Day 42 – Monday, March 9, 2026

I thought the breakfast at Gran Hotel Ica would be more lavish than 3 buns with some eggs — guess it was not worth the wait till 7 am. Still, I did not start cycling right after breakfast, but decided to do some traditional sightseeing.

You see, the previous day I was so tired I did not even get informed about the highlights in Ica. One top destination is Huacachina. I almost booked a hotel there — oh well, better planning would have been needed.

So, what is Huacachina? It is a natural desert oasis surrounded by massive sand dunes. I decided to take a tuk tuk there, which was a wise decision — as the roads were bad and traffic was heavy on this Monday morning. It cost me €4 both ways (probably less for locals) and was worth every penny.

What a beautiful and peaceful area this was! Huacachina is a tiny desert oasis, wrapped in towering dunes that look almost unreal. The lagoon at its center is surrounded by palm trees and a ring of hostels, cafés, and sand‑sports outfitters, giving the place a laid‑back vibe. Well, as said, I almost stayed there when arriving to town the previous evening, but then decided for a hotel in the center of the town. Too bad.

Beautiful oasis...

...surrounded by large dunes

I rode the tuk tuk back to my hotel and started riding — and still in Ica, visited a beautiful church. The municipality had a Southern European feeling.

Pretty cathedral

The municipality had a Southern European feeling

On the outskirts was a college; this Monday was the start of a new term and the pupils were greeted with a photo ceremony.

Start of a new semester

The actual biking part was less interesting. After Ica — and for the first time on this trip in Peru — the PanAmerican Highway had four lanes and a broad shoulder. It was a bit overcast and the ride was generally downhill, in an area where a fair amount of agricultural farming was taking place. All good, one might think, except for one thing — the wind. Not too strong, but constant — slowing the progress.

Continuing on the PanAm Highway

I reached the road leading to the seaside town of Pisco. Encouraged by the easy tuk tuk ride in the morning, I left my bike at a car wash and hailed a small cab. This was not a wise decision. Pisco was outright ugly and the beach — full of concrete — was really ugly.

Ugly beach

Well, not the nicest towns

Further south, I gave the beach a second chance — no success this time either. The village, although right on the ocean, was anything but inviting. The land surrounding the village is used as a garbage dump.

There was garbage all around

In a town called Chincha Alta, I found a great accommodation. It is a resort with real comfortable huts — surrounding a big pool. I took a refreshing dip in the evening — that was really nice!

I rode 116 km and ascended just 300 meters.