Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [97]
Other seashore life around the reserve includes flotillas of jellyfish (swimmers beware!), some of which reach about 70cm in diameter with trailing stinging tentacles of 1m. They are often washed up on the shore, where they quickly dry to form mandala-like patterns on the sand. Beachcombers can also find sea hares, ghost crabs and seashells along the shoreline, and the Andean condor occasionally descends to the coast in search of rich pickings.
Camping is allowed inside the reserve. Recommended spots to pitch tents include the beach near Lagunillas, which lies within reach of public restrooms, or on La Mina Beach (Map), a short drive or walk south of Lagunillas. Plan to bring all the water you will need, and never camp alone as violent robberies have been reported. To really explore, the entire peninsula is covered by topographic map 28-K, which can be purchased at the South American Explorers Club (Click here) or the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN; Click here) in Lima.
TAMBO COLORADO
This early Inca lowland outpost (off Map; admission S8.50; dawn-dusk), about 45km northeast of Pisco, was named for the red paint that once completely covered its adobe walls. It’s one of the best-preserved sites on the south coast and is thought to have served as an administrative base and control point for passing traffic, mostly conquered peoples.
From Pisco, it takes about an hour to get there by car. Hire a taxi for half a day (S50) or take a tour from Pisco (S60, two-person minimum, see right). A combi through the village of Humay passes Tambo Colorado 20 minutes beyond the village; it leaves from the Pisco market early in the morning (S8, three hours). Once there, ask the locals about when to expect a return bus, but you could get really stuck out there, as transportation back to Pisco is infrequent and often full.
Tours & Guides
Prices and service for tours of Islas Ballestas and Reserva Nacional de Paracas are usually very similar. The better tours are escorted by a qualified naturalist who speaks Spanish and English. Most island boat tours leave daily around 8am and cost around S35 per person, but do not include a S1 dock fee. The number of tours and departure times varies, so it is recommended to reserve a day in advance. Less-than-interesting afternoon land tours of the Península de Paracas (S25) briefly stop at the national reserve’s visitor center, breeze by coastal geological formations and spend a long time having lunch in a remote fishing village. Tours of the reserve can be combined with an Islas Ballestas tour to make a full-day excursion (S60).
Established tour operators:
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THE PARACAS CULTURE
Little is known about the early Paracas culture, Paracas Antiguo, except that it was influenced by the Chavín Horizon, an early artistic and religious historical period (Click here). Most of our knowledge is about the middle and later Paracas cultures, which existed from about 700 BC to AD 400. This is divided into two periods known as Paracas Cavernas and Paracas Necropolis, named after the main burial sites discovered.
Paracas Cavernas is the middle period (700 BC to AD 200) and is characterized by communal bottle-shaped tombs dug into the ground at the bottom of a vertical shaft, often to a depth of 6m or more. Several dozen bodies of varying ages and both sexes (possibly family groups) were buried in some of these tombs. They were wrapped in relatively coarse cloth and accompanied by funereal offerings of bone and clay musical instruments, decorated gourds and well-made ceramics.