Day trips · Lima · Peru
5 best day trips from Lima
Where to go when you want a day away from Lima, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gatodemichi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Lima is Pachacamac (About 1 hour by car). The closest option is Palomino Islands, about 20 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Palomino Islands (20 km)
- Most popular
- Pachacamac
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pachacamac | 40 km | About 1 hour by car | Organised tour or taxi | Culture, Families |
| Palomino Islands | 20 km | About 2 hours by boat from Callao, round trip | Boat tour from Callao | Families, First-timers |
| Caral | 200 km | About 3.5–4 hours by road | Organised tour | Culture |
| Paracas and the Ballestas Islands | 250 km | About 3.5–4 hours by bus | Bus from Lima, or an organised tour | Families, First-timers |
| Lunahuaná | 180 km | About 3 hours by road | Organised tour or bus via Cañete | Families, Food lovers |
The day trips
40 km · About 1 hour by car
1.Pachacamac
A vast pre-Hispanic religious centre in the desert south of the city, used for over a thousand years by successive cultures and later by the Inca, who built a Temple of the Sun here. The site has adobe pyramids and views over the Pacific.
- Getting there
- Organised tour or taxi
- Best for
- Culture, Families
20 km · About 2 hours by boat from Callao, round trip
2.Palomino Islands
Boat tours from Callao pass the Isla San Lorenzo and reach the Palomino Islands, home to thousands of sea lions. Some tours let you swim with the sea lions in wetsuits, alongside seabirds and, at times, Humboldt penguins.
- Getting there
- Boat tour from Callao
- Best for
- Families, First-timers
200 km · About 3.5–4 hours by road
3.Caral
Caral, in the Supe Valley north of Lima, is one of the oldest cities in the Americas, nearly 5,000 years old, with pyramids and a sunken amphitheatre. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a long but rewarding day trip.
- Getting there
- Organised tour
- Best for
- Culture
250 km · About 3.5–4 hours by bus
4.Paracas and the Ballestas Islands
The Paracas Reserve's desert coastline and the Ballestas Islands, with sea lions, penguins and seabirds, are reached by speedboat from Paracas. A day trip is long; most visitors stay a night or continue to Huacachina.
- Getting there
- Bus from Lima, or an organised tour
- Best for
- Families, First-timers
180 km · About 3 hours by road
5.Lunahuaná
A green valley town on the Cañete River known for river rafting, pisco vineyards and crayfish dishes. It is popular with Limeños for weekend escapes from the grey winter.
- Getting there
- Organised tour or bus via Cañete
- Best for
- Families, Food lovers
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Buy a rechargeable card at Metropolitano stations; buses are packed at rush hour.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Lima?
Pachacamac. A vast pre-Hispanic religious centre in the desert south of the city, used for over a thousand years by successive cultures and later by the Inca, who built a Temple of the Sun here.
+How long does it take to get from Lima to Pachacamac?
About 1 hour by car — Organised tour or taxi, about 40 km.
+How long does it take to get from Lima to Palomino Islands?
About 2 hours by boat from Callao, round trip — Boat tour from Callao, about 20 km.