Getting in Pisco

If you come into Pisco from Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, Ica, Santiago in Chile or Buenos Aires on one of the frequent buses run by Ormeno, you’ll arrive at San Francisco 259 (tel 034/532764), one block east of the Plaza de Armas. Comite colectivos #3 or #4 from Lima arrive near the Plaza de Armas, while the Peru Bus terminal for Lima and Ica services is at Avenida Ernesto Diez Canseco 41, and if you arrive from Ica by Servitur colectivos, you’ll come in at Calle Callao 191. Coming from Huancavelica or Ayacucho on an Oropesa bus, you’ll arrive on Calle Commercio.

Getting around Pisco is easy - it’s small enough to walk around the main places of interest, and a taxi anywhere in the central area should cost less than USD 1. If you’re heading for the Paracas National Reserve or the Ballestas Islands , the cheapest way is to catch a bus from Pisco market, on the corner of calles Beatita de Humay and Fermin Tanguis.

Most of the buses from here only go as far as the waterfront at San Andres , but there are usually at least two buses an hour on to the Playa El Chaco wharf in El Balneario, where you can get a boat to the Ballestas Islands. If you only want to go as far as the San Andres waterfront, you can also take a bus from Calle Pedemonte, two blocks from Plaza de Armas. Most travellers, however, tend to use one of the tour companies in town to get the most out of their time in and around Pisco.