Before visiting Peru’s southern coast, I was convinced of one thing: I did not want to see Paracas and Huacachina on one of those marathon day trips from Lima. You know the itinerary. Leave Lima before sunrise, visit the Ballestas Islands, continue to Huacachina for dune buggies and sandboarding, and eventually make the long drive…

The first thing you notice as you approach Huacachina is the sand. We had spent the previous hour driving from Paracas toward Ica, and once we reached the city, the scenery felt surprisingly familiar. Ica reminded me a little of a smaller Lima: cars, traffic, businesses, people moving around, and the general commotion of a…

When most people start planning a trip to Peru, they focus on the same destinations: Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and maybe Arequipa if they have extra time. Paracas rarely makes the first draft, and I understand why. If you only have a week in Peru, I would give every extra day I could to Cusco….

Figuring out how many days to spend in Lima can be surprisingly difficult when you’re planning a trip to Peru. There’s no shortage of things competing for your time. You may be flying through Lima on your way to Cusco and Machu Picchu, heading south toward Arequipa, or trying to fit several completely different parts…