Lima to Huacachina

Going from Lima to Huacachina by Bus: 2025 updated information about Bus Safety, The Best Bus Companies to take and their schedules.

Traveling to Lima from Huacachina takes around 5 hours. In this guide, we have included extensive information about bus safety in Peru, the best bus companies to travel with and other benefits you should look out for when choosing the bus company you want to travel with from Ica to Lima.

The journey from Lima to Huacachina involves going straight down towards the south of Peru. Known as one of the best spots in Peru to sand board and dune buggy, Huacachina is also the only oasis in South America. Public buses are not licensed to stop in Huacachina and usually finish their journeys in Ica where there are public bus terminals.

Hop on / hop off buses on the other hand, go directly to the Oasis which is useful for anyone who doesn’t know their way around. Bus travel is the only option to travel from Lima to Huacachina as flights aren’t available due to there being no airports in Huacachina or Ica. Below you will find important information to consider before choosing the best bus company to travel with on this route.

To travel from Lima to Huacachina, there are 2 main options:

1 – Public Bus (e.g. Cruz del Sur, Oltursa)

2 – Hop on hop off bus (e.g. Peru Hop)

The schedule and departure times of buses from Lima to Huacachina are as follows:

COMPANIES	SCHEDULE	DEPARTURE TIME	DEPARTURE LOCATION	ENGLISH SPEAKING ASSITANCE	TRIPADVISOR RATING
CRUZ DEL SUR	DAILY	06:00, 07:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 19:00	PUBLIC TERMINAL	NO	65%
PERU HOP	DAILY	06:00 and 07:00	HOTEL PICK-UP & DROP OFF	YES	96%

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO HELP CHOOSE WHAT BUS COMPANY TO TAKE:

1. Is it required to travel to the bus companies public terminal or do they pick you up from your hotel/hostel?

Some bus companies, such as the hop on hop off companies, do pick you up from wherever you’re staying, which is a much more secure and safer service rather than having to take local taxis. Going with public bus companies you will always have to travel to the terminal meaning there is the need to find out where the terminal is and organizing transport to on the day of travel.

2. How is bus safety in Peru and what are the companies safety records like?

This varies from company to company. The best way to find out the safety record of any bus company is to put the name of the company with the words “hijackings” or “accidents” and googling the results. This way you will be able to see which companies are the best.

3. What can I expect to find on the bus? What are the on-board facilities like?

Most companies will have TV’s, toilets (how clean the toilets are depend on the company) and semi-cama or cama seats. All important factors which help determine the best company.

4. Are there any other benefits I can expect to find depending on the bus company?

Different companies offer different perks. For example, Civa offers luxury options for some of its routes. Companies like Peru Hop go a step further by including direct bus access into Huacachina and exclusive discounts on accommodation. Make sure to check out a couple of different companies to see what benefits you can get and which will be the best for you.

5. Where can I book?

When it comes to booking your bus from Lima to Huacachina, we highly recommend going directly through the official website of the bus company you choose. Not only will you often get better prices and more flexible cancellation policies, but you’ll also avoid unnecessary service fees charged by third-party platforms like Redbus or Busbud.

Quick tip: If you’re going with a popular company like Peru Hop or Civa, their websites are easy to use and accept international cards.

The journey from Lima to Huacachina by bus is usually a pleasant one (depending on what company you travel with) as it is a straight trip down the Pan American highway. It is also recommended to stop by Paracas and visit the Ballestas Islands on the way. All you have to do is choose the best bus company and enjoy your journey!