The Coastal Lomas System of Peru

Lomas are fog-watered desert ecosystems from the coast of Peru and northern Chile. They are characterized by seasonally important fog catchment that waters a dense vegetation in an otherwise arid desert landscape. Lomas has been described "an island of vegetation in a virtual ocean of desert". The Pacific fog and mist that water these ecosystems and favor the lush green vegetation is present from May to November. December to April are much rainless months during which the landscape turns brown and dry. This serial nomination comprises three protected areas of coastal Peru, including the largest and best preserved lomas (Atiquipa).

I visited la Reserva Nacional de Lachay in March 2020. Lachay is the most accessible of the reserved located near Lima. I hired a driver in Barranca (Caral) through my hotel. He drove us to Lachay and then dropped me in Chancay to take the bus to Lima (there's a bus there every 15 minutes). It could be possible to reach the park with public transports by asking the bus driver to drop you on the Panamericana at the entrance of the reserve. Note however that you would need to walk 6,5 km in the shadeless desert to reach the hiking trails. And this part of the reserve is moreover rather flat and uninteresting.

Three trails are proposed in the park (del Zorro, de la Tara and de la Perdiz) and they are estimated respectively at 20 min., 1 h and 2 hours. The trail of the Fox …