Paracas has two highlights. The Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Park.
I would recommend to stay at least the night in Paracas to be able to start your tour after breakfast. Both places can be visited in one day and then you can continue in the evening, e.g. to Huaccachina.
Ballestas Islands
The Ballestas Islands are also called the Galapagos of Peru. This is due to the fact that there is a great variety of species here, and in large numbers too.
You can only take boat tours that go around the islands. Entering the islands is strictly forbidden, as they are a pure nature reserve. There are countless birds, from a distance one thinks the island has a black and white stone pattern until one gets closer and sees that there are thousands of birds. We also saw pelicans in large numbers. There were sea lions, sea urchins, crabs and penguins. Yeah, that’s right, there are penguins. Something you wouldn’t expect to see up north. On the way back, there were dolphins. All in all a trip that was definitely worthwhile.
Remember to pack your camera and if possible a telephoto lens so that you can take close-ups of the animals.
However, the weather and the sea must play along. If the waves are too high, the tour cannot take place.
The tour usually takes place in the morning and can be combined well with the Paracas National Park.
Paracas National Park
The national park offers a unique scenery. Here the desert meets the ocean. The sand has a great colouring. There are also beautiful rock formations. The field formation, which was called a cathedral, unfortunately partly collapsed during an earthquake a few years ago, but still offers a great photo opportunity.
While on the boat tour a telephoto lens was the choice, here you should have a wide angle lens on your camera. As it can get quite dusty on the way, it is best to change the lens before.