Paracas is a coastal town, around a two-hour bus ride south of Lima, and it was our first Perú Hop stop! Paracas is home to Las Islas Ballestas, which are also known as the poor man’s Galapagos, because during the right time of year, you can see penguins, sea lions, and many, many birds. Unfortunately, we were visiting Paracas during the off-season, meaning seeing this wildlife was not a guarantee. This is why we chose to save our money and see the Paracas National Reserve by kayak and independently by bike.
Kayaking at dawn
We only had one full day in Paracas, and we packed it to the brim! This day started with a kayak excursion that we booked through the Viajaro hostel. We woke up at 5 am and made our way through the sleepy fishertown to the beach, admiring the stars. While the paddle itself was fun, we unfortunately were not visited by any seals. If I were to give one piece of advice for this excursion, it would be to wear shorts. We did not do this and had to cope with having wet pants from wading into our paddleboards for the rest of the tour. This did not stop us from enjoying the paddle, views, and fellow backpackers we met. Following the paddle, we had a delicious and fueling breakfast of quinoa con manzana, which is a warm, comforting drink made from apples, quinoa, and lots of cinnamon. This hearty breakfast is a Peruvian staple and can be found being sold by a vendor on any street corner.
Biking in Paracas National Reserve
Perú Hop and every other storefront had offers to give guided tours on a bus or by buggy, but we opted to see the national park independently by bike. We wanted to be able to take as much time as possible exploring the park by ourselves instead of being ushered from beach to beach. Additionally, renting a bike for 35 soles was much more cost-efficient (and fun) than booking a tour. We made sure to test ride our bikes before renting them out to ensure that all the essential functions were working. We chose a tour company to rent our bikes from, and they gave us a map as well as recommendations for the best route to take.
When we got to the park entrance, we paid an 11 soles entry fee and then began our journey. During our seven-hour ride, we saw flamingos, bravely biked up very steep hills, walked our bikes up even steeper hills, explored the dunes, and even stopped for a swim at one of the many beaches along the way. While we may have had sore butts for a few days after, this was one of our favorite days from our Perú adventure!
