Location: Lima
Top Things to do in Lima
Top 7 Nature & Wildlife Areas in Lima, Lima Region
Lima, founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, is a fascinating city and a treasure trove of history. Explore ancient Incan archeological sites, or stroll through the elegant cathedrals and opulent palaces dating from Spanish colonial times. Downtown Lima is crowded, but you'll enjoy exploring the city's neighborhoods—especially the beachfront areas, which have great shopping and dining and fabulous hotels.
Restaurants in Lima
1. Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Reviewed By mariedragon - Huaraz, Peru
We came to Nor Yauyos Cochas Reserve from Huancayo, roughly a 4-hour drive (with many photo stops) to get to the village of Huancaya, located at the heart of the reserve. We decided to go on a tour and not public transport as we wanted to be able to make stops and photos along the way, which was totally worth it. The drive is now easier as the road is paved almost all the way, except from the turn off to Huancaya and Vilca. We crossed two high passes at 4600m and 4700m, the scenery along the way was spectacular with many lakes, llama herds, scenic villages (especially Tomas) and incredible Uchco Canyon. As soon as you enter the Nor Yauyos Cochas reserve you enter a magical land of towering canyons and never-ending waterfalls. We visited the areas of Huancaya and Vilca, spending two nights in the small scenic village of Huancaya. The only thing that lets the area down is the lack of proper accommodation, if we had found something comfortable we would certainly have stayed longer, unfortunately given my fragile back and awful mattresses, this was not an option. We came on a week day when the area is deserted. I would not recommend coming at weekends and certainly not during national holidays as the area apparently gets jam packed with Peruvian tourists. Strangely there is no entrance fee to enter the actual reserve, but you have to pay S/10 soles in Huancaya and another S/10 soles in Vilca. Both control points were closed though when we visited as there were virtually no other tourists around. To get to Lima from Huancaya you first have to take a car/combi to Magdalena (1h30 of driving along magnificent scenery within a narrow canyon), which leaves between 6 and 7am, then another combi to Cañete (2h30 of hair-raising driving along the beautiful Cañete river). Apparently there are sometimes direct buses from Lima to Magdalena. From Cañete it is a 2-hour drive to Lima, many buses offer the journey. The Nor Yauyos Cochas Reserve, despite being little-known to foreign tourists (as it is barely mentioned in most guidebooks) offers unique, magnificent scenery, which easily rivals that of any more famous sites in Peru. The scenery is truly spectacular and surprisingly varied from endless rows of cascades, to deep turquoise trout-filled lakes, huge canyons and quaint villages. The boat ride on Lake Huallhua is definitely worth it, as well as the incredibly beautiful hike from there back to Huancaya (the opposite shore from the jetty is best). Another highlight is the drive from Huancaya to Vilca, where the vastness of the landscape takes another dimension. In the small village of Vilca you will find a series of cascades and some great viewpoints.
2. Lomas de Asias
3. Pantanos de Villa
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 84 reviews
Bird lovers will find this private natural reserve especially appealing. Just 22 miles south of Lima, this park offers great birdwatching in a peaceful enviroment.
Reviewed By BobL331 - Calgary, Canada
Pantanos de Villa is located beside the Pacific Ocean just south of Lima and consists of several lagoons and natural areas. There are some companies offering birding tours to the sanctuary, but it is possible to go there on your own. We hired a driver for $10 US per hour to drive us there and wait for us while we birded. There is a 15 Sol charge per person for entry into the sanctuary. It was well worth it. This sanctuary is in an area where it is probably not really feasible for a tourist to take public transportation. We did see lots of birds including: Black Vultures, Black Necked Stilts, Black Skimmers, American Oyster Catchers, Snowy Egrets, Whimbrels, Yellow Crowned Night Heron, Little Blue Heron, Great Grebes, Pied Billed Grebes, Neotropic Cormorants, Grey Hooded Gulls, Wilson's Phalaropes, Ruddy Turnstones, Cinnamon Teals, White Cheeked Pintails and several other types of birds. We spent about three hours there.
4. Lomas de Lucumo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 38 reviews
Reviewed By lynstburge - Seattle, United States
We went during off season and not only did we have the park to ourselves, but we saw a totally different park than previously googled. It was dead/dry/brown. And beautiful. We got a guide who showed us animals (ex. eagles fighting in the air), told us stories about the caves and taught us a lot about the area. We saw gorgeous rocks and beautiful views of the valley too. Go! But get a driver that can wait for you, as it’s a bit remote and hard to get transportation back to the city.
5. Lomas de Mangomarca
6. Laguna De Villa Reserva Privada
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 6 reviews
We Have An Oasis Of Nature And Wildlife In The Midle Of The City, 10 Minutes From Downtown, You Will Feel Like In The Forest And Can Watch More Than 150 Migratory Birds In Their Natural Habitat, And All Of This With All The Comodities And Services A Tourist Could Want. You Can Row In Our Boats In Our Private Lake Or Trek In Our Varios Hidden Paths In The Forest
7. Laguna Marvilla
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2 reviews
