ATV riding in Paracas National Reserve: Colorful desert landscape

You operate the ATV yourself across sedimentary cliffs and coastal desert that shift color with the light.

ATV riding in Paracas National Reserve is a two-hour self-guided activity where you operate an automatic motorcycle across the peninsula, stopping at Yumaque Beach, the Isthmus and Red Beach. A bilingual guide leads the group and delivers safety instructions before departure. Minimum age is 18. The operator recommends avoiding this activity if you have spinal injuries, are pregnant or have cardiovascular concerns.

Step-by-step itinerary

Quad tour in Paracas National Reserve

• Meet at Xplorer Peru
• Receive safety instructions
• Board automatic motorcycles
• Follow guide into Paracas Reserve
• Cross peninsula and observe landscape
• Stop at Yumaque Beach
• Stop at Isthmus
• Stop at Red Beach

The experience

You meet at Like Xplorer Peru and receive fifteen minutes of safety instruction and equipment delivery before boarding your automatic ATV. The guide rides ahead of the group and leads you into Paracas National Reserve, where the landscape shifts between colorful sedimentary rock faces and open coastal desert. Because you control the throttle and steering, the pace is yours to set within the group's route.

The ride crosses the peninsula and stops at three distinct sites. Yumaque Beach opens onto the Pacific; the Isthmus narrows the reserve to a thin strip of land; Red Beach shows the iron oxide that stains the rock. Each stop lets you step off the ATV and take in the geology and the scale of the reserve without a windshield between you and the landscape.

The two-hour total includes the safety briefing, the riding itself and the stops. Public transportation options are available near the meeting point. Insurance is not included in the price, as this is classified as an adventure activity.

What’s included

• Automatic ATV rental.
• safety equipment.
• bilingual guide.
• fifteen-minute safety briefing and equipment delivery.
• stops at Yumaque Beach, the Isthmus and Red Beach.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 15:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 40 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 30

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 3.20

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Paracas Holiday

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to control the ATV yourself rather than ride as a passenger, and if you are comfortable operating a motorcycle across open desert terrain for two hours. The minimum age of 18 and the physical demands of riding mean this suits active adults, not families with younger children or those with mobility concerns.

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Top questions

What is the Paracas National Reserve like when you ride through it?

Paracas National Reserve is a coastal desert landscape of colorful sedimentary rock formations and open terrain. The peninsula narrows at the Isthmus and opens onto beaches like Yumaque and Red Beach, where iron oxide stains the rock face. The terrain is dry and exposed, with no vegetation to break the view of the rock layers and the Pacific.

Do I need ATV experience to book this ride?

No prior ATV experience is required. The motorcycles are automatic and easy to maneuver, and you receive fifteen minutes of safety instruction and equipment delivery before the ride begins. Riders must be at least 18 years old.

What does the guide do during the ride?

The bilingual guide rides ahead of the group to lead the route through the reserve and set the pace. The guide also delivers the safety briefing and equipment at the start, and is present throughout the two hours to manage the stops and the group's movement.

What happens at each stop during the ride?

The ride stops at Yumaque Beach, the Isthmus and Red Beach. At each stop you dismount the ATV and can observe the landscape, take photographs and explore the site on foot before remounting and continuing to the next location.

Is this ride suitable if I have a medical condition or injury?

The operator does not recommend this activity for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health. If you have concerns about your fitness for riding, contact the operator before booking.