Saihuite La Collpa

Nazca Lines and Ballestas Islands

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3 days (Lima)

Destinations visited: Peru, Lima, World

Grading:

Discovery and Cruising level

Grading Definitions

Discovery & Cruising

These are our least demanding trips. These journeys of discovery and cruises involve little or no extended activity and are suitable for people with a basic level of fitness and good health. The itinerary may take place in remote areas (with basic facilities) and may involve long travel days on various types of transport. Sightseeing may be conducted on foot and all participants should be capable of carrying their own luggage from vehicle to hotel rooms. These adventures do not go above 2500m and rarely involve camping.
Suggested preparation: Once or twice a week, we recommend you walk on undulating terrain for an hour, for at least 2 -3 months prior to departure.

Adventure Touring

Suggested preparation: Two or three times a week, we recommend you walk on undulating terrain for an hour or more, for at least 3 months prior to departure.

Introductory

These trips involve trekking or walking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to five or six hours a day at a slow but steady pace and should never be misinterpreted to mean they are easy trips. These trips do not spend time at altitudes above 4000m and are usually a week in duration. You will need a reasonable level of fitness and good health.
Suggested preparation: 30 minutes of aerobic type exercise, (either cycling or jogging) three times a week for three months leading up to your trek. For trekking, hill walking with a daypack in variable weather conditions is also recommended. For a cycling adventure, road cycling twice a week for three months prior to departure is recommended.

Introductory to Moderate

These trips involve a combination of what is described in our INTRODUCTORY and MODERATE levels. The emphasis is on introductory activity with several moderate stages

Moderate

These adventures involve trekking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace. These trips may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m and are usually between 10 and 15 days in duration. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health.
Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or road cycling is also recommended depending upon the activity you plan to undertake.

Moderate to Challenging

These adventures involve trekking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace. These trips may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m and are usually between 10 and 15 days in duration. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health. Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or road cycling is also recommended depending upon the activity you plan to undertake.

Challenging

These adventures involve trekking, cycling or rafting in remote areas in variable weather conditions for up to 8 to 10 hours a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). This may include spending successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 6000m. These trips may often be over three weeks in duration. You will need an excellent level of fitness, be prepared to carry a daypack weighing up to 8kgs (and in some cases a full pack) and be completely comfortable in adverse weather conditions.
Suggested preparation: One hour of aerobic type exercise, four to five times a week for three to six months prior to departure. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or on/off road cycling is also recommended.

Entry Mtn/Exploratory Treks

These adventures are classed as expeditions. They involve either extreme trekking and or basic mountaineering. Expect remote and poorly defined trails in variable weather conditions for up to 12 hours a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). This may include a number of demanding high pass crossings and evacuation may be difficult from remote areas. Suitable for first time mountaineers wishing to take the step from trekking into the realm of mountaineering. Prior experience trekking at altitude is preferable but not essential and you should be comfortable in adverse weather conditions. Prior technical mountaineering experience is not necessary. Terrain will involve low angle snow slopes. Ropes may be used during treks for glacier travel and steeper sections of ice and snow. When mountaineering, basic mountaineering instruction is given by our mountaineering guides.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

Intermediate Mtn Expedition

Participants should be competent and self sufficient in the outdoors and have experience in multi day trekking at altitude. Prior experience on an entry level mountaineering expedition is highly recommended. The terrain will involve low to moderate angle snow slopes and traveling on crevassed glaciers. Experience using ice axe and crampons is preferred but not essential.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

Advanced Mtn Expedition

These are our most challenging expeditions. Clients must have prior mountaineering experience. Most are participatory expeditions & involve load carrying, setting up of camps, cooking and campcraft. Altitude is generally greater than 6500m. Some of these expeditions also involve “technical” climbing and are for experienced alpine climbers / mountaineers only. Technical expeditions involve steep climbing at high altitude (including rock climbing). Participation on one of these expeditions is subject to acceptance by one of our high altitude mountaineering guides.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

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View the spectacular Nazca Lines and the Ballestas Islands (mini-Galapagos) by boat

An ideal short extension for those wishing to see the coast and desert of Peru. From Lima, we head south to the oasis town of Ica and onto Nazca, home to the famous Nazca Lines carved into the desert. View these amazing lines and shapes before heading to the Ballestas Islands for a wildlife cruise.

Highlights

Ballestas Islands (mini Galapagos)
View the Nazca Lines
Explore Ica and Pachacamac
View 'El Candelabra'

Itinerary

Day 1 Drive from Lima to Ica

We drive down the coast of Peru from Lima in a private vehicle to the oasis town of Ica. On the way we visit the famous centre of the oracle at Pachacamac, which is a superb example of a reconstructed Inca temple site. Many believe this was one of the most important sites in the pre Hispanic world of the Andean peoples. It was home to the great oracle. Overnight in Ica.

Day 2 Nazca Lines

This morning we drive after breakfast to Nazca. The Nazca Lines are located in the coastal desert of Peru and are truly remarkable. The huge designs etched into the desert by the people of the Paracas and Nazca cultures between perhaps 500BC and 900AD.The safety of our travellers is our utmost priority, something that we will not compromise on. We would therefore like to highlight that we are unable to recommend the air services of any of the airlines who are servicing the Nazca Lines overflights. There have been three fatal accidents in two years, the most recent in early October 2010. There are limited civil aviation controls at Nazca and no effective safety authority inspecting aircraft or pilots. In light of this, we cannot offer or assist in sourcing tickets locally. Our trip offers fantastic vantage points from watch towers where these remarkable markings can be surveyed with our expert guides on hand to help you interpret such wonders. After a relaxing day we return to Ica for overnight.

Day 3 Ballestas Islands and drive to Lima where trip concludes

We take the short drive across the desert to the small coastal resort of Paracas. From here we continue towards the Paracas Peninsula where we take small sturdy launches for a 3 hour cruise out to the Ballestas Islands – described as Peru’s mini-Galapagos – a haven for marine wildlife. The bird and seal life here in this protected reserve is impressive. On the way we get a chance to see the huge 'candelabra' - a massive figure of what looks like a giant cactus etched in the huge sand dune. This can only be seen from the sea. After our cruise we return to Lima, and our trip concludes.

Additional Information

Inclusions

2 breakfasts
local bilingual driver/guide
comfortable and central hotels
private transportation
sightseeing and site entrance fees as listed
boat trip to Ballestas Islands

Summary

2 nights hotels

Trip Main Activities

Adventure Touring
Cruising

Group Size Min

Group Size Max

Accommodation Summary

Equipment Required

Specialist gear required include walking boots and day pack (a comprehensive gear list is provided in the pre-departure information provided on booking).

What You Carry

In your daypack you will need to carry extra warm clothing (depending on the altitude, location and weather), a rainjacket, water bottle, film and camera gear, valuables and personal items such as sunscreen, lip-eze etc.

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Book this trip with World Expeditions on their site

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USD$920

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Pioneers in responsible travel.
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