Ica with Pachacamac Ruins en route (private)
We take private transport with a private guide to Ica, an esoteric land of profound religious faith, dunes, valleys, and sunlight.
It is an agricultural zone where fields of cotton, butter beans, asparagus, citrus tree orchards, and vineyards are interspersed among the extensive desert area.
En route, we visit the ancient adobe ruins of Pachacamac, located about 40 km (25 miles) south of Lima. This pre-Inca temple, dating back to AD 600-900, was a place of pilgrimage, once covering 10 km2 (4 sq miles).
Built centuries before the Incas, Pachacamac is noted for its great pyramidal temples and the remains of frescoes adorning its adobe walls. Following the expansion of the Inca Empire, Pachacamac became an important Inca administrative center while maintaining its status as a religious shrine.
Pachacamac has an on-site museum with an exciting collection of pre-Hispanic relics.
PM: City tour of Ica, Huacachina Oasis, Regional Museum and local winery
In the afternoon, we take a sightseeing tour of Ica, including the Main Square, Municipal Palace, and the Cathedral of Ica. We continue with a visit to an old Pisco-producing bodega where visitors can witness the production process and taste different types of Pisco and wines produced by the bodega.
Then, we head to the Regional Museum of Ica to appreciate interesting ancient relics of different cultures that developed in the region. The Museum exhibits a comprehensive collection of pre-Columbian textiles, ceramics, and artifacts from the Paracas, Nazca, and Inca cultures.
Finally, we head to the Oasis of Huacachina, 5 km southwest of Ica. This beautiful lagoon, said to contain sulfur salts, which many claim to be curative, is surrounded by dunes.
After the excursion, we return to the hotel.
Overnight in Paracas.