Latest news with #pre-Columbian
India Today
05-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Quinoa explained: Nutrition, cooking tips, and everyday uses
Once a staple crop of the ancient Incas, quinoa has re-emerged as a global superfood in recent years. Technically a seed but prepared like a grain, quinoa offers a unique blend of nutrients, including all nine essential amino acids, making it a rare plant-based complete IS QUINOA?Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a flowering plant native to the Andean region of South America. Though often referred to as a whole grain, it is actually a pseudocereal—a seed that is consumed like a cereal grain. It has been cultivated for over 5,000 years and played a central role in the diet of pre-Columbian are many varieties of quinoa, but the most common types available are white, red, and black. White quinoa has the mildest flavor and fluffiest texture when cooked, while red and black types offer nuttier tastes and slightly firmer PROFILE OF QUINOA Quinoa stands out among plant foods due to its rich nutrient content. A 1-cup serving (cooked) contains: 8 grams of protein5 grams of fiberIron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and folateAntioxidants like quercetin and kaempferolWhat makes quinoa especially notable is that it's a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids—something uncommon in plant-based is naturally gluten-free, making it a valuable dietary option for people with celiac disease or gluten BENEFITS OF QUINOAQuinoa offers several health benefits thanks to its nutritional density:Supports muscle health and repair due to its complete protein profileAids digestion and gut health with its high fiber contentHelps maintain blood sugar levels with a low glycemic indexContributes to heart health through magnesium and antioxidant contentProvides sustained energy from complex carbohydrates and essential mineralsBecause of these qualities, quinoa is often recommended in balanced diets, especially for vegetarians, vegans, and those managing chronic conditions like diabetes or heart FOR COOKING QUINOA Quinoa is quick and easy to prepare—usually ready in about 15 minutes. Before cooking, it's best to rinse it under cold water to remove its natural coating, called saponin, which can have a bitter cooking ratio1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water or brothBring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutesadvertisementLet it sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a forkYou can use quinoa in salads, soups, breakfast bowls, stir-fries, or as a substitute for rice or couscousHOW TO INCLUDE QUINOA IN YOUR DIET Quinoa is incredibly versatile. Here are a few ideasAdd it to salads for extra proteinUse it as a base for grain bowlsMix into vegetable soups for added texturePrepare a breakfast porridge with milk, nuts, and fruitMake quinoa patties with herbs and spices as a plant-based burgerIts mild taste allows it to blend well with both sweet and savory QUINOA ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE?Quinoa's popularity has raised questions about sustainability and fair trade. Originally grown in Bolivia and Peru, high international demand led to changes in local food economics. However, efforts are being made to support ethical farming and diversified global production to ensure quinoa remains a sustainable crop. advertisementQuinoa is more than just a trendy health food—it's a nutrient-rich, adaptable, and culturally significant plant that fits into a wide range of diets. Whether you're seeking more plant-based proteins, managing dietary restrictions, or just adding variety to your meals, quinoa is a smart and satisfying choice.- Ends
National Geographic
05-07-2025
- National Geographic
7 must-visit ancient sites everyone should see
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). If you're after must-see sights, the monuments of ancient civilisations are right at the top. And it's not just because their temples, tombs, cities and citadels are superlative feats of archaeology — it's because they're us. They reveal humanity that is different and awe-inspiring yet still relatable. You'll get the most out of these sites in the company of an expert guide (or audio guide) to make sense of what you're seeing and it's wise to pre-purchase tickets online to beat queues and guarantee entry. 1. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt It's the contrast that gets you. On one side is the monumental, 26th-century BCE Great Pyramid of Khufu and its two satellite pyramids in camel-coloured desert. On the other is the urban sprawl of Giza, which is why the Sphinx stares inscrutably at a glorified car park. The trick to visiting the Giza Plateau, on the Nile's west bank outside Cairo, is to pre-book a guide at your hotel. That way you'll be spared hassle from touts and hear 4,000 years of dynastic history told like a soap opera. Unless you're claustrophobic, ensure your ticket includes entry to the Great Pyramid; tickets are bought at the site entrance or online. Arrive for 8am when the site is cool and quieter, then retreat at noon into the new adjacent Grand Egyptian Museum. When visiting the Pyramids of Giza, you should factor in time to see the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum. Photograph by Grand Egyptian Museum 2. Chichén Itzá, Mexico Roughly 2.5 million travellers a year visit the best-restored site of Maya Mexico; such is the peril of being close to the country's premier tourism resort, Cancún. You may have to queue to enter even with tickets booked online. Yet the biggest tip for a visit to this 800-acre complex of temples, palaces, games courts and the stepped Pyramid of Kukulcán (aka El Castillo) is to really engage with it. Spot swarms of close-knit interlocking figures across most surfaces and marvel at El Castillo, the Maya calendar in physical form, with 365 steps for each day and shadows at the equinoxes which make its stone serpents seem to come alive. Interact with the monuments and a visit becomes less about archaeology and more about the pre-Columbian Mesoamericans who called this place home. It deserves at least half a day. 3. Angkor Wat, Cambodia Everyone tells you dawn is the moment to discover the world's largest religious monument, a 12th-century CE Khmer temple complex, its towers a representation of the centre of Hindu cosmology. The problem is everyone also has the same idea. If you go, choose the West Gate over the classic East Gate. Bear in mind that, though the site itself opens at 5am, it takes 30 minutes from Siem Reap by tuk tuk. Your ticket buys you access to the 150sq mile Angkor Archaeological Park, including Bayon temple (quietest at lunchtime), known for its Buddhist faces, plus the jungle-choked ruins of Ta Prohm temple (visit in the hazy light of late afternoon). They're both over two miles from Angkor Wat, so buy a three-day ticket (it's valid for three entries over ten days) and rent a bike — more fun than a tuk tuk. You should plan in at least three days to explore the sprawling ancient complex of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Photograph by Kui; Getty Images 4. Acropolis, Athens Welcome to the ground zero of Western civilisation. From its hilltop complex in central Athens — the word acropolis means 'high city' — came democracy. The Parthenon here is not just a monumental temple to Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, it's the Doric-columned template for neoclassical architecture worldwide. Sculptures in the excellent Acropolis Museum date back to the 5th century BCE, which is astonishing. While summer temperatures can be a problem (visit early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the heat), the main issue with the Acropolis is it can almost seem too familiar. Book a tour with a local guide like Alternative Athens to understand its 2,500-year history and myths. 5. Pompeii, Italy Most sites feature cold stone, yet Pompeii is personal. Its archaeological park presents a snapshot of everyday life in a middle-ranking Roman city on the Bay of Naples at the moment when it was sealed under Vesuvius's volcanic ash in 79BCE. Near-perfect frescos decorate walls — elegant in those of the elite, bawdy in the brothels. There are carbonised loaves of bread, and the plaster casts of victims clutching jewellery or children nestled into their parents' arms are all-too human. The simple act of crossing streets on stepping stones used by ordinary Pompeiians makes history come alive. Caveats? Don't expect full houses — most buildings are ruined shells — and check online for opening times of houses before a visit. Do expect crowds — Piazza Anfiteatro is calmest of the three site entrances. A final tip: renting an audio guide is recommended to make sense of the ruined city. The ruined city of Pompeii is one of the world's most complete examples of what life in ancient Rome was like. Photograph by Darryl Brooks; Getty Images 6. Petra, Jordan Few ancient sites live up to their promise like the 2,000-year-old Nabataean desert capital. You know what's coming beyond the narrow canyon entrance; haggle for a buggy ride to avoid a walk of almost a mile. Yet to emerge suddenly before the carved columns of the Treasury (al-Khazneh) is to feel like Indiana Jones — probably why the franchise's third film was shot here. Hewn from ruddy rock, the Rose City was abandoned by the 8th century CE and lost to all but the Bedouin. Today, there are five square miles of monuments, palaces and tombs to discover on hiking trails. It's worth taking 800 steps up to ad-Dayr (the Monastery) in late afternoon when its rock glows orange. For adventure, arrive through the 'back door to Petra' — a well-marked four-mile desert trail from Little Petra (two to three hours). Buy a Petra ticket online beforehand. 7. Machu Picchu, Peru Machu Picchu wasn't known to the wider world until 1911 — it was local farmers who directed American explorer Hiram Bingham to Inca ruins in the cloud forest. But was it a mountain citadel or royal palace? How did stonemasons interlock blocks so no paper could slip between the stones? That no one really knows adds to the allure of one of the world's most visually astonishing sites. Positioned to align with the cosmos and engineered with aqueducts and fountains, it seems to grow organically from the Andes – it's quite the sight to take in. Only 1,000 of the 5,600 daily tickets are released on the day itself, so buy well in advance or go with a specialist tour offering transfers and guides. Multi-day options that include the Inca capital Cusco and the surrounding Sacred Valley are a good choice, plus a smart move to acclimatise to altitude if you're hiking to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Time Magazine
02-07-2025
- General
- Time Magazine
We're Living in the Age of Fire. It Will Only Get Worse
The hills of Louis Creek Valley are covered in lovely, towering Douglas fir, healthy evergreens climbing from the grassy meadow at the valley floor up to the ridges where the mountains meet the sky. It's lush, like much of interior British Columbia, where densely packed conifers line the innumerable wooded valleys, the heavy cone-laden branches reaching down to the ground. Joe Gilchrist, a fire steward of Secwepemc people, and a firefighter for more than 30 years, stands on the valley floor and looks at the beautiful trees. But what he sees first is danger. 'It's been over 100 years since it's been illegal for Indigenous people to use fire on the land, and so in that time, the trees have overgrown the area, and some of the trees have got diseased,' he says. 'It's just gotten thicker, and the trees that have died have fallen to the ground, and branches and the needles that fall every year go onto the ground and just add to the fuel. It's just a major fire waiting to happen.' Until the 1860s, the Secwepemc were regularly setting this valley ablaze in the spring and fall, when the undergrowth can safely be burned off without the fire climbing the trunks where they could cause a crown fire, where flames leap quickly from treetop to treetop. The valley then was a patchwork of ecosystems, with grazing land for game, berry and mushroom patches, and healthy, diverse stands of trees. It provided food resources, and, crucially, it was not vulnerable to megafires. 'Megafires just weren't possible, because the forest itself was bio diverse,' says Gilchrist. 'It wasn't one monoculture of trees that are too close together and too over-aged and with lots of fuel on the ground.' It was similar throughout the continent. The forest in the pre-Columbian Americas was not primaeval, in a wild state, as is normally imagined, but carefully managed by Indigenous peoples, who were constantly burning. European settlers always remarked on the burning in their diaries and letters, finding it wasteful. Now, experts see that they knew what they were doing. Professor Lori Daniels, director of the University of British Columbia's Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, has been matching fire scars on tree rings with Indigenous oral history, and finding evidence of the repeated low scale burning before the Colonial era. One tree, in Tobacco Plains, near the Montana border, had survived 52 fires. The tree rings showing scars from low-intensity fires stopped in the 19th Century, when settlers took over and banned traditional burns. After the Second World War, when fire towers and water bombers increased the effectiveness of fire suppression, the forests became both safer from fire, and yet ever more vulnerable as the fuel load built up. 'Between 65% and 85% of the trees that we see in the forest today came in when Indigenous fire stewardship stopped,' says Daniels. 'So beautiful, green, forested British Columbia, the dense forest that we see as blankets across the hill slopes, by far the majority of those trees are on those mountains because they have not burned with a surface fire for decades to a century.' The gorgeous wooded slopes, in British Columbia and much of North America, exist because we romantically yearned for edenic wildlands. What that thinking produced is dangerous fuel loads. Because of the effectiveness of modern fire suppression, the amount of fuel has been steadily increasing for decades. And because of climate change, it is much drier. The result is a terrible new normal, with immense out-of-control wildfires now regularly turning massive swaths of the boreal belt around the top of the world to charcoal. The boreal ecosystem—the wilderness areas of evergreens between the deciduous woodlands to the south and the tundra to the north—makes up almost a third of the planet's forest land. It is a vital economic and ecological zone, and a crucial storehouse of carbon—or, it used to be. In 2023, more than 6,000 fires ravaged 37 million acres of land in Canada alone, scorching a land mass the size of Montana and poisoning the air as far away as Atlanta. Last year was not as bad, but it was still terrible, and worse in Russia, where almost 22 million acres were burnt. This season started badly in Canada. Many 'zombie fires' had overwintered, smoldering beneath the snow. One fire overwintered for two years in a row, a grim new first. They broke out early in a hot, dry spring, forcing the evacuation of towns and villages across the country, leaving a pall of smoke across the land. By the end of May, there were hundreds. More than 90 were out of control, meaning firefighters had decided they were too big to fight. About 40,000 people, mostly indigenous, were ordered out of their homes, some flown south, others making long, harrowing car journeys through smoky woods. On June 2, residents fled the northern Saskatchewan town of La Ronge after a fire breached the airport where crews were working. The next day much of the town of Denare Beach burned, while heartbroken residents watched remotely on doorbell cams. Natural variations in weather mean some years are worse than others, but the trend line is clear. Because the climate is warming, the fire season starts sooner and ends later. There is more fuel, and it is drier. Lightning, which starts many fires, is now striking further north than the past. Some forests have been made doubly vulnerable by climate-change-induced pest infestations. The fires are more dangerous and more damaging than they used to be. They burn hotter, creating their own weather, towering pyrocumulonimbus storms: massive, hellish fire tornadoes that throw flaming trees through the air and generate thousands of lightning strikes in their vicinity, sparking more fires. The fires now grow so quickly that veteran firefighters are often shocked by their behavior. They jump lakes and rivers, sending burning embers up to three miles through the air. So far, there have been few casualties, but veteran firefighters think it is just a matter of time. In 2016, a fire near Fort McMurray, a city of 100,000 people in northern Alberta, moved so fast that officials were forced to order an emergency evacuation, and surrender much of the town to the blaze. It was only because so many of the young and hardy residents had safety training from the oil industry that there were not mass casualties. The fire at Fort McMurray was a bitterly ironic wakeup call. It highlighted the new danger of the fast-moving megafires to northern towns, and put a spotlight on the underlying reason for the new danger: Fort McMurray is a bustling city only because of the vast bitumen-mining operations there, where the world's most carbon intensive oil is boiled out of tarry sand. Mike Flannigan, who has been studying wildfires as long as Joe Gilchrist has been fighting them, is scared. In 1985, Flannigan gave his first talk predicting that climate change would lead to bigger fires. Audiences were skeptical, but he was confident that he was right. In 1991, he published a paper in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research predicting a 46% increase in annual area burned when the amount of carbon in the atmosphere doubled from pre-industrial levels, which measured 280 parts per million (ppm). In 1991, when the atmospheric carbon levels measured 355 ppm , 2.5 million acres burned in Canada. This year, the level of C02 is 427 ppm ten million acres burnt by July 1. Flannigan's models were far too conservative. 'We—the modelers—have done pretty well with getting the temperature increases, but the impacts from those temperature increases has been grossly underestimated,' he says He finds that disquieting. 'It's happening faster than I would have thought, and there may be surprises coming—not just for fire—but for climate change, surprises that catch us all off guard.' 'Fire is always where people are,' Flannigan continues. 'It goes with us wherever we go. But the genie is out of the bottle. Fire is now uncontrollable, and we're going to see more and more fire and more and more catastrophic fire.' Flannigan thinks we are living in the pyrocene, the age of fire, an idea from Arizona environmental historian Stephen J. Pyne. By burning so much coal and oil, we have changed the climate and can no longer control the processes. Canada's forests—which make up 8.5%of all global forest area—were once a crucial storehouse of carbon, but because of the fires they have been a net carbon emitter since 2001. The fires of 2023 released 647 million metric tons of carbon, more than the total annual emissions of South Korea that year. The fires are so hot that they are burning off the top soil in some places, which means some land that was treed will come back as savannah—grasslands which do not store as much carbon. And the news may get much worse. Many of the trees in northern Canada spring from permanently frozen peat bogs, which contain enormous quantities of carbon. As the climate warms, and that permafrost melts, it becomes susceptible to fire, posing a horrifying climate risk: massive, unfightable northern fires spewing huge quantities of carbon into the atmosphere, which could push Earth past a climate tipping point that once crossed will cause a spiral-effect of endless warming. 'It's not a steady state,' says Flannigan. 'It's not normal. We're on a downward trajectory. Sometimes I say we're in Dante's circle of hell. I don't know which circle we're on, but I know which way we're going.' Only one thing might stop the terrifying processes that humans have set in motion. 'The bottom line, until we deal with greenhouse gasses, fossil-fuel burning, we're going to continue to warm and we're going to continue to see more fire.' Stephen Maher is the author of The Prince, The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau.
IOL News
01-07-2025
- IOL News
Most world heritage sites at risk of drought or flooding: UN
Most world heritage sites are at risk of drought or flooding. The Taj Mahal in India is facing water scarcity problems. Image: Sudipta Mondal / Pexels. Almost three quarters of the globe's cultural and natural heritage sites are threatened by too little or too much water, the UN's cultural agency said on Tuesday. As a result of rising temperatures, extreme weather events including hurricanes, droughts, floods and heatwaves have become more frequent and intense, scientists warn. Seventy-three percent of all 1,172 non-marine sites on the UNESCO Heritage List are exposed to at least one severe water risk -- including water stress, drought, river flooding or coastal flooding, UNESCO said. "Water stress is projected to intensify, most notably in regions like the Middle East and North Africa, parts of South Asia and northern China — posing long-term risks to ecosystems, cultural heritage, and the communities and tourism economies that depend on them," it added. Cultural sites were most commonly threatened by water scarcity, while more than half of natural sites faced the risk of flooding from a nearby river, the UNESCO study showed. In India, the Taj Mahal monument in Agra, for example, "faces water scarcity that is increasing pollution and depleting groundwater, both of which are damaging the mausoleum," the study said. In the United States, "in 2022, a massive flood closed down all of Yellowstone National Park and cost over $20 million in infrastructure repairs to reopen." The report gave four more examples. Iraq's southern marshes - the reputed home of the biblical Garden of Eden - "face extremely high water stress, where over 80 percent of the renewable supply is withdrawn to meet human demand", it added. And competition for water is expected to increase in the marshes, where migratory birds live and inhabitants raise buffalo, as the region grows hotter in coming years. On the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls - originally called Mosi-oa-Tunya ("the smoke that thunders") before it was renamed by Scottish explorer David Livingstone - has faced recurring drought and is sometimes reduced to a trickle. In Peru, the pre-Columbian city of Chan Chan and its delicate 1,000-year-old adobe walls face an extremely high risk of river flooding, UNESCO said. In China, rising sea levels driven in large part by climate change are leading to coastal flooding, which destroys mudlands where migratory waterbirds find food, it added. THE MERCURY
USA Today
18-06-2025
- USA Today
Exploring Paracas, Peru: What to know before you go
Ballestas Islands, a wildlife haven in Paracas, Peru – Photo courtesy of PIKSEL / iStock Via Getty Images Plus About four hours south of Lima along Peru's Pacific coastline, you'll find a small fishing town in the midst of the desert. This unique juxtaposition of topography is precisely the reason that wildlife enthusiasts, adventure seekers, and savvy travelers flock to Paracas, perhaps one of the most underrated destinations in Peru. The small port town has seen a boom in tourism with the emergence of several world-class hotels. Paracas means "strong winds" in Spanish, or in the indigenous Quechua tongue, 'rain of sand,' which gives rise to the unique coastal dunes formed over millennia. Thousands of years ago, the area was home to the Paracas culture, a pre-Columbian civilization that made its mark on the region with its advanced irrigation techniques, beautiful ceramics, and stunning textiles. Much of this ancient civilization remains protected in what is today known as the Paracas National Reserve, a sprawling 827,800 acres of coastal desert whose arid environment stands in stark contrast to the roaring sea just beyond its cliffs. The protected beaches are home to some of the most diverse wildlife found on the continent. Advertisement How to get to Paracas From Lima, the easiest way to get to Paracas is by car or bus. The town is located about a 3.5 to 4-hour drive south of the city, whose international airport offers many direct flights to destinations around the world. Once you're in Paracas, you won't need a car. The Paracas National Reserve is accessible by bike, buggy, or ATV, while other popular attractions (like the Ballestas Islands) are accessible by boat. Best time of year to visit Paracas Passing Candelabra, a prehistoric geoglyph in Paracas – Photo courtesy of Oleh_Slobodeniuk / iStock Via Getty Images Plus One of the best things about Paracas is its relatively temperate climate, which means you can visit just about any time of year. High season for the region tends to be the Peruvian summer, from December to March. During this time, high temperatures reach around the mid-80s. If you're looking to make the most of wildlife viewing — in particular the Humboldt penguins — April to November are the best months to visit Paracas. How much time should you budget for a trip to Paracas? While region is relatively small, there are many things to do in Paracas. You'll certainly need at least a full day to explore Paracas National Reserve (and likely more if you want to do all the activities available. We recommend three days minimum to enjoy the area and all it has to offer. Fun things to do in Paracas Whether you're interested in sand-boarding on the dunes of Paracas National Reserve, marveling at the Humboldt penguins on the Ballestas Islands, or simply soaking up the sun in this seaside village, you can scratch every vacation itch. Visit Paracas National Reserve Cathedral Rock Formation at Paracas National Reserve – Photo courtesy of xeni4ka / iStock Via Getty Images Plus Paracas National Reserve alone is reason to visit Paracas. As the country's oldest marine reserve, this natural wonder serves as home to more than 1,500 animal species, including sea lions, Humboldt penguins, dolphins, turtles, and hundreds of species of birds. You'll also find stunning red sand beaches, which get their unique coloring from the erosion of pink granodiorite. Perhaps the most popular way to explore the reserve is by ATV or dune buggy (which also allows you to do some pretty amazing off-roading). However, if you're looking for a solid workout, a standard bicycle will do the trick. Advertisement Go sand-boarding For the true thrill-seekers, there's little that compares to sand-boarding down one of the many impressive dunes in Paracas National Reserve. A number of tour companies offer a range of sand-boarding experiences, complete with lessons. Check out the Ballestas Islands Known as the 'poor man's Galápagaos,' the Ballestas Islands (or Islas Ballestas) is the premiere destination for seeing dolphins, sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds. To get to the island, you'll take a 30- to 40-minute boat ride that'll pass by the Paracas Candelabra, an enormous geoglyph whose origins remain a debatable mystery to this day. Go wildlife-viewing and bird-watching You don't have to visit Paracas National Reserve or the Ballestas Islands to see incredible wildlife. Simply sit along the beach or drive out to any one of Paracas' many overlooks to enjoy the stunning array of fauna (and flora) the region has to offer. Advertisement Try out some water sports Given the strong winds that gave Paracas its name, it's no wonder that wind-based water sports are a big thing here. Kitesurfing and paragliding are available for the most adventurous, while sailing on catamarans, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding are also widely available. Relax on Paracas' best beaches While Paracas isn't your typical beach resort in that temperatures tend to be too cool and winds too strong for a ton of beach swimming, the protected nature of many of the town's beaches make for some of the most beautiful vistas for beach strolls and lounging. Where to eat and drink in Paracas The freshest seafood in Paracas, Peru – Photo courtesy of Lulu Chang You simply can't go wrong with the abundance of fresh seafood in Paracas, which is — at its heart — a fishing village. You'll have some of the freshest ceviche that money can buy in this town. Advertisement Chalana Restaurant Not only is the ceviche incredible at Chalana Restaurant, but so too is the view. Part of Hotel Paracas and located at the end of a pier, this restaurant offers beautiful regional dishes and unbeatable waterfront views. Nautilus Seafood & Pastas The waterfront promenade of Paracas is home to several great restaurants. Nautilus Seafood & Pastas, however, is a local favorite, bringing together Peruvian, Italian, and other international cuisines. Waiki Pizza Bar You might not expect great pizza in Paracas, but you'd be wrong. Several restaurants in town sling pies, yet none are as delightful as the ones at Waiki Pizza Bar. Advertisement Where to stay in Paracas Incredible sunsets at Hotel Paracas – Photo courtesy of Lulu Chang Hotel Paracas Hotel Paracas is an excellent jumping-off point for any and all Paracas adventures. The hotel offers complimentary off-road bike rentals that can be used to head straight into the Paracas National Reserve (about a 15-minute bike ride away). You can also book a tour of the Ballestas Islands with the hotel. When you're done, relax by one of two beautiful pools before grabbing a gourmet meal. Book Now When you check rates and book independently reviewed hotels through our site, we may earn a small commission. Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa, which offers expansive guest rooms and common spaces, is perhaps best known for its fabulous spa. While you'll certainly have access to all the adventure activities that Paracas is known for, Aranwa also seeks to pamper its guests with customized spa treatments and attentive staff. Book Now When you check rates and book independently reviewed hotels through our site, we may earn a small commission.
