From Ica or Huacachina: Tour to Tacama Vineyard and Artisanal Winery.

The best part of this half-day tour is its range. You begin at Hacienda Tacama, said to be South America’s oldest winery, then move to the family-run La Vieja Bodega Lovera and a smaller artisan producer with Spanish cellars from the 16th and 17th centuries. It gives you both polished wine production and old-fashioned pisco making in one outing.

I like the three-stop route, which lets you compare large-scale and family winery traditions. I also like that pisco, wine, sparkling wine, and pisco creams are included in the tastings, so the tour is not limited to one drink or one style of producer.

The main catch is cost clarity. The advertised price is $25 per person, but entry to Tacama is extra at 25 soles, or 30 soles on holidays, and lunch is not included. This is a group tour, so the pace and pickup time may not suit you if you want a quiet, private winery visit.

Key points before you book

• Tacama is the headline stop: Visit one of South America’s oldest wineries, with wine, pisco, and sparkling-wine production.
• Three wineries, three different moods: See a major historic estate, a fourth-generation family winery, and an artisan producer.
• Pisco tasting goes beyond one glass: Expect wine, pisco, cachina, sparkling wine, and pisco creams at different stops.
• Lunch is separate: You get about an hour for a regional meal at the vineyard restaurant, but food and drinks cost extra.
• Monday plans change: Tacama closes for a weekly break on Mondays, so the tour visits Hacienda Vista Alegre instead.
• Pickup is included: The van collects you in Ica or Huacachina about 15 minutes before departure and returns you to your hotel in Ica.

Why this Pisco Route makes sense from Ica

Ica is one of Peru’s key wine and pisco areas, and this tour gives you a practical way to see several producers without arranging separate taxis or trying to connect rural roads yourself. From Ica or nearby Huacachina, the van takes you through the local wine country and returns you to your hotel after the final stop.

The tour lasts about five hours. The stop schedule includes two hours at Tacama, one hour at Lovera, one hour at the third winery, and one hour for lunch. The published transport time is about 20 minutes each way, and pickup begins 15 minutes before the activity time, so keep some flexibility in your day.

I find the route useful for first-time visitors who want an introduction rather than a specialist tasting course. You will learn how pisco and wine are made, taste several products, and see the difference between a historic estate and smaller family operations.

This is a group tour, not a private food-and-wine excursion. That keeps the $25 starting price reasonable, but it also means you will follow the group’s schedule at each stop. If your ideal afternoon involves lingering over one bottle or asking detailed questions for an hour, a private visit may fit better.

Hacienda Tacama and the oldest winery claim

Tacama is the main reason many people choose this excursion. The property is presented as the oldest winery in South America, and its production centers on fine grapes used for wines, pisco, and sparkling wines.

You spend about two hours here, including a guided visit, sightseeing, photographs, and tasting. That longer first stop gives the tour a solid opening. You are not simply rushed through a shop for one sample, although the exact order of the visit can depend on the group and the day.

I like Tacama as an introduction because it gives you the broadest look at the region’s wine culture. You can compare a standard wine with pisco, then see how pisco creams and other products fit into the local drinking tradition.

The admission fee needs close attention. Entry to Tacama is not included in the tour price. It costs 25 soles, with an additional 5 soles on holidays. The tasting is included, but you should carry cash for admission and any purchases.

On Mondays, Tacama takes its weekly break. The visit is replaced by Hacienda Vista Alegre, described as a winery of the same category. If Tacama is the specific reason you want to book, avoid Monday. If your main interest is the Pisco Route itself, the replacement still keeps the tour focused on wine and pisco production.

La Vieja Bodega Lovera and four generations of family work

The second stop is La Vieja Bodega Lovera, also called Lovera Winery. It was founded in 1867 by Francisco Lovera and Ursula Moreno, and the fourth generation of the family currently runs the winery.

This is a useful contrast with Tacama. Instead of focusing only on a large historic producer, the visit brings you closer to a family business that has kept its methods and name in use across several generations.

The tasting here centers on piscos, wines, and cachinas. Cachina is a young, sweet wine associated with the Ica area, and it gives you another local drink to compare with the stronger, distilled character of pisco.

You have about an hour at Lovera for the guided visit, photographs, and tasting. That is enough for a clear introduction, but not enough for an extended technical lesson. I would arrive ready to listen and taste rather than expecting a long cellar tour.

The family connection is the real value of this stop. It helps explain that Ica’s wine culture is not only about grand estates. Small producers and family names remain an important part of the region’s identity.

Cutur Pisco and the old Spanish cellars

The final winery visit takes place at Fundo Hotel El Arrabal and is described as the tourist winery Cutur Pisco. The location information also refers to the site as part of the El Arrabal property, so do not be surprised if both names appear on your booking details or pickup instructions.

Cutur is presented as an artisan winery where traditional wine and pisco production continues. Its most unusual feature is inside: authentic Spanish cellars dated to the 16th and 17th centuries.

That detail makes this stop more than another tasting room. The cellars connect the drinks in your glass with older production spaces and Spanish influence in the region. You get a sense of how long wine and grape spirits have been part of Ica’s story.

The tasting again focuses on piscos, wines, and cachinas. You will have about an hour at this stop, including the winery visit and free time for lunch. Since food is not part of the tour price, check the menu and carry cash or another accepted payment method before ordering.

The third stop is likely to suit you if you prefer a smaller, more traditional setting. It may feel less polished than Tacama, but that is part of its appeal. The point here is the artisan character, the old cellars, and the chance to eat regional food on site.

Lunch at the vineyard restaurant

The tour sets aside one hour for lunch at the restaurant connected with the third winery. Typical dishes from the Ica Region are available, giving you a chance to make the meal part of the local experience rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Lunch is not included. Drinks are not included either, including anything beyond the scheduled tastings. I would budget for the meal separately and avoid assuming that the $25 price covers the full afternoon.

The one-hour break should be enough for a straightforward meal, but it is not a leisurely restaurant sitting. The group has a return transfer to make, so order with the schedule in mind.

This meal stop is still valuable because it breaks up the tasting sequence. Three winery visits can become repetitive if you are only moving from one sample to the next. A regional dish gives your palate and your attention a rest.

If you do not drink alcohol, this tour may offer less value. The central activity at every winery is tasting, and the tour is built around wine, pisco, cachina, and pisco creams. The information does not specify a separate nonalcoholic tasting program.

What the tastings are really like

The included tastings cover several local products rather than one narrow category. You may sample wines, pisco, sparkling wine, cachina, and pisco creams across the different wineries.

That variety is one of the strongest reasons to choose this tour. Pisco is often the drink visitors associate with Peru, but the route shows that Ica’s producers also make table wine, sparkling wine, sweet young wine, and cream-based drinks.

You should pace yourself. The tour includes tastings at multiple stops, and the day is more enjoyable when you treat each sample as a comparison rather than trying to drink quickly. Eat lunch, drink water when available, and use the breaks between stops sensibly.

The tour is not described as a formal sommelier class. You will have a live guide in English or Spanish, but the emphasis is on visiting, tasting, and seeing the wineries. If you want detailed notes on grape varieties, fermentation, or distillation, ask your guide directly and keep expectations realistic.

You can also buy bottles or local products if something suits your taste, but purchases are not included. A charged smartphone is useful for keeping notes and photographing labels, especially if you want to remember which pisco or cream you preferred.

The $25 price and what it does not cover

At $25 per person, the tour offers good value for transportation, a guide, three winery visits, and included pisco and wine tastings. It is especially practical if you are staying in Huacachina and do not want to arrange separate rides to producers outside town.

The headline price is not the full cost. Add 25 soles for Tacama admission, or 30 soles on holidays, plus lunch and drinks. If the Monday replacement takes place, confirm what admission applies at Vista Alegre before setting your budget.

The value depends on how much of the route you use. For someone interested in Ica’s drinks and local production, three stops in five hours is efficient. For someone who wants a relaxed meal, private attention, or a single serious tasting, the group format may feel too busy.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity and the reserve-now-pay-later option make it easier to hold a place while your Ica plans take shape. Still, check the available departure time before booking, since the tour does not list one fixed start time.

Transport, timing, and what to bring

Pickup is included from your hotel in Ica or Huacachina. The van collects you about 15 minutes before the activity time, and you should be ready early because this is a shared group transfer.

Wear comfortable shoes and practical clothing. Winery grounds and cellar areas are better handled in shoes you can walk in, and biodegradable sunscreen and insect repellent are sensible choices for an outdoor wine-country visit.

Bring cash for the Tacama entrance fee, lunch, drinks, and any products you decide to purchase. A camera and charged smartphone are useful, while comfortable clothes will keep the day easier in the Ica heat.

The stated restrictions are straightforward: alcohol and drugs, fireworks, and explosive substances are not allowed. The activity is wheelchair accessible, but it is listed as unsuitable for people with epilepsy, visual impairments, recent surgeries, or insect allergies.

English and Spanish tours are available. Some content may appear in its original language, so ask at booking if the language of your departure matters to you.

Who should choose this winery tour

I would recommend this tour to you if you are based in Ica or Huacachina and want a simple introduction to the Pisco Route. It suits first-time visitors, couples, small groups of friends, and anyone who wants transport and tastings arranged in one booking.

It is also a good match if you enjoy comparing different types of producers. Tacama gives you the major historic winery experience, Lovera adds a fourth-generation family story, and Cutur brings you artisan production and old Spanish cellars.

The tour is less suitable if you dislike group schedules or do not want to pay extra for lunch and entry. It is also not a strong choice for anyone who cannot take part in alcohol tastings, since wine and pisco are central at all three stops.

Monday requires special thought. You will visit Vista Alegre instead of Tacama, so book another day if seeing Tacama is essential. If you mainly want a broad look at Ica’s wineries, the alternative keeps the day on the same general theme.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want an affordable, well-organized way to see three Ica wineries without handling transport yourself. The mix of Tacama, the fourth-generation Lovera family winery, and artisan Cutur Pisco gives you more variety than a single tasting visit.

I would budget beyond the advertised $25, pack cash, and plan for a group pace. Choose a day other than Monday if Tacama matters to you, and book only if tastings, regional food, and local pisco traditions sound more appealing than a private, slow afternoon.

FAQ

How much does the tour cost?

The tour is listed at $25 per person. Entry to Tacama costs an additional 25 soles, or 30 soles on holidays. Lunch and drinks are also not included.

Is pickup included from Huacachina?

Yes. Pickup and return to your hotel are included in Huacachina or Ica. Pickup takes place about 15 minutes before the activity time.

What happens if I book for a Monday?

Tacama is closed on Mondays for its weekly break. The visit is replaced by Hacienda Vista Alegre, described as a winery of the same category.

Are wine and pisco tastings included?

Yes. Pisco and wine tastings are included. The route can also include sparkling wine, cachina, and pisco creams at the different wineries.

Is lunch included?

No. You have about one hour of free time to eat at the restaurant at the third winery, but lunch and drinks cost extra.

What languages are available on the tour?

Live guides are available in English and Spanish. Some content may be presented in its original language.