The Islas Ballestas
The Ballestas Islands is an important wildlife reserve, with over 160 species of marine birds, including Humboldt penguins, cormorants, boobies and pelicans. There is also animal life, including vast numbers of sea lions. Condors can sometimes be seen flying overhead, especially in February and March, as they feed on the carcasses of dead sea lions. Dolphins and even whales can also be seen at times. The Islands do not actually form part of the Paracas National Reserve, and are protected by separate legislation.
The only way to see the wildlife around the Islas Ballestas is to take a boat trip to the islands organised by one of the many agencies in Pisco or Paracas. These last about two hours, and although visitors are not allowed on to the islands for conservation reasons, views of the wildlife from the boats are excellent. Sea lions frolic in the water around the boat, jumping and playing, and there are fantastic photo opportunities. The islands also have some impressive rock formations, which can be very beautiful with the sea crashing against the rocks. The tours of the Ballestas Islands also pass the Candelabro, which is best seen from the sea.
Tours to the Islas Ballestas only leave in the morning, at 8am and 10.30am .
Paracas National Reserve
The Paracas National Reserve is 15km south of Pisco, and covers both the Paracas peninsula and much of the sea surrounding it. The reserve is important both for the bird life on the peninsula and especially for the marine life in the sea. The reserve has an area of 335,000 hectares and was formed in 1975.
There are a few areas of interest to visit on the reserve. Near the entrance is a visitors' centre, with information on the reserve and the wildlife that inhabits it. Near the visitors' centre is the Museo Julio C Tello, which has information on, and artefacts from, the Paracas Cavernas and Paracas Necropolis cultures that inhabited the area. There are several important archaeological remains on the peninsula, including Cerro Colorado and Cabezas Largas, although there is not much to see. The Paracas culture flourished between 1300BC and 200AD, and was rediscovered by the Peruvian archaeologist Julio Tello in 1925, who found tombs under the sand dunes. The Paracas people practised trepanation, inserting metal plates into the skull to replace bone damaged in battle, and also infant skull deformation, which helped identify which tribe an individual was from, as each group had different skull shapes. The Paracas people wrapped their dead in finely-woven shrouds, many of which can be seen in the Museo de La Nación and the Museo de Antropología y Arqueología in Lima, and in the Museo Regional in Ica.
Close to the museum is the Bahía de Paracas, where several species of bird life can be seen, including flamingos, and there is a viewing platform. There are also some good beaches on the reserve, including Lagunillas, La Mina, El Raspón and Yumaque . There are interesting rock formations on the coast of the peninsula, including La Catedral and Los Frayles . It used to be possible to enter the cave of La Catedral, but this has been closed due to the danger of falling rocks. If not taking a boat tour to the Islas Ballestas, some wildlife can still be seen. On the south side of the Paracas peninsula is Punta Arquillo, where there is a sea lion lookout point.
The Paracas National Reserve also includes the Candelabro, a candelabra-shaped etching in the desert hills above the sea. The origin of this is unclear, and there are numerous theories about it. Some attribute it to the Chavín culture from the north of Peru, claiming that it is a drawing of a cactus, which was an important symbol of power. Others claim it has links with the Southern Cross, and some say it is linked to the Nazca Lines, about 200km to the south. However, most theories now attribute it to the 19 th century, saying that it was used as a navigational tool to guide sailors into the bay of Paracas . Some think it was used by General San Martín to guide his ships into Peru when liberating the country, while another theory is that it was used by pirates. The best way of seeing the Candelabro is from the sea, and tours of the Islas Ballestas will pass the drawing. However, it can also be seen from the beach below, which can be reached from Punta Pejerrey on the Paracas peninsula.
The most common way of visiting the Paracas National Reserve is on a guided tour booked from an agency in Paracas or Pisco. These include the visitors' centre, the Museo Julio C Tello, the Bahía de Paracas, Lagunillas and La Catedral.
Beaches
The best beaches in the area are those on the Paracas peninsula, where the waters are calm and crystalline and the sand is golden. The beach in the town of Paracas is also good, and safe to wander along at night. By no means go to the beach or port in Pisco, which is a dangerous area and is used by drug smugglers.
Other attractions
A road runs from Pisco to Ayacucho, and there are a few attractions on this road that can be visited from Pisco. 50km inland from Pisco is the archaeological site of Tambo Colorado . These adobe Inca ruins are among the best preserved in southern Peru . The site is given the name colorado (coloured) as many of the walls still preserve their original red colouring.
A further 70km inland is the town of Huaytará and the nearby ruins of Incahuasi. There are well-preserved Inca stone ruins here, and in the town of Huaytará, original Inca walls have been used in colonial buildings, such as the church.
www.peru-guide.com - the most comprehensive travel guide to Peru available on the Internet.
The Peru Guide is © 2004-2008 Llama Travel
Peru Holidays from Llama Travel