In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about exploring and cycling through the Paracas National Park yourself.
And please do it yourself, especially by cycling because it will give you the freedom to stop wherever you want and the road is just so scenic. You feel like you are on another planet!
Paracas Town
How to get to Paracas
How long shall I stay in Paracas?
Paracas National Park
The Cycling Route
Video
Paracas Town
Paracas is a small fishing town on the Peruvian coast, 3 hour ride away South from Lima. It is a popular place among locals to go for a summer holiday (winter for them). There you will find beaches where to relax, a port from which to get to Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Park.
The whole area is very desert-like. Nights are freezing, but days especially in the sun are very hot.
Paracas town is tiny so everything is within walking distance. Apart from the luxury resort area which is a few minutes drive away from the town center. As I said this place is popular among locals, so you will find different types of accommodation. From budget hostels to fancy 5-star resorts by the beach. This comes with a cost. We couldn't find any cheap food places. It seems like everything was a bit more expensive than in the rest of Peru.
How to get to Paracas
You can either take a bus from Lima to Pisco, which will be around 3 hours, and then a taxi or 'collectivo*' from pisco to Paracas town.
*'Collectivo' is something similar to 'Bla Bla Car' in Europe. It is basically a car-sharing app.
If you traveling the other way round. Then you first need to get to Ica. Then from Ica get a bus to Pisco. This way you can either go all the way to Pisco and get a transfer from there. Or you can arrange with a driver that he will drop you off on the main road where another road leads to Paracas town. There will be some taxis so from there you take a taxi to Paracas town. Both ways will cost you the same, but with the second option, you save time.
How long shall I stay in Paracas?
In my opinion, 2 days are completely enough. One day for exploring the Paracas National Park and another day for going to Ballestas Islands. There is a possibility to do kayaking in the bay and go with small buggies around so you can add that to your trip.
Paracas National Park
In my opinion, the Paracas National Park is the best thing to visit in Paracas as the scenery is absolutely magical and you can explore the park on your own. I highly recommend doing it by cycling as the roads are perfect for that and you have the freedom to stay at each beach and viewpoint as long as you want.
There are several tours going through the whole park with a van but then you have to go with a group and you are a bit limited. This park and its roads allow you to explore it by bicycle so take that opportunity.
Almost every agency in the town rents out bicycles and the average price is 30 SOL (~ 8 USD). Do not save on 1 USD, get the best bike you see around as the roads can get bumpy and you need good brakes as sometimes you will go down very steep hills. Also, very important, make sure your rental gives you a helmet, as they won't let you in the park without a helmet.
The park entrance fee is 11 SOL (~ 3 USD), but if you go around 7 am, you might be able to sneak in for free as no one is at the check-in point. They start to gather there and check you before 9 am. Also, they won't let you in before 9 am as the park officially opens at 9 am. So if you want to be there first and have a very long day then I recommend going there around 7 am, so you do not get stopped before 9 am.
The Cycling Route
So on the right, you can see all the stops on your way. You can put them in your navigation, but I promise the route is very clearly marked and there are signs everywhere. to each beach and viewpoint. These are the main stops you should include on your trip. This whole trip is about 30km long.
You start in Paracas town and go through the check-in which is just on the main road (see the map below). And then these are the stops:
La Catedral
Yumaque
Playa Roja
Playa Las Minas
And then you make your way back to the Paracas town.
By Playa Roja, you will find a tiny fisherman village with few restaurants where to stop and rewind for the rest of your trip (marked on the map with a heart). Do not worry you will see it from afar. You are actually able to cut via a little shortcut by the beach to get to the restaurants.
