Ica

Ica, known as the City of Eternal Sun, enjoys a privileged climate with sunny days almost all year round. This fascinating destination dazzles not only with its light and landscapes, but also with its deep historical past, whose first inhabitants date back more than 10,000 years. Important civilizations such as Paracas, Wari, Nasca, and Ica flourished in these lands, leaving behind an invaluable cultural legacy that still amazes the world.

A land of deserts, beaches, oases, and fertile valleys, Ica is a territory full of magic and contrasts. Its landscapes are notable for the extensive desert plains that surround beautiful valleys and natural oases, one of the most iconic being the Huacachina Lagoon, famous for the emerald green color of its waters, its abundant vegetation, and the imposing dunes that surround it, ideal for sandboarding and buggy rides.

Photo by Lovelypeace on istockphoto

This department is also home to the enigmatic Nazca Lines, gigantic pre-Columbian geoglyphs carved into the desert sands, covering more than 1,000 km² and featuring more than 300 figures, including animals, plants, and geometric shapes. Some of these lines are up to 9 kilometers long and can only be fully appreciated from the air, making them one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries and an unmissable destination to discover.

Photo by Lovelypeace on istockphoto

Ica is also home to Peru’s largest marine reserve, an ecosystem of enormous natural value that protects more than 200 species of birds and 300 species of fish, offering unique coastal landscapes and extraordinary biodiversity.

As the perfect complement, this incredible region is renowned for its prestigious wineries, where some of the country’s finest wines and piscos are produced, inviting visitors to enjoy unique sensory experiences through wine and pisco routes. Ica is undoubtedly a destination that combines history, mystery, nature, and tradition in an unforgettable experience.

Good to know

Location

It is located in the central part of the Peruvian coast.
Altitude

406 meters above sea level.
Climate

Temperate and desert, with a high concentration of humidity in the coastal zone.
Seasons

Hot weather (mid-april to mid-november), mild (january 2 to april 12), warm (february), cool (june 15 to september 10), cold (july).
Indispensable to bring

Sunscreen because the sun is too bright, comfortable clothes for walking, sneakers, cap, sunglasses, jacket (at the time of the tour in the whale islands), identification document, and cash.
Distance to other cities

Ica - Lima: 303 km.
Ica - Nazca: 143 km.
Ica - Arequipa: 711 km.
Fun fact

It is the city with the most sunshine throughout the year.

Main tourist attractions

Paracas National Reserve

It is one of the most important and protected areas in Peru; being the only one that has a marine ecosystem with an area of 3,350 hectares. The place is a refuge for sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingos and other birds among others.

From the seaside resort of Paracas, in the province of Pisco, you can visit the Ballestas and San Gallán islands, habitat of sea lions, by boat. On the way you can see a figure of El Candelabro, engraved on the side of a hill.

Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines were declared a World Heritage Site in 1994. These Nazca lines were discovered in 1927 by Toribio Mejia Xexpe, studied by Paul Kosok, Hans Horkheirmer and the German doctor Maria Reiche, the Lady of Nazca, who lived in the area for more than 50 years studying and investigating their origin.

The ancient inhabitants of the Nazca culture have bequeathed a valuable archaeological monument consisting of an enormous network of lines and drawings of animals and plants in an area of approximately 350 square kilometers.

The researcher Kosok’s theory is that it is a gigantic calendar with astronomical signs, built more than two thousand years ago, but until today these traces are a mystery because their figures are so perfect and it is surprising the spectacular dimension and shape of the drawings that are located 25 kilometers from the city of Nazca, between kilometers 419 and 165 of the Panamericana Sur.

To get to know these spectacular Nazca Lines, you can fly over them and there is also a 12-meter high lookout point from where you can see the figures of “The Hand” and “The Tree”.

Huacachina Lagoon

It is one of the most beautiful places of the Peruvian coast. Located five kilometers from the Peruvian city of Ica, it is an impressive oasis of green color, abundant vegetation such as palm trees, eucalyptus and huarangos trees.

Considered the Oasis of America, its unique landscape is surrounded by impressive dunes, where you can take buggy rides and sandboarding.

Canyon of The Lost

This mysterious Canyon of The Lost is located southwest in the district of Santiago in the province of Ica, has an extension of 5 km and is located 40 km from the town of Ocucaje. The canyon is formed by the erosion of the Seco River that flows into the Ica River.

It was discovered in 2011. The name of this canyon comes from an expedition carried out by the mayor Pablo Alvites together with the villagers and the local journalist Mayco Herrera. When these groups were heading to the place they got lost for a couple of hours and finally when they arrived at the canyon the journalist decided to title his report with the name Canyon of The Lost.