Paracas & Ballestas Islands tour: Private boat & wildlife

Sea lions, penguins, desert and a 2,000-year-old geoglyph in one day

A private guided tour from Lima to Paracas National Reserve and the Ballestas Islands, with speedboat excursion, museum visit and hotel pickup included. You board a speedboat to observe sea lions, seabirds and Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat, pass the Candelabro Geoglyph etched into the desert around 2,000 B.C., explore the Julio C. Tello Site Museum's textiles and ceramics, and return through the reserve where golden desert meets the Pacific. The tour runs 12 hours and operates as a private vehicle with your own guide in English or Spanish. Children from age 5 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Ballestas Islands2h · entry included
2. Paracas National Reserve2h · entry included

Explore Ballestas Islands and Paracas Reserve

• Pickup from Lima
• Travel to Paracas
• Boat tour to Ballestas Islands
• Observe sea lions, seabirds, penguins
• View Candelabro Geoglyph
• Visit Julio C. Tello Site Museum
• Learn about coastal desert ecosystem
• Admire Paracas National Reserve scenery
• Return to Lima and hotel drop-off

The experience

How do you see Humboldt penguins and sea lions without fighting a crowd? Book the private boat. The day starts with pickup from your Lima hotel in Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro or the city center, then a drive south to Paracas. Once there, you board a speedboat, just your group, and head out to the Ballestas Islands Reserve. The water is cold and the wildlife is real: sea lions haul out on rocks, seabirds wheel overhead, and Humboldt penguins stand on the shore in their tuxedos. On the approach, your guide points out the Candelabro Geoglyph, a massive figure carved into the desert sand by the ancient Paracas people around 2,000 B.C. Its meaning is still unsolved.

After the boat returns, you visit the Julio C. Tello Site Museum, where the Paracas civilization comes into focus through textiles, ceramics and archaeological finds. The museum sits near the reserve, so the transition from wildlife to history is seamless. Then comes the reserve itself: a landscape where the golden desert drops straight to the deep blue ocean. Your guide explains how the coastal desert formed and why migratory birds stop here on their journeys. This contrast between sand and sea is what makes the southern Peruvian coast distinctive, and it is the visual anchor of the whole day.

The full experience takes 12 hours from pickup to drop-off. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with your own guide, so the pace stays yours and the stops hold together without anyone else's schedule pulling at it. The guide speaks English or Spanish, and children from age 5 can join. Bring sun protection and water. The desert sun is direct and the boat ride is exposed.

What’s included

• Knowledgeable guide in English or Spanish.
• speedboat excursion to the Ballestas Islands with sea lion, seabird and Humboldt penguin viewing.
• entry to the Julio C. Tello Site Museum.
• guided tour of Paracas National Reserve.
• private air-conditioned transport.
• pickup and drop-off from Lima hotels in Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro or the city center.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 05:30

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Lima Highlights Tours

Is this one for you?The 12-hour commitment means you leave early and return late, but it also means the whole day stays intact (boat, museum, reserve and drive) without you piecing it together. Private transport and your own guide let you move at one pace instead of waiting for a group, which matters when you're watching wildlife and want to linger on what you see.

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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 (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What animals will I actually see on the Ballestas Islands?

The Ballestas Islands Reserve is home to sea lions, seabirds and Humboldt penguins, all visible from the speedboat as they rest on rocks and shoreline. The wildlife is there year-round, though populations shift seasonally.

What is the Candelabro Geoglyph and why does it matter?

The Candelabro is an enormous figure etched into the desert sand by the ancient Paracas civilization around 2,000 B.C. A symbol whose meaning remains unsolved. You see it from the boat on the approach to the islands, and it marks the region's deep archaeological history.

Does the tour include meals?

The tour does not include breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bring snacks or plan to eat before departure or after you return to Lima.

How long is the boat ride to the Ballestas Islands?

The speedboat excursion is part of the full 12-hour day, which includes the drive from Lima, the boat, the museum visit and the reserve tour. The boat itself is the core of the morning, and your guide times the whole sequence so everything fits.

What does the Julio C. Tello Site Museum show?

The museum displays textiles, ceramics and archaeological remains from the Paracas civilization, one of the oldest on the Peruvian coast. The collection provides context for the geoglyph and the landscape you've just seen from the boat.