​Nazca, Paracas and Ica ToursThe famous Nazca Lines are cut into the stony desert, not only parallels and geometrical figures, but also some forming the shape of a dog, an enormous monkey, birds, a spider and a tree.
Pisco gives its name to the white grape brandy produced in this region - the famous PISCO SOUR" cocktail is known worldwide. It is fairly important port of about 82,000 inhabitants and lies some 283 Kms south of Lima. We use Pisco as a base with economical hotels to see the wildlife of the nearby Ballestas Islands and Paracas Peninsula but the area is also of considerable historical and archeological interest. |
The valley about 35km south of Nazca is full of ruins, temples and cemeteries where mummies, bones, pottery shards and scraps of textiles may be seen lying in the desert sun, although the best pieces have of course been taken by grave robbers and archaeologists. More cemeteries are being found all the time. At the edge of the town is the water reservoir taken by the Nazcas through underground aqueducts (many still in use) to water the land.
The Paracas National Reserve encompasses land and sea and the most important wildlife on the Peruvian coast. The area is particulary known for its bird and marine life. The birds nest on the offshore islands in such numbers thar their nitrogen-rich droppings (guano) collect in quantities large enough to be commercially exploited for fertilizer. This practice dates from at least Inca times. The most common guano-producing birds are the Guanay Cormorant, Peruvian Booby and the Peruvian Pelican. These are seen in colonies of several thousand birds. Less frequently seen but of particular interest, are the Humboldt Penguins on the Ballestas Islands and the Chilian Flamingos in the Bay of Paracas. The Andean Condor occasionally comes down to the coast and may be seen gliding majestically on the cliff thermals of the Peninsula.
BALLESTAS ISLAND CRUISE - Cruise around the Ballestas Islands to see plenty of birds and marine life like sea lions lying on the rocks or swimming around the boat. Some species like penguins are less visible. En route we'll see the giant figure etched into the coastal hill called Candelabra similar to the figures of the Nazca Lines. Ica Is a pleasant colonial town of about 150,000 inhabitants 306 Km from Lima. The PanAmerican Highway heads inland from PISCO, rising gently to 420 meters above sea level at ICA. Because of this, the town is high enough to rise above the coastal garua (sea mist) and the climate is dry and sunny. The desert surrounding Ica is noted for its huge sand dunes and deserts, abundant "HUARANGOS", palms trees, cotton and grapes. Ica is also Peru's chief wine center, some Bodegas can be visited, it is a Pisco destillery with ancient grape press made with huge tree trunks, out of town is the Huacachina Lagoon, surrounded by sand dunes, where you can go sandboarding or buggy riding. The Regional archeological Museum with magnificent collection of ceramics, skulls, and the Cabrera museum with collection of engraved stones are also main attractions. Ballestas Islands and Nazca LinesDAY 1 | LIMA – PARACAS - NASCA LINES OVERFLIGHT
During the morning you will be transferred to the bus station to take the bus from Lima to Paracas. After four hours of travel, arrive at Pisco airport and enjoy a flight over the desert observing the mysterious Nasca Lines. As you fly over the desert, lines take shape to form simple geometric designs, then some of the swirls and zigzags start to form more distinct shapes: a spider, a condor, a monkey, to name a few. If the weather conditions and the airspace allow, you will also fly over the recently discovered drawings in Palpa. Continue your flight over the mountains where marine fossils that date back millions of years were found and then fly back to Pisco to end your aerial experience. Once again on land, you will be transferred to the hotel in Paracas, and have the afternoon at leisure.
DAY 2 | PARACAS / BALLESTAS ISLANDS - LIMA A transport service will take you to El Chaco pier to embark on a boat ride to the Ballestas Islands. The Ballestas are a collection of rocky islets with beautiful geographical formations, just a few kilometres off the western coast of Peru. The islands are the ideal habitat for various species of birds and an eclectic mix of wildlife like seals, boobies, pelicans, sea lions and the endangered Humboldt penguin. Cruise around the islands’ dramatic cliffs and watch large herds of noisy sea lions relaxing on the rocks, birds stretching their wings and if you’re lucky, dolphins near to your boat. While you will not disembark onto the islands, you will get startlingly close to this impressive array of wildlife. As you sail, you will also pass the Paracas Candelabra, a huge geoglyph that has been dated to around 200 BC, although the purpose and the creator of this three-pronged carving remain a mystery. At the end of your boat tour, you will be taken to the bus station for your transfer to Lima.
2025 price per person in US$: shared services
child rate is with bed. Rate will be less if extra bed not needed INCLUDED
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Paracas AdventureDAY 1 | LIMA – PARACAS - NAZCA LINES & BUGGIES
A transportation service will pick you up from your hotel and will transfer you to the agreed bus station to take the bus to Paracas. At your arrival you will be collected from the bus station and taken to your hotel. In the afternoon you will be transferred to Pisco´s airport to enjoy a special trip by plane from Pisco airport to the enigmatic lines in the desert of Nasca. Figures like the monkey, spider and condor, all of big dimensions, can be seen from the sky on a flight in small planes. If weather conditions permit, passengers will fly over recent discoveries in Palpa. You will enjoy a panoramic view of the scenery, where 150 million year old marine fossils can be found. Then, you will ride the dunes that shape the horizon of the desert on sand buggies, with an expert driver that will show you inaccessible areas in the middle of the hottest sand dunes. Enrich your experience going up and down, discovering new routes in an experience of filled with adventure. At the end you will be back to your hotel in Paracas. *Depends on favorable weather conditions.
DAY 2 | PARACAS - BALLESTAS ISLAND - ICA You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the dock for a visit to the Ballestas Islands.. Transport is provided to take you from your hotel to the pier to board the launch for the Ballestas Islands. 45 minutes off the coast of Paracas, the Ballestas Islands attract an impressive quantity of marine animals: chiefly seabirds and penguins, as well as large populations of seals, which swim and jump close to the boat. . At the end of the tour you will be transferred to your hotel in Ica.
DAY 3 | ICA CITY TOUR - DEPARTURE The tour starts on the road to Ica Regional Museum, which has an important collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts from the Ica, Paracas, Nazca, Wari and Inca cultures that have been exhibited in different parts of the world. After that you will visit a producer of wine and pisco, products that have made the valleys of the Ica desert famous. Thereafter is a visit to the sanctuary of the Lord of Luren, a dark-skinned saint from Ica, whose carved image was made in Spain in the year 1556. On the third Monday of October each year the image is taken from the church and carried through the streets of Ica accompanied by hundreds of devotees. Finally, you will visit Lake Huacachina. Originally an oasis in the middle of the desert, the lake is one of Ica´s major attractions. It is surrounded by large sand dunes and offers a variety of optional services: from good food to an adrenalin-stimulating sand buggy ride through the desert. (*) The visit to the Regional Museum of Ica will be replaced, until further notice, by the participatory experience at the Casa de las Tejas, where they will take a tour of the facilities accompanied by a guide, and will learn about the history and evolution of this traditional sweet from Ica through time. Also, they will be part of the experience of the elaboration of this sweet that will take place in a workshop perfectly conditioned for this purpose, where following the instructions of an expert they will elaborate their own pecan petit fours. In the afternoon, a vehicle takes you from the selected hotel to the bus station to take the bus back to the city of Lima.
2025 price per person in US$ :
INCLUDED
NOT INCLUDED
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