Paracas West side

Paracas West side

05 mountain bike peru

The National Reserve of Paracas has places where beauty and the open spaces make you wonder the nature. This is a route only for experts to share with someone who knows the place. The huge size of the desert when you face it should be intimidating.

Years ago with my friend Cae, now living in Brazil, usually we 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 hike 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 start 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. Important to bring with you all your equipment and some food and a lot of water, if something happens there will be no one for helping you and if you have to walk, hours are waiting for you.

Following the coastline in Paracas

Paracas coastline

PARACAS 4 1 mountain bike peru

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 is a long line with very small climbs a lot of beaches with amazing landscapes. Remember to start early, wind in the afternoon could be 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.

Paracas short route for starters

Paracas, a short loop

paracas 1 1 mountain bike peru

The National Reserve of Paracas is one of these places that deserve to be listed in the best and most wonderful places to ride. Is not a technical place, but pedalling on the desert, dry, sandy but rideable, surrounded by great quietness and open spaces following an amazing coastline is simply a must-do.

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 is the shortest loop at the Reserve. starting from your hotel at El Chaco have to cross the Control Access Point of the Park, then split in two ways, anyone can be chosen, personally, I prefer to go first to Playa Roja, so following the main road climbing to the Interpretation Center, then taking the left small road you will go downhill to Playa Roja. Once there and after staying some minutes to enjoy the place, you take left and start a climb to surround the cliffs to continue your ride south straight to Catedral.

Once there and after a time to enjoy the landscape, you will start your way back to El Chaco, if you are new or slow pace, that loop will take you around three hours, so if you depart at 7 you´ll be back around 10, and don´t forget to pay your entrance fee! Is cheap 3USD and it helps to protect the area.