There are exactly two things to see in Paracas: the marine life at Islas Ballestes, and the landscape in the national reserve. The full-day tour of both cost me about one fifth of the 30 minute overflight of the Nazca lines - and I didn't get sick, so that's great value for money for a change ;-)
The Islas Ballestes, about half an hour off the coast, are home to thousands of birds, and an important stop for migratory birds from North America. The black spots you can see on this picture are all birds - there really are thousands:
Most of the birds are cormorants and pelicans, but there are also some Humboldt penguins around:
And down in the water, there was another attraction: hundreds of sea lions alternating between bathing and lazing around on hot stones.
Just to give you another impression how many birds were around, have a look at the sky in this picture:
The second part of the day was the national reserve Paracas. The scenery in the reserve is gorgeous. The direct combination of desert and ocean, cliffs and waves, is stunning:
Most of the rocks in the area are of sedimentary origin. There is one volcanic rock, however, and washed out particles from this rock have created this wonderful red beach:
There were many pelicans around again, and I had some time to watch them. I have to say, I really like the way they fly. They look like heavy, slightly clumsy freighters that are not quite sure yet whether they'll keep flying or crash. Whenever they start from water, they pat the surface a few times with their feet to help them along. Their overall impression is so funny that I got to think of them as slapstick birds. Just have a look - aren't they comical?
The Islas Ballestes, about half an hour off the coast, are home to thousands of birds, and an important stop for migratory birds from North America. The black spots you can see on this picture are all birds - there really are thousands:
Most of the birds are cormorants and pelicans, but there are also some Humboldt penguins around:
And down in the water, there was another attraction: hundreds of sea lions alternating between bathing and lazing around on hot stones.
Just to give you another impression how many birds were around, have a look at the sky in this picture:
The second part of the day was the national reserve Paracas. The scenery in the reserve is gorgeous. The direct combination of desert and ocean, cliffs and waves, is stunning:
Most of the rocks in the area are of sedimentary origin. There is one volcanic rock, however, and washed out particles from this rock have created this wonderful red beach:
There were many pelicans around again, and I had some time to watch them. I have to say, I really like the way they fly. They look like heavy, slightly clumsy freighters that are not quite sure yet whether they'll keep flying or crash. Whenever they start from water, they pat the surface a few times with their feet to help them along. Their overall impression is so funny that I got to think of them as slapstick birds. Just have a look - aren't they comical?
