The Paracas National Reserve is located in Ica, about three hours south of Lima. The park spans the Paracas Peninsula, the surrounding coast, and the tropical desert. While the peninsula provides an amazing ocean view with some local birds like flamingos, the Huacachina dessert is a perfect location for sand-boarding, and it even cradles a lush oasis. If you head to Bahia Lagunillas, you will find unique red sand beaches, a product of the erosion of porphyry rocks that can be found on the hills of the peninsula. This area is also a great starting point for exploring the local wineries, many of which produce pisco.
While there, you can take a tour boat about 1 hour off shore to tour around the islands, with a chance to see some the diverse bird species, including penguins.
