The desert and the sea come together in spectacular fashion in Paracas, in the department of Ica, just a few hours south from the city of Lima. The cliffs that fringe the beaches are teeming with life: millions of birds that live here year-round, and thousands of others that fly from the Northern Hemisphere and from further south, ranging from guano birds to Humboldt penguins.

Paracas is located in the middle of the coastal desert in the department of Ica, covering an area of 335,000 hectares. Paracas is the only national reserve that protects part of the Peruvian sea, which is chilled by the cold Humboldt Current.

This unique area is home to some of the world’s richest fishing grounds, which has been made possible by marine up swells, which bring to the surface vast masses of plankton, a vital food supply for hundreds of fish species.

Paracas is also home to guano-producing bird species and large colonies of sea lions, and is a haven for dozens of visiting migratory bird species and endangered species such as the marine wildcat or chingungo, the Humboldt penguin and pink flamingoes.

The area also saw the rise of the Paracas culture, a major pre-Colombian civilization that left a legacy of superb textiles and items of pottery whose quality continues to astound visitors.

Boats set out from the port to tour the Ballestas Islands, giving visitors a chance to gaze at the sea lion colonies. Seals, penguins, petrels, cormorants and other aquatic birds, which produce guano, known by the Incas, who exploited it, overpopulate the Ballestas islands. The deposit layer only measures more than 164 feet.

Tourist interests

The Tambo Colorado archeological site. . It is a well-preserved Inca adobe complex on the coast of Peru also know as Puka Tampu, Pucallacta or Pucahuasi. The site was most likely built at the end of the 15th century during the reign of the Inca king Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui also known as Pachacutec.

The Paracas National Reserve. The reserve’s 335.000 hectares is a refuge for fur seals, Humboldt penguins, flamingos (parihuanas), and many other birds. You can visit many different natural and archaeological attractions in the reserve.

The Ballestas Islands. They are located outside the reserve area. They constitute the habitat of a great variety of birds and sea lions, which you can approach by motorboat. This excursion is one of the most regular ones from Paracas.

The Candelabro. An image carved into the sandstone cliffs along the Pisco Bay of more than 120 meters / 394 feet long. It is said to be the most mysterious archeological sights in South America. It can be seen from sea from as far as 12 miles.