Paracas & Islas Ballestas

The Ballestas Islands, nicknamed the "Peruvian Galápagos", are an archipelago off the coast of Paracas where thousands of Humboldt penguins, sea lions, guano birds, boobies and pelicans coexist. Speedboat tours to the Ballestas leave from the Paracas pier every morning, allowing visitors to get close to these marine wildlife colonies in their natural habitat without setting foot on the islands (which are a protected reserve).

The Paracas National Reserve covers 335,000 hectares of land and sea, being the only place in Peru where the coastal desert merges with the ocean. The Red Beach (whose color comes from volcanic feldspar) and the Cathedral (a natural arch now collapsed by the 2007 earthquake) are the reserve's icons. The La Cruz viewpoint offers panoramic views over the Pacific Ocean at sunset.

The Paracas Candelabra, a geoglyphic figure 180 meters tall carved into the hillsides facing the ocean, is visible from the sea and remains a mystery: some archaeologists link it to the Paracas culture (200 BC), others to the colonial period. Paracas is also the cradle of the Paracas culture, one of Peru's oldest, whose mummies with deformed skulls and colorful textiles are displayed at the Julio C. Tello Museum.