Peru sandboarding is just awesome! A day spent racing around in a dune buggy and sandboarding in the coastal desert of Peru is just as great as it sounds. In fact the words Peru and sandboarding should go hand in hand! I literally had so much fun the first time I went that I decided to drag my friend along for a second round. The result was a broken board, dented pride and a bad hangover, but I’d do it all again tomorrow if I had the chance!

The best place to carve up Peruvian sand dunes is the beautiful little oasis town of Huacachina (in fact this is the only place to do Peru sandboarding that I know of). Surrounded by endless desert dunes and located close to the dusty provincial capital of Ica, Huacachina is easy to get to and amazingly pretty. Hotels surround the oasis at the centre of Hucachina so you won’t have any trouble finding accommodation. Moreover with a little artisanal market and some nice restaurants and bars there’s plenty to do once you’ve finished your sandboarding. It’s just a short three hour drive from Lima.

There are two options for those who want to try their hands at Peru sandboarding; you can either rent a board or start climbing or you can join one of the organised tours and hop into a dune buggy. Looking at the size of the dunes I knew the only sensible option was the buggy.

A few hours out on the dunes doing Peru sandboarding is a blast. That’s as long as you don’t mind getting sand in every orifice. Though it’s very simple to learn how to stand up I actually found it pretty hard to carve up the slopes. Luckily I only broke my board (little more than a greased up two by four with foot brackets attached) on the last run.

If you choose to come here the best time to go out is on the last run of the day, the weather is slightly cooler and then you have the sunsets. With a great view of the valley and the glittering lights of Ica in the distance sunset at the top of the dunes is pretty magical. Once the sun is down it’s time to rev up those engines and head back into town for a well needed shower, or better yet, a dip in the hotel pool.