Ballestas Islands & Paracas Reserve from Ica: 9-hour expedition

Nine hours watching sea lions and penguins, then red sand beaches where you choose lunch

A nine-hour group tour from Ica to the Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve, departing from your hotel and returning there the same day. You board a boat to see the Candelabra geoglyph and the islands' wildlife, then visit four beaches in the reserve (Mirador de la Península, Playa Roja, Playa Lagunilla and one more) with free time to eat fresh seafood before the drive back. An accredited guide in English or Spanish travels with the group.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Canyon of the Lost1h
2. Ballestas Islands3h · entry included
3. Paracas National Reserve3h · entry included

Ballestas Islands and Paracas Reserve tour

• Pick up travelers and head to Paracas
• Board boat and tour Ballestas Islands
• Observe Candelabra geoglyph
• Visit Paracas beaches and Mirador
• Free time for lunch with seafood
• Return to Ica drop-off points

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Ica hotel and a drive to the coast. Once in Paracas, you board a boat for a two-hour tour of the Ballestas Islands, where you watch sea lions, penguins and other seabirds in their habitat. The boat passes the Candelabra geoglyph, a massive earthwork carved into the hillside and linked to Paracas and Nazca cultures: visible only from the water at this angle.

After the boat returns, the tour moves through Paracas National Reserve to visit its beaches. Mirador de la Península offers a high vantage point over the peninsula; Playa Roja gets its name from the rust-colored sand; Playa Lagunilla sits quieter, backed by lagoons. You have free time at one of these beaches to buy and eat lunch: fresh fish and seafood are sold nearby, and you eat facing the ocean. The group then drives back to Ica, arriving at your hotel by late afternoon.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Ica.
• two-hour boat tour of the Ballestas Islands with views of the Candelabra geoglyph.
• visits to four beaches in Paracas National Reserve (Mirador de la Península, Playa Roja, Playa Lagunilla and one additional beach).
• free time for lunch at the beach.
• accredited guide in English or Spanish throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 6.60

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Visitemos Perú

Is this one for you?Book this shared group tour if you want to see the Ballestas Islands, El Candelabro geoglyph, and Paracas beaches in one day with hotel pickup included from Ica.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What exactly is the Candelabra geoglyph and why is it only visible from the boat?

The Candelabra is a massive three-pronged figure carved into the hillside above Paracas Bay, linked to the Paracas and Nazca cultures. The boat tour passes directly below it on the water, giving you the full view. From land, the angle and distance make it hard to see as a whole.

How much time do I have for lunch, and where do I eat?

You have free time for lunch at one of the reserve's beaches, where vendors sell fresh fish and seafood. You buy and eat there facing the ocean. The meal is not included in the tour price, so you pay separately for what you order.

Does the boat tour of the Ballestas Islands take the full two hours, or do we stop on the islands?

The boat tour lasts two hours and circles the islands so you can watch the wildlife (sea lions, penguins and seabirds) from the water. You do not land on the islands themselves. The tour is observation from the boat.

What is the pickup and drop-off arrangement from Ica?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour price. The group departs from your hotel in Ica in the morning and returns to the same pickup point by late afternoon, so you do not need separate transport to or from the tour.

Is there an entrance fee to the Paracas National Reserve beyond the tour price?

Yes. The reserve entrance is S/ 5.00 soles per person, and the tourist ticket is S/ 17.00 soles. These are paid separately when you arrive and are not included in the tour booking.