The landscapes in Peru can really win us over. The desert-like landscapes in the Paracas nature reserve briefly transport us into a Bedouin dream. Sandy tracks lead us to the picturesque cliffs of the Paracas peninsula. Here, rugged cliffs define the last meters of Peruvian land on the Pacific coast. We are so impressed that we look for beautiful cliffs away from the roads intended for tourists – until a park ranger stops us.
A kind of circular route has been created especially for tourists, which you can drive along in your own car. There are various beaches, cliffs and sand dunes to marvel at along this circular route. However, these places are very touristy, with small cafés and stalls, so the local fishing beaches and cliffs are much more appealing.

We drive just a few meters next to the steep cliff to the end of this stretch of beach to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. And it is here that a friendly ranger greets us, telling us that we are already far off the tourist route and that we should quickly return to the defined routes. But at the same time, this beach at the end is the most beautiful one we visit in the Paracas nature reserve. We watch the local fishermen descend the rugged sandstone cliffs with a rope to help them fish in the Pacific.

In the end, however, we bow to the friendly, emphatic recommendation to return. We visit another beach where there are old coal mines. Past the red beach, the route continues through the beautiful, barren landscape over increasingly poor roads to the last point of the round trip on the peninsula – the cathedral. The cathedral was once a natural stone bridge that was washed out by the sea. Unfortunately, this imposing rock formation fell victim to an earthquake, which means that today it can no longer compete with the impressive cliffs of Normandy or southern England.

The journey continues to a real oasis in the vast deserts of Peru. More on this soon!