Ballestas Islands & Paracas Reserve tour: boat & beaches

See sea lions and penguins on the water, then walk the desert beaches where they live

A full-day tour from Ica combining a motorboat trip to the Ballestas Islands and a land visit to Paracas National Reserve, with hotel pickup, guide and transport included. The boat departs at 8:30 a.m. from El Chaco Pier after a morning drive from your hotel, giving you roughly two hours on the water to observe sea lions, Humboldt penguins and seabirds in their colonies, plus views of the Candelabra geoglyph from the sea. After landing, you explore three beaches—Playa Roja, Playa Lagunillas and Playa La Mina—where the desert meets the ocean and swimming is possible if conditions allow. The tour ends at Plaza de Armas in Ica, or you can arrange to finish in Paracas instead.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ballestas Islands and Paracas Reserve Tour

• Pick up from hotel in Ica or Paracas
• Boat trip from Paracas Pier to Ballestas Islands
• Observe sea lions, penguins, and birds
• View the Candelabra geoglyph from the sea
• Explore Paracas National Reserve beaches and viewpoints
• Tour ends at Plaza de Armas in Ica or El Chaco Pier in Paracas

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your Ica hotel at 6:30 a.m., giving you time to reach El Chaco Pier in Paracas by 8:30 a.m. The drive itself crosses the desert landscape that frames the whole reserve. Once at the pier, you board a motorboat with a life jacket and a Spanish-speaking guide, heading straight out to the Ballestas Islands. The boat passes the Candelabra, a massive geoglyph etched into the cliff face and visible only from the water—the guide points out its shape and the mystery around how it was made. Then you arrive at the islands themselves, where the colonies are dense enough that you can hear the sea lions and watch penguins dive from the rocks without binoculars.

By 11 a.m. you're back on land, driving into Paracas National Reserve for the second half of the tour. This is where the reserve's three main beaches sit side by side: Playa Roja, named for its red sand and rock; Playa Lagunillas, a sheltered cove; and Playa La Mina, where the desert dunes drop straight to the shore. You stop at each one, walk the sand, take photographs, and can swim if the ocean conditions are calm enough. The landscape here is stark—no vegetation, no shade, just the color contrast between the red earth and the water—and the guide explains what you're seeing. The tour wraps at 4:30 p.m. back in Ica's Plaza de Armas, or earlier if you've arranged to end in Paracas.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup in Ica or Paracas at 6:30 a.m.
• motorboat tour to the Ballestas Islands with life jacket and guide.
• entry to Paracas National Reserve.
• visits to Playa Roja, Playa Lagunillas and Playa La Mina.
• return transport to Ica or Paracas.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by iPeruano

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Ica and want both the boat trip to Ballestas Islands and the reserve's beaches in one day—the early 6:30 a.m. start and 10-hour commitment let you see everything without splitting it across separate trips.

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Top questions

What animals will I actually see on the Ballestas Islands boat tour?

The Ballestas Islands are home to sea lion colonies, Humboldt penguins and various seabirds including boobies and cormorants. You observe them from the motorboat as it circles the islands, and the guide points out the different species and their behaviors in the rocks and water.

Can I swim at the beaches in Paracas National Reserve?

Swimming is possible at Playa Roja, Playa Lagunillas and Playa La Mina if ocean conditions allow on the day of your tour. The guide will let you know whether it's safe to enter the water at each stop.

What is the Candelabra and why is it only visible from the sea?

The Candelabra is a large geoglyph—a figure carved or marked into the earth—etched into the cliff face near the Ballestas Islands. It's only clearly visible from the water because of the angle and distance; the boat passes close enough for you to see its distinctive shape from the motorboat.

How early do I need to wake up, and what time does the tour end?

Hotel pickup starts at 6:30 a.m. so you reach the pier by 8:30 a.m. for the boat departure. The tour ends at 4:30 p.m. at Plaza de Armas in Ica, or you can arrange to finish in Paracas instead.

What's included in the price, and what should I bring?

The tour includes hotel pickup in Ica or Paracas, the motorboat to the Ballestas Islands with a life jacket, the Spanish-speaking guide for the full day, transport between sites, and entry to Paracas National Reserve. Bring sunscreen, a hat, water and a camera; breakfast and lunch are not included, though you'll have time to eat during the beach stops.

Is this tour suitable for children?

Yes, children are welcome from age 3 and up. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during the boat portion. The tour involves a motorboat ride and walking on beaches, so it's suitable for all fitness levels, though the early start and full day mean stamina helps.