Paracas West side

PARACAS MIRADOR 2014 348 1 mountain bike peru

Paracas West side

The National Reserve of Paracas has places where beauty and the open spaces make you wonder the nature.

Years ago with my friend Cae, now living in Brazil, we usually share the ride with the hobby of photography, one day another friend Diego Alvarado a pro photographer, told us to go and ride in Paracas. We took his word and went to Paracas and scouting an area that none of us knew before. We did a part, but some years later I hiked with the guards of the park and I knew how to complete it with bikes. A couple of years later we decided to go and ride it, we started from the hotel and point Lagunillas and La Mina, then Mirador de Lobos and finally we met the Kraken, a desert to cross to finally appear at Cequion, at the main highway to San Martin port.
35 km climbing, downhill dunes, a bit of carrying the bikes, super landscapes. It is important to bring with you all your equipment and some food and a lot of water, if something happens there will be no one to help you and if you have to walk, hours are waiting for you.

Paracas south side

3d.paracas 164 mountain bike peru

Paracas South side

The National Reserve of Paracas is one of these places that deserve to be listed in the best and most wonderful places to ride. The south side has a lot of beaches with amazing landscapes. Remember to start early, wind in the afternoon could be your friend or foe.

Paracas is 3 to 4 hours south of Lima. You can get there by car or bus and the key to a successful ride is to start early, 6 am is better, but wind and sun may become a torture if you are still riding after 1 pm.

This route any other starts from Paracas Bay, and you must point south to the Cathedral viewpoint, then, have to follow all the coastline, reaching Playa Mendieta is not a big issue, only need to know a shortcut to ride down to Playon Beach. Once at Mendieta, you will enjoy the beach (if is not windy)

After Mendieta you may continue to Laguna Grande following the main road, you will not get lost, but you have to be prepared for a 100km day ride.

The return must get planned after noon to be helped by the strong winds that push us back to our starting point, that´s a good relief, anyway is not for free, so pedal is a must.