Amid the striking coastal desert of Peru is the Paracas National Reserve, a protected natural area known for its wealth of marine wildlife and dramatic shoreline of wind and wave sculpted rock formations. Only a 4 hour drive from Lima, the reserve is well worth a visit and easily combined with other Peru highlights such as the Nazca Lines and Ica vineyards in 2-3 days. Below you can find 5 highlights of Paracas National Reserve and its surrounds, as well as insider tips on visiting from Aracari. 5 Highlights of Paracas National Reserve It's hard to pick our top 5 highlights of the 3,350 square kilometers (1,290 square miles) of Paracas National Reserve - Peru’s only marine protected area. Here there is a myriad of wildlife due to the cool water of the Humboldt Current favoring the growth of marine life and over 215 species of birds using the reserve as a key stopover during migration. The region teems with history and culture while the landscapes will take your breath away. 1. Boat Trip to Ballestas Islands One of the main attractions of the Paracas National Reserve are the Ballestas Islands, an archipelago rich in wildlife. The islands are riddled with arches, tunnels and other wind and sea sculptures where sea lions, seals, Humboldt penguins and turtles converge with dozens of birds, among them albatross, pelicans and various seagulls. On a boat trip you will circle the islands to visit the diverse marine life (disembarking is prohibited to protect the wildlife), and also head to Punta Pejerrey. Punta Pejerrey is the northern most point of the isthmus and the best spot for seeing the Candelabro, a prehistoric candelabra-shaped geoglyph etched onto a sloping hill above the cliffside. A tour to the islands takes approximately two and a half hours, with about 45 minutes spent watching wildlife.
Amid the striking coastal desert of Peru is the Paracas National Reserve, a protected natural area known for its wealth of marine wildlife and dramatic shoreline of wind and wave sculpted rock formations. Only a 4 hour drive from Lima, the reserve is well worth a visit and easily combined with other…
I recently ventured south from Lima to Paracas and the Ballestas Islands for the weekend. We drove along the Pan-American Highway, which according to Guinness Records is the longest “motorable road” in the world, starting in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, and stretching all the way down to Ushuaia, Argentina. (That is, I should say, if you conveniently ignore the enigmatic Darién Gap!). The Ballesta islands are a highlight of any visit to Paracas, which can conveniently be combined with other nearby attractions in the Paracas National Reserve. Aracari arranges trips to the Ballesta Islands as part of any private, tailormade journey to Peru When you look at the area on Google Maps, you see lots of green dotted along the Peruvian coast, including the Paracas National Reserve, so I assumed it was a lush area of vegetation. Wrong! It’s desert… all desert. But stunningly beautiful desert with glistening red sand – the vast nothingness is simply incredible, and the contrast of the desert meeting the Pacific Ocean is breath-taking. The Ballestas Islands by boat The highlight of the weekend was visiting the Ballestas Islands and the incredible wildlife there. On Sunday we woke up really early for our boat tour to the islands. Tours leave from Paracas, a small seaside fishing town and epicenter of the Paracas National Wildlife Reserve. Aracari can arrange visits to the Ballestas Islands by shared boat or privately. The Ballestas Islands are part of the national park, and you can’t actually step foot onto the islands without a special permit, usually reserved for researchers. Access for visitors is via speedboat tours. It takes about half an hour to get to the islands, and then the boat tour slowly cruises through the different bays and islands for about an hour, before returning to the mainland. Wildlife
I recently ventured south from Lima to Paracas and the Ballestas Islands for the weekend. We drove along the Pan-American Highway, which according to Guinness Records is the longest “motorable road” in the world, starting in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, and stretching all the way down to Ushuaia, Argentina. (That…