Surfing La Herradura: The Complete Guide

La Herradura is a point break located in Chorrillos, Lima, Peru, offering a left-hander along South America's vast coastline. La Herradura is Lima's premier pointbreak—a long left-hander that breaks in a horseshoe-shaped bay in the Chorrillos district. Rated as advanced difficulty with lightly crowded conditions, this point break is a worthy destination for surfers looking beyond the usual suspects.

Best Conditions

Swell Direction: The ideal swell direction is S (180°), with workable conditions from S to S (180°–180°). Swells outside this window will either miss the break or produce disorganized waves.

Swell Size: La Herradura needs a minimum of 1.8m / 6ft to start working and handles swells up to 3.7m / 12ft before conditions deteriorate.

Swell Period: Look for a swell period of at least 14 seconds, with 17 seconds being the sweet spot. Longer periods deliver more organized, powerful waves with better shape.

Wind: True offshore here blows from the NNW (337°). The full offshore range spans WNW to NNE (292°–22°). Glassy conditions under 4km/h from any direction also produce excellent surf. Plan for early morning dawn patrol sessions.

Tide: This spot works best at low tide.

When to Go

Primary Season: The prime window at La Herradura runs Year-round. This is when swell consistency and direction align most reliably with the break.

Season Notes: Winter (May-Sep)

Getting There

The nearest airport is LIM, roughly 30 minutes by car.

Access: Beach/paddle

Hazards & Tips

No major hazards are flagged for this spot, but standard ocean safety always applies.

Skill Level: This spot is rated advanced (6/10). Crowd Level: Typically lightly crowded (3/10).

Check the Live Forecast

Planning a session at La Herradura? Check the live forecast on Strike Mission to see today's conditions and the 10-day outlook. Our Strike Score algorithm rates this spot from 0 to 100 every day, factoring in swell direction, size, period, wind, and tide — so you know exactly when to paddle out.

Don't leave your next surf trip to chance. Let the data tell you when La Herradura is firing.

*Conditions data sourced from Strike Mission's verified spot database.*