The Lagunas de Mejía National Sanctuary is located 130 km (81 mi.) southwest of the city of Arequipa by road.

The sanctuary consists of a riparian woodland ecosystem with lakes, swamps, beaches, reed beds, gramadal scrublands, and the Tambo River

It is serves as a shelter and resting place for migratory birds whose journeys span up to 2,000 km (1,242 mi.) along the Pacific coast. The sanctuary offers the habitat and food required by these birds, who mainly come from the Northern Hemisphere. Over 210 bird species can be found here, most of them migratory. Tourists interested in birdwatching can make use of the specially designed lookouts here.

On the lakes’ shores, we find an array of frogs and toads, while the surrounding hills are home to lizards and the South American gray fox (Lycalopex griseus). Several fish species have been reported, such as the flathead gray mullet (Mugil cephalus) and the silverside (Basilichthys sp.).

On the banks of the ponds are various amphibians, and in the surrounding hills are observed lizards and the gray fox (Lycalopex griseus). There have been a number of species of fish such as mullet (Mugil cephalus) and silverside (Basilichthys sp.).

The dominant plant life here consists of the junco (Scirpus sp., a type of bulrush), narrowleaf cattails (Typha sp.), and the gramadal shrublands associated with Salicornia fructicosa, a kind of glasswort. Algae of the genus Chara sp. is found in the lakes

Tours take one whole day, and typically include round-trip transportation, tickets to the Lagunas de Mejía National Sanctuary, and visits to other sites during the trip.