Archaeological sights in Pisco
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Tambo Colorado
Tambo Colorado, an early Inca lowland outpost about 45km northeast of Pisco, was named for the red paint that once completely covered its adobe walls. It's one of the best-preserved sites on the south coast and is thought to have served as an administrative base and control point for passing traffic, mostly conquered peoples. An on-site caretaker will collect the fee and can answer questions in Spanish.
From Pisco, it takes about an hour to get there by car. Hire a taxi for half a day or take a tour from Pisco (two-person minimum). A combi through the village of Humay passes Tambo Colorado 20 minutes beyond the village; it leaves from the Pisco market early in the morning…
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Paracas Necropolis
Inside the Reserva Nacional de Paracas, a few hundred meters behind the park visitors complex is the 5000-year-old remains of the Paracas Necropolis, a late site of the Paracas culture, which predated the Incas by more than a thousand years. A stash of over 400 funerary bundles was found here, each wrapped in many layers of colorful, woven shrouds for which the Paracas culture is famous. There's little to see now though.
Lima's Museo de la Nación and Ica's Museo Regional de Ica exhibit some exquisite textiles and other finds from the site.
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Museo JC Tello
Inside the Reserva Nacional de Paracas, next door to the park visitor centre, is the Museo JC Tello. Unfortunately, the museum's best pieces were stolen a few years ago, but an interesting collection of weavings, trophy heads and trepanned skulls (showing an ancient medical technique wherein a slice of the skull is removed, relieving pressure on the brain resulting from injuries) remains.
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Acorema Interpretation Center
The dusty Acorema Interpretation Center , housed in a curious old Swiss-style building, has tame exhibits on biodiversity and conservation in Paracas plus a large whale skeleton tucked away to one side. It's in a dangerous part of town near the beach, so take a mototaxi.
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