This is a delight that no lover of biological diversity should miss. Paracas is located just three and a half hours from Lima via the Panamericana Sur highway. This was once the home of a powerful pre-Inca culture that produced magnificent textiles. Paracas is situated in the province of Pisco, where Peru’s national drink was first produced: the white grape brandy known as Pisco. At the local port, we will board a motorboat for a two-hour excursion to the Ballestas Islands, home to hundreds of seals and thousands of birds, including cormorants and Inca terns, as well as dolphins and Humboldt penguins. From Pisco two optional excursions are available: a flight over the Nazca Lines; or an exciting dune buggy ride in the desert.
Day 1: LIMA / PARACAS
You will be transferred to the station for the scheduled bus service to Paracas, which leaves at 07:00 hrs. (this journey takes 3 hours and 30 minutes). Easily accessible from Lima, Paracas is a delight which should not be missed by those who love biodiversity. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure.
Dinner and overnight.
Optional: Flight over the Nazca Lines from Pisco (duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes)
Approximately 13.67 miles / 22 km from Nazca, along the edges of the Panamericana Highway, are the famous Nazca Lines, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. What is most incredible about these outlines of a hummingbird, monkey, whale, spider, dog and humanoid, as well as other enigmatic designs, is the fact that they can only be fully appreciated from the air.
Day 2: PARACAS
Breakfast.
You will leave in the morning by motorboat for the Ballestas Islands. This is a two-hour excursion. During the trip you will be able to observe the «Candelabro», a figure etched into the Paracas peninsula that resembles an enormous trident, the origin of which remains a mystery. The Ballestas Islands are home to hundreds of seals and thousands of birds, including cormorants and Inca terns. With luck, you may even spot dolphins and Humboldt penguins.
Dinner and overnight.
Optional: Dune buggy and sandboarding
A drive through the deserts of Ica by dune buggy will enable us to access the remote areas composed of small rocky hills between 5 and 25 meters in height that surround the valley, and enjoy all the emotion of an exciting adventure. This excursion includes sandboarding, which can be practiced on any one of a number of dunes.
Day 3: PARACAS / LIMA
Breakfast.
In the morning you will be escorted to the station for the return scheduled bus ride to the city of Lima.