Tacama Vineyard: Ica's Historic Wine Estate

Tacama Vineyard has pressed grapes in the Ica desert since 1540, making it the oldest active winery in the Americas. The estate sits about 11 km from central Ica, and a standard guided tour with tastings costs roughly S/40–50 (around US$11–14) per person, cash on arrival.

That combination of age and scale (the property covers 200 hectares) is why Tacama anchors nearly every wine-and-pisco circuit in the region. It is also why the place draws crowds by midday — an early start changes the experience noticeably.

Visiting Tacama Vineyard: Location, Hours, and Tickets

Where the estate sits and how to reach it

Hacienda Tacama is at Av. Camino Real 390 in the La Tinguiña district, roughly a 20–25 minute drive from the Plaza de Armas in Ica or from Huacachina. A taxi round trip from the city center runs S/20–25, and hiring a car for a half-day bodega loop costs S/80–120 including waiting time. Uber does not operate in Ica, but InDriver and Beat do, and both undercut street taxis. Organized tours include hotel pickup from Ica or Huacachina and remove the logistics problem entirely — no driver to arrange after tasting alcohol.

Mondays are the exception: Hacienda Tacama closes for maintenance, and every operator substitutes Bodega Vista Alegre. If Tacama is the reason for your visit, do not book a Monday tour.

Opening hours and ticket tiers

The winery operates Tuesday through Sunday, generally from about 9:00 to 17:00, with the last tours departing an hour before closing. Entry is paid on site in cash (card acceptance is unreliable), and there are several ticket levels. The basic tourist ticket starts at S/25; the intermediate tour is commonly bundled into package excursions; and the S/60 tier adds the underground cellar where the estate's oldest wines are stored. Fees are subject to change — check the official site for current rates.

Booking in advance or walking in

Walk-in tickets are usually fine. Tours run in both Spanish and English, and same-day participation is typically possible outside peak weekends. One local tip worth knowing: if your Spanish can handle it, request the Spanish-language tour. English guides sometimes rush the fermentation details, while Spanish tours go deeper into the winemaking process.

What the Tour Covers and How Long It Takes

The route through the property

A visit opens with a short film on Tacama's history, then moves through the classic winery, the modern production facility, and the vineyard rows. Guides explain both the colonial-era techniques and the contemporary equipment — the estate still ferments some wine in giant clay vessels buried underground, a method inherited from Indigenous winemakers that gives the wine an earthy, mineral edge. Some tours also pass the property's 400-year-old olive tree, which has stood through every harvest since the colonial period.

The underground cava, reached only on the higher ticket tiers, sits 7.5 m below ground and holds the oldest bottles on the estate. That cellar is the single detail that most distinguishes the S/60 tour from the S/25 one.

Tastings and timing

A standard guided visit lasts 1–2 hours, depending on the ticket. The mid-range experience includes tastings of four wines and four piscos, poured in a hall with panoramic vineyard views. The premium Don Manuel tour extends to about 3–4 hours with a sommelier-led tasting of three wines, a cheese board, and private transport, and it remains the most exclusive option on the estate.

Combined half-day tours that pair Tacama with an artisanal bodega such as El Catador run about 4–5 hours total. Budget 2–3 hours if you visit independently and linger afterward.

The restaurant and shop

A rustic on-site restaurant serves traditional Peruvian dishes including lomo saltado, and a Peruvian cheese platter pairs well with the reds. My honest read: the food is fine but overpriced for the region, and a small cevichería in Ica city will feed you better for less. The shop sells wine and pisco at a discount, which is worth a stop before you leave.

Best Time to Go and What to Combine It With

Seasons, crowds, and desert heat

The Ica valley is desert, and midday heat is punishing. Mornings around 10:00 are the sweet spot — cooler and quieter, since crowds peak at midday and on weekends. The harvest season, roughly late February through April (the vendimia), is when the vineyard is busiest and you can watch grape pressing up close; everything runs longer and fuller during those weeks. March to May is the commonly recommended window for a reason.

Wear light but long-sleeved clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. The walk between the vineyard rows and production buildings is exposed, with little shade.

Pairing Tacama with the rest of Ica

Most visitors build a half-day circuit of two or three bodegas. A polished estate like Tacama plus an artisanal operation like El Catador or Nietto makes a balanced pairing — one for history and landscape, one for tradition and small-batch pisco. With two bodegas, half a morning (about three hours) suffices; three bodegas stretch to four to six hours. The classic add-on is Huacachina, 15–25 minutes away, for dune buggy rides and sandboarding on the lagoon's surrounding dunes.

Tacama is the farthest of the three classic bodegas from central Ica, so a wasted trip costs nearly an hour in transit alone. Confirm it is open before you set out. The estate has been producing wine since 1540, eight years after the first Spanish ships crossed the Andes — the soil has been read for nearly five hundred harvests, and that continuity is what you are really paying to see.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tacama open on Mondays?

No. Hacienda Tacama closes every Monday for maintenance, and all tours substitute Bodega Vista Alegre that day. If Tacama is your priority, book Tuesday through Sunday.

How much does a visit cost?

Tickets start at S/25 for the basic tour, with a S/60 tier that includes the underground cellar. Standard tour-and-tasting packages run S/40–50 per person, paid in cash.

How do I get to Tacama from Ica without a tour?

Take a taxi from the Plaza de Armas — about 20–25 minutes and S/20–25 round trip. Uber does not work in Ica, but InDriver and Beat do and are cheaper than street taxis.

How long should I plan for the visit?

A standard guided tour with tastings takes 1–2 hours; the premium Don Manuel experience runs 3–4 hours. Add an hour if you plan to eat at the on-site restaurant.

When is the best time to visit?

Mornings around 10:00 on weekdays, between March and May when the harvest is underway. Weekends and midday are the most crowded, and the desert heat peaks in the early afternoon.