Winery and Pisco Distillery tour

Ica’s pisco tradition makes the most sense when you see the old estates, family cellars, and working wineries behind the bottle. This tour takes you to Hacienda Tacama, called the oldest winery in South America, then continues to smaller producers where wine, pisco, and cachina are still central to local life.

I like the small maximum of 12 people, which gives you a better chance to ask questions and avoid being rushed from one tasting to the next. I also like the practical hotel pickup from Ica or Huacachina, plus the flexible communication praised by people who worked with Sam, William, and Raul. The main drawback is its length: with three winery visits, tastings, and lunch time, the afternoon may feel repetitive if you are only mildly interested in pisco.

Key points before you book

• Hacienda Tacama is the grand historic stop: Expect the oldest winery in South America, with wines, piscos, sparkling wines, and an additional PEN 25 entrance fee.
• You visit more than one kind of producer: The route mixes a large historic winery with smaller artisan operations such as El Arrabal and Bodega Nietto.
• The group is capped at 12 people: That is small enough for more direct help from your guide without paying for a private tour.
• Lunch is not included, but time is set aside: You can eat at the vineyard restaurant during the route.
• Monday has a clear change of plan: Tacama closes for rest, so the tour substitutes Hacienda Vista Alegre.
• Pickup is designed for Ica and Huacachina: Hotel pickup is included, and bus-station reception is available.

Why an Ica pisco tour is worth your afternoon

Pisco is Peru’s national liquor, and Ica is one of the country’s key production areas. A bottle in a shop tells you very little about how the drink is made or why local families take such pride in it. At these wineries, you can taste the finished products beside the places where grapes are turned into wine, pisco, and sparkling wine.

I like this experience because it gives you both scale and tradition. Hacienda Tacama offers the grander setting and a longer story, while the artisan wineries bring you closer to family production and older cellar customs. You are not visiting one polished tasting room and calling it a day.

The price is $30.77 per person. For a 5 to 6 hour outing with round-trip transport from an Ica or Huacachina hotel, several winery visits, tastings, and entrance to the listed tourist sites, that is a fair package. Tacama’s PEN 25 entrance fee is extra, paid by card or cash, so include it in your budget.

Meals and lodging are also extra. The tour provides time for lunch, particularly at the El Arrabal vineyard restaurant, but you pay for what you order. This arrangement works well if you want choice, though it means the final cost depends on your meal.

Starting at Hacienda Tacama

The first major stop is Hacienda Tacama, presented as the oldest winery in South America. Its importance is not just the age of the property. Tacama produces several kinds of drinks, including wine, pisco, and sparkling wine, so the visit gives you a broad introduction to the products made from Ica grapes.

You will be invited to taste different wines and piscos. This is the part of the tour that gives the name pisco a practical meaning. You can compare products rather than hearing only a guide’s explanation, and you can ask about what you are tasting as the visit unfolds.

Allow roughly two hours for this stop. The time includes the winery visit and tasting, though the listed Tacama entrance fee is not included in the tour price. The extra fee is modest, but it is an important detail to know before you arrive.

Tacama is also the stop most likely to appeal to you if you care about architecture and atmosphere as much as the drinks. One person specifically singled out the building and overall experience as the afternoon highlight. You should not expect the entire route to have the same scale. That contrast is part of the point.

If you book for Monday, Tacama is closed. The replacement is Hacienda Vista Alegre, described as being in the same category as Tacama. You still receive a winery visit and tastings, but the exact setting changes, so choose another day if Tacama itself is your main reason for booking.

El Arrabal and the artisan side of the route

The next part moves to Fundo, Hotel El Arrabal, an artisan winery where wine and pisco production has been kept as a family-style tradition. This gives you a different view from Tacama. Instead of focusing only on a large historic producer, you see how smaller-scale production fits into the Pisco Route.

The stop lasts about two hours and includes entrance. Tastings are part of the overall experience, and you have free time to eat at the restaurant in this attractive vineyard setting. Since lunch is not included, you can decide how much time and money you want to spend there.

I would treat this pause as useful rather than as empty time. A 5 to 6 hour winery route can become tiring if every stop follows the same pattern. A meal break lets you sit down, compare what you have tasted, and enjoy the setting without trying to rush through another explanation.

The tradeoff is that a meal stop takes time away from sightseeing. If you have a tight afternoon plan after the tour, tell the operator in advance and keep an eye on the schedule. The tour ends with transfer back to your Ica hotel, but the route has several moving parts.

La Vieja Bodega Lovera and old cellar traditions

The route also calls at La Vieja Bodega Lovera, described as an artisan winery known for piscos, wines, and cachinas. Cachina is another traditional drink associated with grape production, so this stop broadens the tasting beyond the best-known bottle of pisco.

The most unusual detail here is the authentic Spanish cava, or cellar, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. That gives the visit a physical sense of age. You are not simply sampling a drink with a historical label. You can see the older cellar environment that forms part of the winery’s identity.

The order of the stops may vary in practice, since the published route groups El Arrabal and Lovera together before the final transfer. If you want to know the exact sequence for your date, confirm it with Sam Travel Experiences after booking. The important point is that the middle section combines artisan production, tasting, and a place to stop for lunch.

This is also where your guide can add value. Raul was praised for giving historical details during the drives and for helping coordinate a smooth connection with another tour afterward. If you have an evening bus, hotel check-in, or another booked activity, tell your guide early rather than assuming the schedule will bend around it.

Bodega Nietto, a family winery founded in 1857

The final winery visit is Bodega Nietto, a family operation founded by the Gonzalez Misa family in 1857. The fourth generation is currently in charge, giving the stop a clear family thread rather than a generic tasting-room feel.

Piscos, wines, and cachinas are the main attractions here. The visit lasts about one hour, making it shorter than Tacama and El Arrabal. That shorter format may suit you if you want one final tasting without adding another long guided stop.

Still, three producers can be a lot in one day. One piece of feedback found the third winery unnecessary, and that is a reasonable concern if your interest is casual. The route is best for you if you enjoy comparing producers, hearing regional stories, and tasting several styles. If you prefer one careful winery visit, a shorter private arrangement may suit you better, though that is not what this experience offers.

The benefit of Bodega Nietto is the family history. The 1857 founding date and fourth-generation connection make it more than a final stop added to fill time. It shows how grape production in Ica can be tied to a specific family across several generations.

What the small group and guides add

The group maximum is 12 people. That is not a private tour, but it is small enough to make the day more personal than a large coach outing. You should have a better chance to hear the guide during transfers and ask for help with meeting points, timing, or the tasting stops.

The operator’s communication is one of the tour’s practical strengths. Sam has handled last-minute arrangements and provided clear meeting instructions for people arriving by bus rather than staying at a local hotel. That matters in Ica, where you may be combining the winery tour with a bus arrival or a visit to Huacachina.

The guide may be Sam, William, Raul, or another member of the team. William has been praised for making the route feel like an outing with a local friend, while Raul has been noted for regional history and coordination with a later activity. You cannot assume a particular guide unless the company confirms one, but these names give you a useful sense of the service style to expect.

On holidays, pickup is handled at Plaza de Armas and Huacachina rather than every hotel. Drop-off may be at the operator’s Ica office or Plaza de Armas in Ica. This is less convenient than direct hotel return, so check the holiday arrangement before booking.

Timing, transport, and the real value of $30.77

The advertised duration is about 5 to 6 hours. That makes this a substantial half-day outing, not a quick tasting squeezed between other activities. You need to protect the time, especially if you are traveling onward by bus or have a desert excursion booked later.

Round-trip transport from hotels in Ica or Huacachina is included, as is reception at the bus station. This is a major part of the value. Hiring separate taxis between several wineries would take planning, and you would lose the benefit of a guide who knows the route.

The $30.77 price includes visits to El Arrabal, Bodega Nietto, and Tacama, along with tastings and entrance to the specified tourist places. Tacama’s PEN 25 ticket remains separate. Lunch and lodging are not included.

I consider the price good for anyone who wants an organized introduction to Ica’s wine country. The value is less compelling if you dislike tastings, have no interest in production methods, or want to spend the same afternoon at Huacachina. The tour is built around the wineries, so the more curious you are about pisco, the better the deal feels.

The experience is also frequently booked in advance, with an average booking lead time of about 15 days. That does not guarantee every date will sell out, but it is a sensible reason to reserve before your Peru trip, especially if your schedule in Ica is short.

Who should book this experience

I would choose this tour if you want the following:

• A simple way to reach several wineries without arranging transport
• A first introduction to pisco, wine, sparkling wine, and cachina
• A mix of historic estates and family-run artisan producers
• A guide who can help with bus arrivals, hotel pickup, and onward plans
• A relaxed half-day activity with time for lunch

It is a good match for couples, small groups, and solo visitors who would rather not organize the Pisco Route alone. The maximum of 12 keeps it from feeling like a large party, while the shared format keeps the cost reasonable.

I would hesitate if you want a very short activity, dislike repeated tastings, or need an exact end time. Three producers offer variety, but they also create a long afternoon. Monday visitors should also accept the switch from Tacama to Vista Alegre before booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The experience also depends on suitable weather and a minimum number of bookings. If the operator cancels for either reason, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Should you book the Ica winery and pisco tour?

Book it if you want the broadest introduction to Ica’s pisco culture in one organized outing. Tacama gives you the landmark winery, while El Arrabal, Lovera, and Bodega Nietto add smaller-scale production, family history, and different tasting experiences.

Before you reserve, check three things: the extra PEN 25 Tacama fee, the 5 to 6 hour commitment, and the Monday replacement with Vista Alegre. If those details fit your plan, $30.77 is a sensible price for transport, several tastings, and a guide who can handle the practical work.

If your interest is only in seeing one beautiful winery, the route may feel too long. If you want to understand why pisco matters in Ica, meet the region through its producers, and enjoy a lunch break along the way, this is a strong choice.

FAQ

How much does the winery and pisco tour cost?

The tour costs $30.77 per person. Hacienda Tacama’s entrance fee is extra at PEN 25 per person, payable by card or cash.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 5 to 6 hours.

What wineries are visited?

The experience includes Hacienda Tacama, the artisan winery El Arrabal, and Bodega Nietto. The route also describes a visit to La Vieja Bodega Lovera.

What happens on Mondays?

Hacienda Tacama is closed on Mondays. The tour replaces it with Hacienda Vista Alegre, described as being in the same category as Tacama.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Pickup from hotels in Ica or Huacachina is included, and reception at the bus station is also available.

Is lunch included?

No. Meals are not included, but free time is provided for lunch during the tour, including time at the El Arrabal vineyard restaurant.

How large is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 12 people.

Are tastings included?

Yes. Tastings of piscos and wines are included at the wineries visited.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.