommendations in Lima:
For Ceviches,
Canta ranita
Barra chalaca
La picantería
Almacen cevicheria
Cumpa
For Classic Peruvian,
Isolina
Las reyes
For Pizza,
500 grados
Cafe a bistro
For Pasta,
Troppo
Rossa pizza
Appassionata Pasta
San ceferino
For Breakfast,
Bodega verde
Pan de la chola
La posteria
Cafe de lima
For Pollo A La Brasa (Local Dish),
Granja azul
Tori
All of my saved locations in Peru can be interactively accessed here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/swSGWLBYqjdvHyNV6?g_st=i
The Day Trip you HAVE to book.
On my five-day layover in Santiago, I spent three days in Lima. It was my first time visiting Lima, and a dear friend recommended that I do this day trip. Booking tours is a go-to for solo travellers, as you mingle with other travellers and everything is well organised.
I book all my tours through the trusted app Viator, which I use worldwide. With Cash Rewards, you can receive 10% cash back on top of a generous 10% Viator reward dollar bonus for every booking you make.
I booked the tour “Lima Full Day Tour: Paracas and Huacachina Oasis” and honestly, hands down, it was the best experience I've ever had on a tour. It was so well organised and well balanced. Here is the breakdown of the tour:
Lima Full-Day Tour: Paracas and Huacachina Oasis 🌴
Picked up on a very comfortable bus with the tour guide, fluent in Spanish and English. The bus was decked out with phone charging and toilet facilities.
Your day will begin at 5:45 am, going to Paracas town. Once arriving in the small town, you will have a small break to get a coffee or look around the town.
From here, you will depart onto a jetboat to begin your Ballestas Islands 2-hour tour: Go to the middle of the Pacific Ocean to see sea lions, penguins and more in their natural habitat. I was very impressed with the amount of sea life I saw and how close we were to the animals! Check out these stunning photos from my visit.
Following this sealife adventure, you will have a delicious buffet lunch for an additional AUD 20. This was the best meal I ate all trip! The variety of authentic Peruvian food was to die for. The flavours were unlike anything I've had before. There were vegan options, too.
With a full belly and an energy recharge, we returned to the comfort bus to drive to Huacachina Oasis, where you'll experience Dune Buggy and Sandboarding a once in a lifetime opportunity.
What is the Huacachina Oasis? A tiny village built in between sand dunes in the desert. With a population of only 150 people, this town, 5kms from Ica, is a humble abode full of lively restaurants, bars, market stalls, palm trees, and hostels.
Wrapped around a gorgeous lake, I recommend staying at least one night here at the Eco Camp if you can.
If you're just participating in the day tour I'm writing about, you will still visit this eco camp as your meeting point throughout your visit to the Huacachina Oasis, where you will have the option to sand buggy for 1 or 2 hours. If you decide to only do one, you will have the other hour free to roam the town.
The entire day is timed perfectly, while sandboarding and driving through the desert you will see the most spectacular sunset. Mesmerized by the colours of the skies melting into the dunes, my fear of heights was faced as we lied down on the sand boards floating down the tall inclines of the dunes. Seriously an awesome day.
Returning back to the bus at around 7:30pm, the 3 hour drive home was so relaxing. I arrived back at my hostel at 11pm after this full fantastic day full of fun, sea, sand and Peruvian food. A day trip not to miss!
