Desert in Peru
Ica – A desert, filled with experiences
The vast Ica desert offers a wealth of experiences. Let’s begin with the most well-known: boat rides to the Ballestas Islands, a flight over the Nasca Lines, a lakeside afternoon at the Huacachina oasis, sandboarding, or a luxurious picnic in the desert. What do these experiences have in common? Nothing! Every experience in Ica is remarkable and unique.
Ica, so close to Lima, a city of eternal sunshine and home to famous vineyards, is waiting for you!
Lake Huacachina Conservation Area – Emerald waters in the desert
In Quechua, Huacachina means “weeping woman”. According to legend, this lake was formed by the tears of a beautiful green-eyed woman who wept for the death of her beloved.
But this lake is filled with life, from its palm and carob trees, to the birds that find refuge on its water, its fish, and the elusive creatures that inhabit the surrounding sand dunes. This rich biodiversity is now protected by the Regional Conservation Area established to include Huacachina and the surrounding subtropical desert.
Enjoy for yourself the emerald waters of the desert.
Nasca Lines – Messages for the heavens
Who could have created them? What was their purpose? Who were they made for? The Nasca Lines remain an unsolved mystery. From the sky, the Hummingbird, Monkey, Frigate Bird, Giant Bird and Spider are clearly visible.
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, these geoglyphs traced onto the surface of the desert measure up to 300 meters in length, and their messages remain undeciphered.
Paracas and Ballestas Islands – Sea lions, penguins and mystery
To the south of Lima sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingoes and other protected species live in harmony within Paracas National Reserve, which gets its name from the sandstorms, or “paracas” that are common to the area.
Visitors who cross by boat to the Ballestas Islands, where literally thousands of sea lions live, get an excellent view of an enormous geoglyph on the side of a hill, of uncertain origin, known as The Candelabra. This is just one more of the many enigmas found in this part of Peru.
Observing marine fauna in Paracas – Looking ahead
In Paracas, the abundant fauna that awaits you will exceed your expectations. You can observe sea lions in enormous numbers, large groups of Humboldt penguins, and numerous flocks of pelicans and seabirds that will leave you in no doubt you have arrived at the Ballestas Islands, one of the most impressive settings for marine fauna in the Pacific Ocean. And that’s not all.
Paracas National Reserve exists to conserve the biological diversity of marine ecosystems, an important challenge you can contribute to!
Yacht trip in Ica – Luxury on flamingo inhabited seas
What could be better than spending time on a luxurious yacht in one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse bays in Peru? Give yourself the pleasure of sailing the calm waters of Paracas, where the greatest privilege will be seeing sea lions and Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat, or wonderful seabirds soaring through clear skies, and the crimson-winged flamingoes that inspired the design of Peru’s national flag.
And if you like water sports, you can surf or fish, swim, paddle board, windsurf or kitesurf. All this, while enjoying the kind of service you deserve.
What are you waiting for to book your berth?
Picnic in the Paracas desert – An unforgettable adventure
The desert of Paracas is one of the most arid places on Earth, with enormous dunes that provide the setting for adrenaline-filled experiences. Imagine yourself racing across the desert in an all-terrain SUV… climbing and descending dunes like a natural roller coaster, before arriving at a high point just before sunset, to marvel at the spectacle of the sun going down amid intense colors.
And if you’re thinking that everything stops at night, then think again: In the evening, in your tent lit with candles and burning torches, you’ll be served a delicious selection of culinary delights prepared just for you.
That’s what a desert adventure should be like! Right?
Fly over the Nasca Lines – Read the lines from the sky
In the Nasca desert you will find gigantic designs etched into the desert’s surface, depicting a series of figures: a monkey, a hummingbird, a spider, and other designs. They are so large that it is only possible to see them in their entirety from the air.
Covering a 450 square kilometer area of desert, these stylized figures, each traced with a single line, are one of the great mysteries of Peru’s pre-Inca period.
Were they an enormous solar and lunar calendar? Or perhaps a vast astronomical chart? Or maybe ritual paths? The mystery has not been solved, but the lines remain there in the middle of the desert, waiting for you to come and interpret them.
