This short experience allows you not only to be completely immersed in the beautiful landscapes of the Peruvian Atacama Desert, but also to meet some of the people living there.
During this tour you will spend the night camping, which allows you to enjoy a night under an entire ocean of stars.
Are you a great fan of the desert and want to be immersed in this extraordinary place for longer? In that case, check out the four day version of this tour called The Magical Desert or the On Top of the Desert Nazca Tour.
You can also read our Travel Guide to Paracas, Ica & Nazca at the Southern Coast to get more general information about the destination.
At 10.00 am, we start this tour by picking you up from your hotel or another place of your choice. We will drive in a private vehicle from Paracas to a small community of farming families living at the edge of the desert. Here, we will visit the house of María Shara, who will prepare us a so-called “locro costeño“, a typical and delicious stew from the region.
Being all strengthened from lunch, you will walk through corn-, cotton- and other crop fields until you reach the dunes of the desert. After another hour of hiking through the sand dunes, you will be able to catch first glimpses of the oasis. Once here, we will pitch our tents and you can go for a swim if you want! Then, we will enjoy dinner and a campfire under the night full of stars.
Duration of the hike: 2.5 h
Difficulty: medium (high temperatures).
Distance on foot: 3 km
This morning, a fantastic breakfast awaits you in front of the oasis, After that, you will walk to some reed beds (aquatic vegetation), where the reed is harvested and the art of making baskets and mats is practiced.
After that, we will take you back to Paracas, where this Quick magical desert experience ends and you will be dropped off at your hotel.
NOTE: While women can sometimes be seen crafting by the lagoon, such an experience is not part of the intended itinerary. However, if you desire to participate and further immerse yourself, your guide can arrange it on the spot for an additional cash fee.
Visiting off-the-beaten-path destinations invigorates local rural economies that normally only derive income from agriculture and other minor employment. The Peruvian desert is not necessarily seen as a major attraction compared to the Andes or the Amazon, as it is not promoted as much. This tour gives credit to this lesser-known destination and to the families you will visit.
During the route, you will learn a lot about the importance of the native plants of the desert. There are refill stations on the way, as well. You won’t have to bring any disposable plastic bottles to stay hydrated!
Your participation in this tour will also support reforestation and clean-up projects around Paracas and Nazca.
A can be a little bit, yes. Even though we will not be hiking many kilometers, it is tough walking through the sand, as you advance a lot slower. It can also get really hot, so be prepared for that!
Thanks to the proximity to the sea it gets less hot than in other desert. You can expect p to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. During the night, it can cool down a lot, especially in winter. It can rain slightly and be foggy at night an d in the mornings.
Yes, you will be doing it only with the people you booked it with!
For questions about booking a tour, prices, preparation for your trip, health and safety or other themes, please check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you can’t find your question & answer, email us and we’ll add it!
I am Edmundo, official guide, I was born in Lima but I lived in Nazca since I was 19 years old. Nazca is where my passion for adventure was born, opening new routes hiking through the desert. But above all, I wanted to propose a different, original and responsible tourism with the local population and in balance with the environment. To show the traveler the life of the common people of the coastal valleys and that they can have a real participation in unique experiences in these lands yet to be discovered.
That is what I stand for and what you will experience when taking part in my experiences. Welcome to the desert of Nazca!
