Paracas National Reservation, Nature reserve in Ica Region, Peru.

The Paracas National Reservation covers 335,000 hectares of desert and marine ecosystems in the Ica region, about 65% of it ocean. Its coast includes the Paracas Peninsula, Independencia Bay and San Gallán Island, where layered tan and ochre cliffs rise above narrow pale sand beaches. The reserve's highest point reaches 786 m.

The reserve was established in 1975 to protect the coastal landscape and marine life from overfishing and disturbance. It was the first area of its kind in Peru and set the foundation for further conservation efforts along the coast.

The reserve's name comes from the paracas, the intense south and southwest winds of the coast that can reach 32 km/h. Inside the reserve are more than 100 archaeological sites of the Paracas culture, known for its textile crafts.

The reserve lies in Ica Region, 250 km south of Lima and a few kilometres from Pisco, with the Paracas Peninsula, Independencia Bay and San Gallán Island among its coastal features. Winds known as paracas can reach 32 km/h, the strongest on the Peruvian coast, and rain is scarce, averaging 1.83 mm a year.

Over 200 bird species use the cold currents off the coast, where plankton gathers and penguins, flamingos and sea lions stay year round. Visitors often spot condors gliding above the ocean from the cliff edges.