La Reserva Nacional de Paracas


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South America » Peru
July 27th 2012
Published: July 27th 2012
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Within ten minutes of entering the National Reserve, I had already lost myself in the vastness of the open and barren desert. As I traveled father into the park, the tour took me to some of the fossils that still remained in the ground. I learned that the entire desert area around me used to be completely under water and that these fossils were crustaceans from millions of years ago. It was only when the landmasses began to shift that the ocean slowly receded and left miles of barren wasteland that has only recently been discovered to have secrets beyond belief. In fact, in the past century, over 400 mummies, prehistoric fossils, and bones and remains from the animals that previously inhabited the ocean floor have been uncovered.

After investigating the fossils scattered throughout the desert, the tour took me to a very steep cliff side with a beautiful view of the ocean below. This cliff side was important not only for the view, but also because below sat the landmass called The Cathedral, or a rock formation that bridges itself onto the land and underneath the bridge is a passageway that leads to the other side of the peninsula. Unfortunately, since the earthquake in 2007 that was centered in the nearby town of Pisco, the bridge connecting the landmass and cliff side has broken and torn apart. The aesthetic beauty of the structure was still clearly evident though, and as the sun came out and the temperature rose the desert became a very ideal location compared to other places in the south that are experiencing a groggy and overcast winter season.



While in the reserve, the tour also brought me through the numerous and pristine beaches that populated the coast of Independence Bay that all had a very unique aspect about them. The first beach I came upon was called La Playa Roja, and following as its name states, the entire beach was red due to the natural coloring of the sand. My personal preference of the beaches though, was an unnamed beach that was so untouched and far from civilization that a short walk and my hands were filled with seashells and other beautiful rocks that had been polished to perfection by the sea. Even the sand was actually a mixture of weathered and perfectly polished sea glass-looking rocks. But no matter which beach I visited, I was constantly struck in awe at how secluded, quiet, and beautiful these beaches truly were.

The final place I visited was the visitor’s center for the entire reserve, where everything I saw that day was explained in great detail. For example, I found information on the Cathedral and even saw what it looked like before the earthquake as well as information on the animals that used to inhabit the seas that once covered this vast desert. As we left the desert and eventually drove all the way back to the city of Lima I could feel the warmth slowly seeping away as the clouds and overcast weather came back into the environment. Needless to say I was already prepared to go back. Although many people visit Peru for a Machu Picchu tour or a South America tour , seeing the off the beaten path places are often worth the trouble.

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