Overlanding: Lima to Nazca.

Distance: 450 KM.

Driving time: 6 hrs. without stops.

Good roads.

A route full of beaches, wildlife, deserts and history.

  

We leave Lima early  and take the Panamericana highway to the south, this highway goes along the beaches. On Km. 45 you will see Punta Hermoza beach, a famous beach for surfing.  Perú has about 3000 Km. of coast with good surfing spots and great sea food.

Along Panamericana highway you will find some good petrol stations and places to stop for a coffee. At Km. 131 is Cerro Azul town, good place for fishing and surfing.

227 Km. south of Lima is Pisco town, this place was distroyed by an earthquake on 2007. After 5 Km. is the turn to Paracas National Reserve. On this area are the Ballestas Islands, you can take a boat tour to this islands and see sea lions, penguins and pelicans, the tour takes about 2 hours on the boat and starts at 08.00 am. and 10.00 am, it cost about 15 USD.

After see Ballestas Islands you can have a coffe and a fish sandwich (traditional local breakfast) on El Chaco pier  and then continue driving. A good option is to visit Paracas National Reserve and see more wildlife or visit La Mina beach, just a few Kms. south from Paracas.

Leaving Paracas you can drive back to Panamericana highway and continue your trip to the south.  After 1 hr. you will get to Ica (69 Km. from Paracas), after a few minutes you will have to turn right on Huacachina sign to get to the desert and sand dunes of Huacachina. 

Huacachina is famous because the oasis and the sand dunes, here you can do sand boarding and a dune buggy excursion.

To continue with your trip to the south you have to go back to Panamericana highway and drive 149 Km. to Nasca, located on Km. 450. This road is in good conditions and goes through the desert.    So better fill up with petrol in Ica. 

Nasca is a town with about 27 000 people and it´s famous because the Nasca Lines, this are drawings on the desert made by the Nasca civilization who lived in this area before the Incas. To see this lines you need to take a small plane and do a 30 min. flight around the desert, there are many travel agencies in town that offers this kind of excursion for about 100 USD + 25 soles tax.

From Nasca you can continue your trip to the south to Puerto Inca Beach (3 hrs. from Nasca) and then to Arequipa city.