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Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve Day Trip from Paracas | 7 hours

32 Reviews | Paracas
From $39.00 per person Lowest Price Guarantee
Select Date and Travelers
You can select up to 15 travelers in total.
Adult (0-77) Minimum: 1, Maximum: 15
2
Free Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Per Person
2 Adults x $39.00
$78.00
Approx Total
$78.00

Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English, Spanish
  • Ballestas Islands Boat Ride
  • Transportation
  • English-speaking guides
  • Paracas National Reserve Tour
  • Paracas National Reserve Entrance Fee (11 Soles)
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Ballestas Islands Entrance Fee (16 Soles)

Overview

Take a boat tour to see the impressive Candelabra geoglyph, Peruvian boobies, Humboldt penguins, and abundant marine life at the Ballestas Islands archipelago. Visit the pristine Paracas Natural Reserve in the afternoon to see La Catedral rock formation and watch flamingos and parihuanas from a breathtaking scenic overlook.

Meeting points

Paracas, Peru, PE

Departure Point: Paracas Local Office (Paracas Explorer Office in Paracas located inside the Ballestas Island hotel, A.H.ALAN GARCIA PEREZ mz -LT 9 EL CHACO) Address: Paracas Explorer Office in Paracas located inside the Ballestas Island hotel, A.H.ALAN GARCIA PEREZ mz -LT 9 EL CHACO)

End point

Paracas, Peru

Open in Google Maps

Paracas city centre

Itinerary

  • Ballestas Islands

    Depart from the boat dock in Paracas at 8:00 am for your visit to the Ballestas Islands archipelago. As you cruise west from the tiny beach town of Paracas, you won't be able to miss the Candelabra geoglyph, a 150m high and 50m wide figure of a candlestick etched into the mountain, rumored to have been an ancient guide for sailors or a connection to the Nazca lines. A short description and time for photos is given before cruising on to the famous Ballestas Islands. Ballestas islands is an excellent opportunity to see large families of over 100 sea lions sleeping on the shores, basking in the sun on the rocks or some barking loudly in efforts to protect their territory. Spot cormorants, the Peruvian booby and Peruvian pelican as well as other impressive varieties of sea bird species and Humboldt penguins nesting together in small groups. Feeling lucky? Watch the waters for dolphins. Apart from the abundant marine and bird life found here, the Ballestas Islands are also very well known for the guano (seabird droppings) deposited on the island over thousands of years which creates a natural reserve of nitrogen-rich fertilizer over 50 meters deep in some areas. The guano came to be Peru's #1 export in the mid-19th century however today the extraction of guano has been regulated to every 10 years. The return trip to Paracas is a quick, very windy, direct boat ride to the dock. Upon arrival at 10:00 am, your first tour comes to an end. You should have some time to take photos of the friendly pelicans that hang out on the shoreline beside the dock. Then make your way to the same departure point for your next tour.

    2 hours

  • Paracas National Reserve

    At 11:00 am depart to the Paracas National Reserve for a guided tour through this pristine and unique natural reserve located south of the town of Pisco. Visit the Mirador de Flamencos and see flamingos eating at the shore, continue your adventure towards the Centro de Interpretacion to learn about all the fauna in the reserve. In this Centre you can see skeletons of whales, sea lions, and penguins. To finish your tour go off road in the desert towards beautiful Lagunillas Beach, where you can enjoy lunch with a view (not included). At Lagunillas, those who want to go for a swim are welcome to! Return to Paracas.

    4 hours

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Suggestions for Ballestas Islands Boat Tour: Make sure you bring adequate clothing to keep you protected from the cool ocean air, the sun and spray from the sea. Bring a pair of binoculars to get a closer look at the birds and sea lions. If you are prone to motion sickness, you should take medication about a half-hour before you board.
  • Suggestions for Paracas National Reserve Tour: If you are taking this day tour during summer (December to March), please bring an extra set of fresh clothing due to high temperatures, especially during January and February. For the rest of the year, please bring a jacket to protect you from cold winds. Sun block, hat and sunglasses are highly recommended.
  • Not recommended for child aged 6 and under

Free Cancellation

September 10100% refund
September 11No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

4.0

32 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    16
  • 4 stars
    5
  • 3 stars
    8
  • 2 stars
    1
  • 1 star
    2

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 16 reviews with 5 stars

It was pretty smooth, the...

Published on Mar, 2025

It was pretty smooth, the tour guides were nice and knowledgeable and we really enjoyed our experience.

Everything I'd expect

Published on Nov, 2022

The tour guides were enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and the tour itself was organised efficiently. Worth mentioning that there is a 45min gap between the Ballestas Islands tour and that of the national park, where you come back to Paracas and can get a coffee or early lunch.

Fabulous

Published on Oct, 2022

Great views. Up close to marine life I wanted to see. Fantastic price. Arrive 15- 20 minutes early. We cut it a little to close but still made it. If you sit in back of the boat, its easier to get great picts but you will get wet. We went in October so didn't get to see babies but still worth going this time of year.

Paracas Reserve/Ballesta Island

Published on Jun, 2022

Guides were super friendly and knowledgeable! The ballestas island guide pointed out a ton of different wildlife for us and was able to answer a bunch of questions. The paracas reserve guide was super funny and made sure we all had an enjoyable time. He also recommended a good lunch spot for after the tour.

Wonderful tour!

Published on Mar, 2022

The tour of both the islands and the national reserve were just wonderful. We saw Peruvian penguins and thousands of birds/sea lions on the islands. The boat would stop and get close enough to take photos. The national reserve was quite interesting. The lunch stop was on the expensive side but it was good. I would recommend taking this tour while in Paracas.

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