Paracas National Reserve

Location:
Ica, Peru

Eco-Tour

By Christopher Minster

The Paracas National Reserve comprises most of the Paracas peninsula and surrounding waters. It is a land and marine reserve, and also an archaeological zone, containing more than 100 small sites from the Paracas people, who flourished in the area from 700 to 100 BC. 

The main attraction of Paracas is the animals. Crabs, sea lions, orcas, whales, sea turtles and sea otters can be seen. There are also over two hundred species of birds who visit the area, such as the Humboldt penguin, boobies, flamingos and petrels.

It is a beautiful park, full of beaches, cliffs and rock formations.

Within the park is the Julio C. Tello museum (admission: $2, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily), renowned for its impressive collection of pre-columbian textiles. There is also a collection of mummies and ceramics and a good deal of information about the Paracas people. It also features an interesting re-creation of a typical Paracas dwelling.

The Ballestas Islands are within the marine reserve zone. These islands are home to thousands of birds and have been for centuries. Their droppings, or guano, is a rich fertilizer. In the mid-19th century, these islands were strip mined (sort of) for the guano, and millions of tons of it was removed. It is still harvested (for lack of a better word) by the Peruvian government.

Travel Tips: Park entry fee is about $2.

Open Hours from:07:00

Open Hours to:18:00

Travel Skills: None