PARACAS - ICA

Location and Geography:
The District of Paracas, Province of Pisco, Department of Ica, a port city situated in the central Peruvian coast, to the east of a small bay and north of the Paracas Penisula, 22 km south of Pisco.
Situated 75 km from Ica. It is an area characterized by the strong Paracas winds, which bring sand and have an average velocity of 15 km per hour and a maximum of 32 km per hour. The climate has an average annual temperature of 22C and is sunny. It consists of 335,000 ha, of which 217,594 are marine and 117,406 are land.

Category:
National Reserve

Altitude:
It rises from sea level up to 786m.

Access Ways:
The South Pan American Highway is the principal access route. It is an asphalt highway which reaches Paracas National Reserve, 250 km south of Lima.
The route passes through the city of Pisco along the coastal avenue which crosses San Andres. To go more directly take the detour to Paracas without passing through either of the before mentioned cities. Another way to arrive is by sea, coming from Port San Martin in Punta Pejerrey on the Paracas Peninsula. The area also allows arrivals by car crossing the open dessert.

History:
On September 7, 1820, the six ships of the Liberation Army under the command of General Jose de San Martin landed here as part of the Liberation Expedition of Peru.

Culture and Traditions:
It is part of a wetland of international importance. It is the only coastal marine reserve in Peru which has part of the ocean in its territory. It is a refuge for diverse migratory birds and has special characterizing flora and fauna. Plankton is encouraged by the micro water currents, a factor that attracts a large number of fish, other zonal species and the practice of aquaculture. Roughly speaking, the Paracas outcropping is one of the nine most important in the world.


ATTRACTIONS - PARACAS
The ecological importance of the Paracas National Reserve is attributed to its special characterizing flora and fauna, the same which make it an attractive location to visit.

Fauna:
The existence of a great diversity of animal species is due to the meteorological, geological and oceanographic characteristics of the area. Approximately 216 species of birds, 16 species of mammals, 10 species of reptiles and 168 species of fish can be found.

Some of the birds that can be found include: pelicans, gray gulls, Inca terns, skimmers, black-bellied plovers, red-legged cormorants, guanays, Humboldt peguins (in danger of extinction), flamencos, etc.

Fish such as: sole, humpback smooth-hound, Pacific bonito, blenny fish, ray, sargo, sardines, pompano, grouper, sea bass, drumfish, etc.

We can also find the following in the Reserve: leather-back and green sea turtles, lizards, octopus, squid, clams and crustaceans such as the violet crab, etc.

Mammals found in the Reserve are sea lions, dolphins and more.

Flora:
This part of the Pacific Ocean is rich in seaweeds and phytoplankton. According to investigations there are more than 250 species of seaweed such as yuyo (a red algae), sea lettuce and aracanto.

The land flora includes few species because of the extreme aridity of the dessert. Never the less, there are areas in the dessert of so-called hills which receive constant help from the coastal clouds where communities of lichens, bromeliads and a few grasses have developed. The most common are Solanum and Olaxis. The northern part of the Reserve includes ample zones covered by salt grass and a small forest of Chanar, a small deciduous tree.


OTHER ATTRACTIONS:
The Reserve can be visited year round. Visitors can observe the different ecosystems and archaeological ruins of the Paracas culture. The beaches are also a great attraction. They form a coastal circuit along the large bay. They are: Lagunillas, La Mina, Zumaque, Supay, Catedral, Playon, Mendieta, Laguna Grande and Bahia Independencia.

Weather:
With a mild climate with an average annual temperature of 22C, mostly always sunny, with low humidity, your stay will be agreeable.

When to Travel:
The site can be visited year round with its mild climate and low humidity.