Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

Paracas National Reserve (1975) And The Ballestas Islands, Seabird And Sea Lion Rocks On The Pacific Coast, Known As The Poor Man'S Galapagos. The Reserve Protects Red Sand Beaches And Desert, With The Candelabra Geoglyph On The Bay Slope. · Paracas, Ica

Paracas is a small beach town on a desert bay about 250 km south of Lima, and the base for the Ballestas Islands, a set of rocky islets packed with sea lions, Humboldt penguins, boobies, pelicans and other seabirds. The boat tour takes about two hours and you cannot land on them. It also passes the Candelabra, a huge figure cut into the slope above the bay. The Paracas National Reserve behind the town protects red-sand desert beaches and cliffs. It is called the poor man's Galapagos, which flatters it a little, but the wildlife is real and close. Go early, because the sea gets rougher later, and the afternoon wind blows sand and cold spray. Expect a rustic town, bus journeys of about four hours from Lima, sun that burns, and a few unavoidable fees on top of the boat price. Do not touch or feed the animals, check the news for bird flu, bring cash, and plan a second day if you want the reserve as well as the boat. Bring layers, since the wind is cold even in summer, and book the bus ahead on weekends.

Desert coast reserve and fishing town about 250 km south of Lima, with boats to the Ballestas Islands leaving from the El Chaco pier, Paracas, Ica, Peru

Boats to the Ballestas Islands leave from the El Chaco pier in the morning, usually from about the early morning to the late morning, and the sea is calmer early. Trips can be cancelled in rough weather. The reserve is open daytime, every day, with an entry fee. The site museum keeps shorter hours and may be closed one day a week. Confirm all times locally.

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