Paracas and Huacachina

Our trip took us away from the smoggy Lima last weekend with a four-hour bus ride - into the desert and the beauty of Peru.

We stayed in the small coastal town of Paracas. This place is known for the Islas Balletas and the Paracas National Reserve. On Sunday morning we took a two-hour boat tour to the Islas Balletas. On the way, we passed a "geoglyph" that looks like Neptune's fork. This fork is very large and no one knows how it got into the landscape or what it means. We continued over the open sea to the Islas Balletas. Already on the way, we could observe sea lions in the wild. The Humboldt penguins didn't keep us waiting long at the Islas Balletas either. We even witnessed the penguins jumping into the water from the rock. What a spectacle of nature in the wild. In the rocks, we could observe thousands of birds that are threatened with extinction. A nearby island seemed to be just black. Only at second glance did we notice that they were all birds. Thousands of birds, eating, squawking, and pooping ... Once a year, the rocks are cleaned and the white gold is sold as fertilizer to the world. The birds enjoy ideal and unique conditions in this nature reserve.
We also saw sea lions sleeping in the sun from time to time. The male sea lions are much larger than the females.

In the afternoon, we treated ourselves to a private tour of the Paracas National Reserve. We didn't have any expectations, but we couldn't help but be amazed. Our driver from the hostel told us a story or information in Spanish about each place we visited. Surprisingly, I understood quite a lot and speaking became easier over time. We saw beaches, salt, desert, impressive colors, sea lions, fossils, and an endless expanse.
We liked Playa Roja the best. The red sand is eroded from the rock behind it and is protected.

In the evening, we were overjoyed by these great impressions, but also very tired.

On Monday, our journey took us to Huacachina, which is located near Ica and is known as the oasis of the desert. We had booked a hotel on the edge of the oasis and drove there an hour from Paracas in a minibus. We decided to hike up the dunes only after the afternoon heat, and for the first time we were grateful to have our hiking shoes with us.
The path to the dunes reminded us a little of winters in Switzerland. Heavy sand vs. snow on our feet and a narrow ridge to be walked. Once at the top, we were offered an incredible view of endless dunes in the desert. There's not much to say, let the pictures speak for themselves. So see and be amazed! :-)

Now we are in comfortable seats on our first overnight bus ride heading north and hoping to arrive in Truijllo somewhat rested tomorrow.