The Paracas National Reserve is the desert peninsula south of Paracas town where yellow cliffs drop straight into the Pacific. It is also home to Playa Roja, the Red Beach that National Geographic picked as one of the seven natural wonders of South America.
I live in Lima and plan Paracas and Huacachina trips for our travelers, and the Reserve is the part people usually plan worst. Below: what you actually see, what it costs in 2026 and the easiest way to fit it in, depending on where you sleep.
Quick answer
- What it is: a protected desert coast of 335,000 hectares, about 65% of it sea, managed by SERNANP. It is not the Ballestas Islands, which are a separate reserve you see from a boat.
- Entry: S/ 11 per adult, foreigners included, and S/ 3 for children from 5 to 16. With Ballestas, a 2×1 ticket for both costs S/ 17, plus the S/ 5 pier fee for the boat.
- Hours: every day from 9:00 to 16:00.
- The Red Beach: you see it from the viewpoint above it. Tours stop at Lagunillas for lunch and a swim.
- Easiest way: if you sleep in Paracas, a Reserve tour from 11:00 to 15:00 after the morning Ballestas boat. From Ica, a full day with both, from USD 55.
| Where you sleep | How to see the Reserve | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Paracas | Ballestas boat from 07:50 to 11:00, then the Reserve tour from 11:00 to 15:00, with hotel pickup | Morning + early afternoon |
| Ica or Huacachina | Full day with Ballestas and the Reserve, pickup at 06:50 | Back around 16:15 |
| Lima | Not as a day trip: about 4 hours of road each way. Sleep one night | 2 days |
What is the Paracas National Reserve?
The Paracas National Reserve is a protected area on Peru’s south coast, in the Ica region, that covers 335,000 hectares of desert, beaches and sea, about 65% of it marine, according to SERNANP, the agency that runs Peru’s protected areas. It was created on September 25, 1975, and 730,655 people visited it in 2025, according to Andina.
On land, you get a dry, wind-carved peninsula with cliffs, viewpoints and small fishing coves. In the water, the cold Humboldt Current feeds sea lions, pelicans and big seabird colonies.
One confusion we clear up with almost every traveler: the Ballestas Islands are not part of this reserve. They belong to a different protected area and you see them from a boat, while the Reserve is a drive on land. Most people do both on the same day, and our Ballestas Islands guide covers the boat part.
Why did National Geographic pick the Red Beach?
National Geographic picked Playa Roja, the Red Beach of Paracas, as one of the seven natural wonders of South America in a photo selection published by its Spanish-language edition on June 6, 2025. It was the only place in Peru on the list, next to Angel Falls in Venezuela, the Lençóis Maranhenses in Brazil and the Grey Glacier in Chile.
The color is real, not a filter. SERNANP explains it by the nearby Punta Santa María massif, made of rock with solidified red magma, and National Geographic adds that thousands of years of waves wore that pink granodiorite down into sand. Against the blue-green sea and the yellow cliffs, it is one of the most photographed spots in Paracas.
Can you go down to the Red Beach or swim there?
Plan on seeing the Red Beach from above, not walking or swimming on it. SERNANP lists Playa Roja as a viewpoint, and the tour stop is at the lookout over it, not on the sand. If you want to swim, the tours stop at Lagunillas, a small fishing cove with time for a seafront lunch or a swim.
What else can you see in the Paracas National Reserve?
Besides the Red Beach, the classic route in the Paracas National Reserve takes in the Interpretation Center near the entrance, La Catedral, the isthmus viewpoint and Lagunillas. SERNANP calls it the North Tourist Circuit: 26 km that take 4 to 6 hours with the stops.
The Interpretation Center
The Interpretation Center is 2 km past the entrance gate. It has short exhibits on the reserve’s wildlife and geography, and it’s a good first stop before the viewpoints.
La Catedral
La Catedral was a sea arch and the symbol of Paracas until the earthquake of August 15, 2007 brought it down. What’s left is still a viewpoint over the cliffs, 10 km from the entrance on a paved road.
Lagunillas, La Mina and the other beaches
Lagunillas is where tours stop for lunch by the sea. SERNANP describes La Mina and Raspón as beaches with calm, clear water and easy access, and they get very full in the Peruvian summer, from December to March.
How much does the Paracas National Reserve cost in 2026?
Entry to the Paracas National Reserve costs S/ 11 per adult for a one-day visit, and foreigners pay the same as Peruvians. Children from 5 to 16 pay S/ 3 and children under 5 go in free, according to SERNANP’s current rates.
If you also do the Ballestas Islands, SERNANP sells a 2×1 ticket for both reserves at S/ 17 per adult. Add the S/ 5 pier fee for the boat and you get the S/ 22 that tours ask you to bring.
You buy the ticket at the Santo Domingo checkpoint at the entrance or online on SERNANP’s ticket site. On our tours, these fees are paid apart from the tour price.
How do you get to the Paracas National Reserve?
The Paracas National Reserve starts just south of Paracas town, and SERNANP puts it at 272 km and about 4 hours from Lima on the Panamericana Sur. From Ica or Huacachina, Paracas is about an hour by road. How you see the Reserve depends on where you sleep.
If you sleep in Paracas
Take the Ballestas Islands boat tour from Paracas in the morning (07:50 to 11:00, from USD 35 with hotel pickup) and the Reserve tour right after, from 11:00 to 15:00, also with pickup at your hotel. The Reserve tour from Paracas isn’t bookable online yet: send us your dates and we add it to your Ballestas booking.
Paracas National Reserve tour from Ica or Huacachina (with Ballestas)
Our Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve tour from Ica does both in one day: pickup at 06:50, the boat first, then La Catedral, the Red Beach and lunch at Lagunillas, and you’re back in Ica around 16:15. It costs from USD 55, and the reserve and pier fees (S/ 22) are paid apart.
Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve Tour From Ica
The Ballestas Islands by speedboat, then La Catedral, the Red Beach and lunch at Lagunillas.
Instant confirmation · Free cancellation up to 24h
If you're coming from Lima
From Lima, I wouldn’t try it in a day: with about 4 hours of road each way, you arrive tired and rush the Reserve. Sleep one night in Paracas or Huacachina instead. Our 2-day plan does Huacachina and a sunset picnic in the dunes on day one, and Ballestas plus the Reserve the next morning. If you only have one day, our guide to day trips from Lima compares the options.
On your own, by car or taxi
You can also drive or take a taxi from Paracas town and pay the entry at the checkpoint. SERNANP asks visitors to stay on the marked routes, and it lists bikes and ATVs as other ways to ride the north circuit. Alcohol and pets are not allowed inside the reserve. You’ll miss the guide’s context, but the main stops are easy to find.
Is the Paracas National Reserve worth it?
The Paracas National Reserve is worth it if you’re already going to Paracas or Huacachina: for S/ 11 it adds cliffs, the Red Beach and a seafood lunch by the sea to the Ballestas boat. I wouldn’t drive from Lima only for it. Paired with Ballestas, the dunes of Huacachina and the pisco wineries of Ica, it makes one of the best two or three days on Peru’s coast.
Mistakes we see
- Going on a Peruvian long weekend or at New Year. 51,276 people entered the reserve between January 1 and 4, 2026, according to Andina. The viewpoints, Lagunillas and La Mina get packed.
- Expecting to swim at the Red Beach. You see it from above. Bring your swimsuit for Lagunillas instead.
- Arriving late. Visiting hours end at 16:00, so an afternoon arrival leaves you very little time.
- Buying two separate tickets. If you do Ballestas and the Reserve, ask for SERNANP’s 2×1 ticket (S/ 17 per adult) instead of two single entries.
Plan your Paracas trip with us
If you’re staying in Ica or Huacachina, book the Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve tour from Ica online. If you sleep in Paracas, or want Paracas inside a longer trip, tell us your dates and we’ll add the Reserve tour and plan the rest.
The quote is free, there is no commitment, and we reply the same day.
👉 Request your free quote from our Paracas and Huacachina guide
FAQ
Is the Paracas National Reserve worth visiting?
Yes, if you’re already in Paracas or Huacachina. For S/ 11 you see the cliffs, La Catedral and the Red Beach, and have lunch by the sea at Lagunillas. Plan on half a day.
How much is the Paracas National Reserve entrance fee?
S/ 11 per adult in 2026, the same for foreigners and Peruvians, S/ 3 for children from 5 to 16, and free under 5. With the Ballestas Islands, a 2×1 ticket costs S/ 17, plus the S/ 5 pier fee.
Can you swim at the Red Beach in Paracas?
Plan on seeing it from the viewpoint: SERNANP lists Playa Roja as a viewpoint, and the tour stop is at the lookout above it. Tours stop at Lagunillas for a swim and lunch.
What are the Paracas National Reserve opening hours?
Every day from 9:00 to 16:00, according to SERNANP. Earlier visits need to be arranged in advance with the reserve’s headquarters.
How much time do you need in the Paracas National Reserve?
Half a day. Tours from Paracas run from 11:00 to 15:00, and SERNANP’s north circuit is 26 km and takes 4 to 6 hours with stops.
Can you visit the Paracas National Reserve without a tour?
Yes, by car or taxi from Paracas town. You buy the ticket at the Santo Domingo checkpoint or online. A tour adds the guide, the transport between viewpoints and, from Ica, the Ballestas boat.
