Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Ica

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.68 (82 reviews) 85% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pickLikely to sell out

1/8

Duration8h–9h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Boat to the islands, then four beaches in the reserve—all in one day from Ica

You’ll ride out from Ica or Huacachina early for a day packed with wild sea lions at Ballestas Islands, mysterious ancient carvings in Paracas Bay, and time to swim or eat fresh fish on Red Beach. Expect laughter with your guide and moments where you just stop and stare—it’s not what you’d expect from a simple day trip.

8h–9h

Step-by-step itinerary

Ballestas Islands and Paracas Reserve Tour

Pickup from Ica hotels at 7:00am
Travel to Paracas district
Check in at Paracas
Boat tour to Ballestas Islands
See El Candelabro geoglyph
Observe marine wildlife on islands
Return to Paracas pier
Land transfer to Paracas National Reserve
Visit Istmo viewpoint
Visit Playa Roja
Visit Playa Lagunillas
Free time to swim and eat lunch
Visit Playa La Mina
Return transfer to Ica

The Experience

The first thing I remember is the salty breeze hitting my face as we left Ica behind—windows down, everyone a little sleepy but excited. Our guide, Rosa, had this way of making us laugh even before coffee. The drive to Paracas felt quick; maybe it was the desert light or just her stories about pisco and pelicans. When we reached the dock, there were fishermen hauling nets and that thick smell of seaweed—honestly not my favorite, but it felt real.

Getting onto the boat for the Ballestas Islands tour was a bit chaotic (in a fun way). Life jackets everywhere, people snapping photos already. I’d seen pictures of the Candelabro geoglyph before, but seeing it carved into that sandy hillside—so huge and weirdly perfect—made me stop talking for a second. Rosa explained nobody really knows who made it or why. The boat ride itself was loud: motors humming, waves slapping against fiberglass. Sea lions barked from their rocky thrones and penguins waddled in tight groups. At one point a pelican flew so close I ducked—everyone laughed at me for that.

Back on land, we piled into a minibus for the Paracas National Reserve. The colors out there are strange—red sand at Playa Roja, cliffs fading into pale blue water. We stopped at Mirador Istmo de la Península and just stood there in silence for a minute; you could hear wind whistling through nothing but rocks. Lunch was fried fish by Lagunillas beach (I tried to order in Spanish; Rosa grinned at my accent), and some folks swam while others just lay back in the sun. It’s hard to explain but something about the dry air and all that open space made me feel small—in a good way.

I didn’t expect to care much about birds or geology when I booked this day trip from Ica to Paracas & Ballestas Islands, but now I still think about those islands sometimes—the noise, the weird shapes of arches in stone, how everyone seemed happy just watching animals do their thing. On the drive back to Ica most of us nodded off with sand still stuck to our ankles.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from central Ica or Huacachina Oasis, all entry tickets for both Ballestas Islands boat ride and Paracas National Reserve visits (including Playa Roja and Lagunillas), an official bilingual guide throughout, plus return transport by minibus unless you choose to stay longer in Paracas yourself.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

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