Peru · BALLESTAS ISLANDS TOURS

The 15 Best Ballestas Islands Tours in Paracas

38 tours  ·  from $15

Sea lions, Humboldt penguins and several hundred thousand guano birds, two hours out of Paracas on a fast boat. The 15 below differ on departure time, whether the Paracas reserve is bundled in and what the harbour tax adds.

From Paracas: Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve - The speedboat to Ballestas Islands
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From Paracas: Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve

1.Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 356 reviews · 5 hours · from $60Our pick

From Paracas, ride a speedboat to Ballestas Islands with an English and Spanish guide, then tour Paracas National Reserve by van. See sea lions, penguins, pelicans, the Candelabro, Playa Roja, and Lagunillas Beach. Guides such as Olenka, Pablo, and Eduardo are especially valued for the reserve visit. Bring cash for entrance fees and warm layers for the boat.

“Loved the tour. Totally better than I imagined. This team was amazing. An unforgettable journey.”

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Paracas: Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour - Meeting at Muelle El Chaco
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Paracas: Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour

2.Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 301 reviews · 2 hours · from $17

Leave from Muelle El Chaco for a two-hour morning ride to El Candelabro and the Ballestas Islands. English and Spanish guides, including guides such as Daphne and Mario, explain the wildlife from a covered speedboat. Expect sea lions, Humboldt penguins, seabirds, rock formations, and a cool, windy ride.

“Lovely! The guides were very organized, friendly and understanding.”

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Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Paracas - The 8:00 am cruise to the Candelabro
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Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Paracas

3.Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Paracas

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 228 reviews · 7 hours · from $34

You’ll spend the morning by boat at the Candelabro and Ballestas Islands, then ride into Paracas National Reserve for La Catedral, Playa Roja, and Lagunillas Beach. English- and Spanish-speaking guides lead the day. Andrea, a helpful agency contact, assists with the arrangements. Bring sun protection, warm layers, and swimwear.

“El tour se divide en 2 partes: primero fuimos en speedboat a las Islas Ballestas, donde vimos pingüinos y lobos marinos y El Candelabro. Tras volver a Paracas, nos recogieron para la segunda parte a la Reserva Natural de Paracas, donde hicimos paradas en varios spots para ver el paisaje. En la penúltima parada había opción de bañarse en el mar y en la última podías comer en un restaurante frente al mar. El tiempo para la parada de la comida fue muy limitado, debería ser algo más de tiempo. Andrea, la chica de la agencia fue muy amable con nosotros en todo momento, gracias!”

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From Paracas: Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive - Starting from Paracas and reaching the marina
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From Paracas: Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive

4.Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 143 reviews · 2 hours · from $17

From Paracas, take a two-hour eco-friendly motor-boat trip to the Ballestas Islands, with a stop at the Candelabro geoglyph. A bilingual guide explains the wildlife and rock formations, while hotel or bus-station pickup, dock fees, life jackets, and luggage storage are included. Lucio is one guide praised for clear English and genuine enthusiasm.

“It was incredible. Everything worked perfectly well and Lucio, our guide, was amazing! He is clearly passionate about his job and loves the Island. His English is also very good!”

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Lima: Ballestas & Huacachina Day Trip w/ Nazca Lines Flight - Ballestas Islands: wildlife from a bouncing speedboat
1-Day Tours, Ballestas Islands Tours, Day Trips in Paracas, Nazca Lines Flights, Nazca Lines Flights in Paracas, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

Lima: Ballestas & Huacachina Day Trip w/ Nazca Lines Flight

5.Ballestas & Huacachina Day Trip w/ Nazca Lines Flight

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 117 reviews · 19h 30m · from $600

Leave Lima before dawn for a long but packed day covering Ballestas Islands, a Nazca Lines flight over the Palpa Desert, and Huacachina Oasis. Guides such as Miguel, Aymen, and Christian B are praised for careful timing and friendly service. Expect a small-plane flight, a fast boat ride, dune views, and optional sandboarding.

“Ceaser our guide was very good,perfect English and informative to our questions about culture,education etc.the sights were interesting.enjoyed the wild life lots of sea birds,sea lions etc up close that surprised us how active they all were. Nazca flight very good saw all the lines. Plane was agile and as result some were queezy or sick thou. Saw everything as promised. Expensive but you can appreciate a private car,guide,flight involved etc it does depend on what interests you.if old buildings and markets are your thing you won't like it. no time for shopping and not much stopping for photos on the way as time is always on the table- just…”

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Lima : Paracas & Huacachina- Day to Islas Ballestas & Sandboard - Pisco Nietto: lunch, tasting, and a sales stop
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Lima : Paracas & Huacachina- Day to Islas Ballestas & Sandboard

6.Paracas & Huacachina- Day to Islas Ballestas & Sandboard

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 115 reviews · 14 to 15 hours (approx.) · from $79

Leave Lima at 5 a.m. for Paracas, a two-hour boat trip around Islas Ballestas, a pisco tasting and lunch stop, then Huacachina’s dune buggy and sandboarding ride. English and Spanish guides lead the group, with guides such as Diana, Mar, Scott, and Renzo praised for keeping people informed and included. Plan for a very long day and extra cash for lunch and the PEN20 local tax.

“This was a full day of incredible views and really fun activities. It starts early and ends late but it is so worth it. We had a lot of fun at the dunes, lunch was great, pisco tasting was fun and boat ride was really nice. We were able to sleep on the bus because the places are far from Lima. Our guide was great, super informative and helpful. They were very professional and every place we visited was beautiful.”

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From Lima: Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Sunset Day Trip - 4 a.m. at Ibis Larco Miraflores
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From Lima: Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Sunset Day Trip

7.Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Sunset Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 113 reviews · 17 hours · from $65

Leave Lima before dawn for the Ballestas Islands, where a boat ride brings you near sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds. After lunch and a pisco tasting in Ica, ride dune buggies, try beginner sandboarding, and watch sunset at Huacachina. English and Spanish guides such as Oswaldo and David lead the 17-hour day.

“Wonderful experience. Great value for the money. would do it over and over again. Best tour ever!”

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2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín - Ten minutes to the Candelabra on the peninsula
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2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín

8.2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 96 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $49Top rated

From Puerto San Martín, board a covered speedboat with two outboard motors for a 2-hour trip to the Ballestas Islands. Stop first to see the Candelabra etched into the Paracas Peninsula, then watch sea lions, Humboldt penguins, pelicans, boobies, crabs, vultures, and other seabirds around the islands. Lifejacket and fees are included.

“Besides the very confusing information about the pick up location and time, we enjoyed the trip itself very much.”

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From Lima: Ballestas, Nazca Lines & Huacachina Oasis - Leaving Lima before sunrise
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From Lima: Ballestas, Nazca Lines & Huacachina Oasis

9.Ballestas, Nazca Lines & Huacachina Oasis

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 82 reviews · 14 to 19 hours (approx.) · from $550

Leave Lima around 3:30 a.m. for a full day of wildlife, ancient desert drawings, and Huacachina’s dunes. You’ll ride a shared boat at Ballestas, fly over the Nazca Lines from Pisco or Nazca, and have time for the oasis, with optional buggy rides and sandboarding. Guides such as Aymen, Sergio, and Jonathan have earned warm praise for their care and local insight.

“Our tour guide made a extremely long day manageable. Was surprise by the beauty of Ballestas Islands . Only down .I wish we had more information and history of the Nazca line specially in the flight we only got names”

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Nazca Lines & Ballestas Islands Private Tour Bus&Flight from Lima - Paracas and the Candelabra of the Andes
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Nazca Lines & Ballestas Islands Private Tour Bus&Flight from Lima

10.Nazca Lines & Ballestas Islands Private Tour Bus&Flight from Lima

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 77 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $818

Leave Lima before dawn for Paracas, cruise to the Ballestas Islands for sea lions, penguins, and seabirds, then fly over the Nazca Lines from Pisco in a 12-seat Cessna. Guides such as Paul and Alex have helped guests through the many handoffs, but confirm your pickup time, bring your passport, and prepare for sharp turns and a very long day.

“This makes for one very long day, but the organization of everything from transportion to tickets is spot on. This company really had it together. I was impressed. Yes, it is rather pricey and could be done cheaper. However, for the convenience of everything already put together for you and having someone to help along the way. Is definitely worth it. Glad I chose this tour.”

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Ballestas island & Paracas reserve from PISCO CRUISESHIP TERMINAL - A Forty-Minute Break in Paracas
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Ballestas island & Paracas reserve from PISCO CRUISESHIP TERMINAL

11.Ballestas island & Paracas reserve from PISCO CRUISESHIP TERMINAL

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 71 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $100

Meet your guide beside San Martín Port at 9:15 a.m. for a speedboat ride to Ballestas Islands and the Candelabra geoglyph, followed by a 2.5-hour drive through Paracas Reserve. Expect sea lions, Humboldt penguins, seabirds, red beaches, desert views, and a return to your ship in time for lunch.

“Excellent excursion. Knowledgeable guide. We saw lot of wild life. National Reserve is the place that beyond our expectation’s”

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Ballestas Islands & National Reserve of Paracas from Ica - The early start and ride from Ica
Ballestas Islands Tours, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

Ballestas Islands & National Reserve of Paracas from Ica

12.Ballestas Islands & National Reserve of Paracas from Ica

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 66 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $39

Start in central Ica at 6:30 a.m. for a full-day trip to Paracas. Ride by boat past the Candelabro geoglyph to see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, pelicans, and seabirds, then visit Playa Roja, Lagunillas, and La Mina in the Paracas National Reserve. Lunch, drinks, and the S/22 to S/27 tourist ticket cost extra.

“A great experience for our party! This combines a tour of the Ballestas Islands, and a following tour of the Paracas Reserve. Guide was helpful and informative, and was a very enjoyable day out!”

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Unforgettable Trip to Ballestas and Huacachina from Lima - Huacachina before the engines start
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Unforgettable Trip to Ballestas and Huacachina from Lima

13.Unforgettable Trip to Ballestas and Huacachina from Lima

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 58 reviews · 17 hours 10 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Leave Lima before sunrise for a full day of sea and desert. You’ll take a boat around the Ballestas Islands, stop for lunch and pisco tasting in Ica, then ride dune buggies and sandboard at Huacachina before returning late at night. Guides may include Jonathan, Saul, Manuel, or Marco Polo.

“Incredible tour, the guide was wonderful, super fun, the micro bus comfortable, the logistics very well done, great duration of the tour (I met other people who did with other agencies and did not have so many activities and time in the activities).Auto-translated”

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From Lima: Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, and Vineyard Tour - Leaving Lima before sunrise
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From Lima: Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, and Vineyard Tour

14.Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, and Vineyard Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 56 reviews · 14h 30m · from $220

Leave Lima before dawn for a full day in southern Peru. Cruise to the Ballestas Islands for sea lions and penguins, visit a pisco winery, then enjoy Huacachina with sandboarding and dune-buggy rides. Small groups, hotel pickup, English or Spanish guides, and a return to Lima around 8 p.m. make this a practical choice for a tight schedule.

“We had an incredible day! We had an incredible guide Rudy and driver. Rudy was so informative, knowledgeable and helpful! We had a lovely group. It was great getting back to our hotel by 8pm after a long day in the car (I noticed all the other tours didn’t arrive back in Lima until at least 11pm!!). It was a long day because of the location of the destinations but it was definitely worth it, we saw some amazing things and had a lot of fun! Would 100% recommend to anyone visiting Lima!”

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From Huacachina: Ballestas and Paracas Reserve - GROUP TOUR - The Candelabro and the two-hour Ballestas boat ride
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From Huacachina: Ballestas and Paracas Reserve – GROUP TOUR

15.Ballestas and Paracas Reserve – GROUP TOUR

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 42 reviews · 8 hours · from $40

From Huacachina or Ica, you ride to Paracas for a two-hour boat trip past the Candelabro and Ballestas Islands, then visit desert viewpoints in Paracas National Reserve. Guide Luis has led some departures in English and Spanish. Expect an eight-hour group tour, extra entrance fees, lunch at your own cost, and possible waiting at the port.

“Une voiture est venue nous chercher pour se rendre à Paracas. Nous étions 5 dans la voiture au total. Conduite adéquate, avec air climatisé. Arrivée à Paracas, prise en charge par la compagnie. Nous conduit à pied pour la ride de bateaux au Balletas. Très agréable, on a adoré. Après, le responsable nous a attendu au port pour nous amener dans un restaurant pour le déjeuner fournis. C’était correcte, mais sans plus. Nous avons eu 15 min de temps libres dans les rues (donc très peu). Puis, nous avons pris un petit bus qui nous a amené dans le parc National avec 5 arrêts. La dernière arrêt etait selon moi,…”

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