Run by an ecotourism specialist and her marine biologist husband, Pacífico Adventures (tel. 073/25-7686, www.pacificoadventures.com) offers a range of professional, nature-based trips. Spend the day snorkeling near Órganos or push off into deeper water and go fishing.

Don’t travel to Tumbes to arrange trips to the northern nature reserves. Either coordinate a trip with Tumbes Tours (tel. 072/968-3118, www.tumbestours.com), a long-term operator in the Tumbes area, or check out Iguana’s Trips (Piura 245, tel. 01/9853-5099, www.vivamancora.com/iguanastrips, 9 a.m.–close daily). Before starting Iguana’s Trips, the energetic Ursula Behr was a Class V raft guide in the Cusco area. Now, she leads trips down the Río Tumbes (Class III) and hikes, horseback rides, or mountain-bike rides through the Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape.

For private surf lessons, call Robby Munoz, Surfing Lessons Máncora (Grau 440, next to EPPO, tel. 073/957-6985, surfinglessons_1 [at] hotmail [dot] com, US$18/hr including equipment). Born to Peruvian parents in North America, Munoz speaks perfect English. And he’s lived in Máncora since 2001, so he knows the waves well. To rent surfboards or, if you are experienced, kite boarding equipment, stop by Hostal Las Olas (Av. Pura s/n, tel. 073/25-8099, www.lasolasmancora.com).