Peru · PARACAS TOURS

The 15 Best Paracas Tours & Boat Trips

77 tours  ·  from $15

Paracas is a desert peninsula pushed into cold water, so the wildlife is absurd and the wind picks up after lunch. The 15 below cover the Ballestas boat, the national reserve, the buggies inland and the long day out of Lima.

From Lima: Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Full Day Guided Tour - Leaving Lima before sunrise
Full-Day, Guided, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Lima: Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Full Day Guided Tour

1.Paracas and Huacachina Oasis Full Day Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,780 reviews · 18 hours · from $59Our pick

Travel from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina in an air-conditioned coach with a bilingual guide such as Franklin, Fio, Aymeth, or Diego. See Ballestas sea lions and birds, taste pisco at a vineyard, then ride a dune buggy and sandboard at sunset. It is an 18-hour day with optional hotel pickup, onboard Wi-Fi on some buses, and extra fees for meals and activities.

“Everything went as expected, very happy with my trip :)”

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Full Day Paracas Ica and Huacachina from Lima All Included - Leaving Lima before sunrise
Full-Day, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

Full Day Paracas Ica and Huacachina from Lima All Included

2.Full Day Paracas Ica and Huacachina from Lima All Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 623 reviews · 16 hours (approx.) · from $85

Leave Lima at 5:00 am for a full day on Peru’s southern coast. Cruise to the Ballestas Islands for sea lions and Humboldt penguins, taste pisco and wine at Taqara 1856, then race across Huacachina’s dunes by buggy and sandboard. Air-conditioned transport, equipment, water, and a guide are included. Lunch is extra.

“Great food, people , adventures, awesome time, great places , a lot of historical events and sand boarding”

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From Lima: Day trip to Paracas, Ica and Oasis Huacachina - The early Lima pickup and long ride south
1-Day Tours, Day Trips in Paracas, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

From Lima: Day trip to Paracas, Ica and Oasis Huacachina

3.Day trip to Paracas, Ica and Oasis Huacachina

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 409 reviews · 17h 30m · from $61

Leave Lima early for the Ballestas Islands, where you’ll see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, seabirds, and El Candelabro. After lunch and pisco tasting in Ica, ride dune buggies and sandboard at Huacachina. English and Spanish guides, transport, and admission are included. Guides such as Alvaro, Giancarlo, Joel, and Scott have led recent departures.

“The tour was well organized dispite it was long. Tour guide did an excellent job in communicating with us in every step. one of the best trips we took in recent years.”

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From Paracas: Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve - The speedboat to Ballestas Islands
Ballestas Islands Tours, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

From Paracas: Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve

4.Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve

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

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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Lima: Paracas and the Huacachina Oasis Guided Day Tour - The 4:00 a.m. start and the ride south
Guided, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Lima: Paracas and the Huacachina Oasis Guided Day Tour

5.Paracas and the Huacachina Oasis Guided Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 354 reviews · 1 day · from $65

Leave Lima before dawn for a full day in Peru’s Ica Region. Cruise from Paracas to the Ballestas Islands for sea lions, penguins, and guano birds, taste local pisco, then race over Huacachina’s dunes by buggy and sandboard back down. English and Spanish guides may include Celeste, Chris, or Javier.

“Very fun experience. Really enjoyed the boat ride and the sand sledding. Our guide was very informative and kind. He did a good job of making us have a good time”

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From Lima: Full Day to Paracas and Huacachina Desert Oasis - The Ballestas Islands by boat
Full-Day, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

From Lima: Full Day to Paracas and Huacachina Desert Oasis

6.Full Day to Paracas and Huacachina Desert Oasis

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 301 reviews · from $71

Leave Lima before dawn for Paracas and the Ballestas Islands, where you may see sea lions, penguins, guanays, and other birds. After lunch and a guided pisco tasting at Nieto winery, continue to Huacachina for a dune buggy ride and sandboarding. A comfortable coach, bilingual guide, and long return journey make this best for energetic visitors with limited time.

“Amazing experience highly recommend !! You start at 4:55am from Jw Marriott waiting outside the beautiful bus picks up it has storage for luggage, big comfortable first class seat recline all the way down to sleep, bathroom, Curtains to close for your journey we slept the whole way comfortably. Stop for coffee/snack, bathroom(1soles to use bring money to every bathroom none are free) then boat ride paracas/ chocolate tasting, stop for lunch/wine tasting. Then bus to Huacachina walk up dunes to buggies ride, then they give boards to sled down. Leave at 5pm and end up back to Jw Marriott Lima at 22:30. You will get very sandy but it’s…”

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Paracas: Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour - Meeting at Muelle El Chaco
Ballestas Islands Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Morning, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Paracas: Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour

7.Ballestas Islands Morning Boat Tour

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

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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Lima: Paracas & Huacachina Oasis Day Trip with Wine & Dunes - Before dawn: pickup from Lima
1-Day Tours, Day Trips in Paracas, Paracas Tours, Sandboarding & Dune Buggy Tours, Sandboarding Tours in Paracas, Tour Reviews, Wine Tours

Lima: Paracas & Huacachina Oasis Day Trip with Wine & Dunes

8.Paracas & Huacachina Oasis Day Trip with Wine & Dunes

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 266 reviews · 16h 30m · from $100

Leave Lima before dawn for Paracas’ Ballestas Islands, where you may see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, birds, and the Chandelier Lines from a speed boat. Continue to CulturPisco for pisco and wine tastings, then finish at Huacachina with an oasis walk, dune buggy ride, and sandboarding. English and Spanish guides, lunch, transport, and hotel pickup are included.

“Raúl was a great tour guide! This tour was great it’s the perfect way to be able to see different parts of peru in 1 day and affordable! I highly recommend this tour!”

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

Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Paracas

9.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
Ballestas Islands Tours, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Paracas: Ballestas Islands tour all Inclusive

10.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

11.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
Ballestas Islands Tours, Paracas Tours, Sandboarding & Dune Buggy Tours, Sandboarding Tours in Paracas, Tour Reviews

Lima : Paracas & Huacachina- Day to Islas Ballestas & Sandboard

12.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
1-Day Tours, Ballestas Islands Tours, Day Trips in Paracas, Evening Experiences, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews

From Lima: Ballestas Islands and Huacachina Sunset Day Trip

13.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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Mini Buggy GO KART in Paracas National Reserve - Yumaque Beach and the first photo stop
Go-Karts, Paracas Tours, Sandboarding & Dune Buggy Tours, Sandboarding Tours in Paracas, Tour Reviews

Mini Buggy GO KART in Paracas National Reserve

14.Mini Buggy GO KART in Paracas National Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 98 reviews · 2 hours

Take the wheel of a two-person mini buggy for a two-hour ride through Paracas National Reserve. An English or Spanish instructor handles safety guidance while you drive to Yumaque Beach, Red Beach, and an upper viewpoint. This is a driving adventure, not a cultural tour, so expect short photo stops rather than detailed history.

“Liked most: Guide offered to take pictures so we had an impromptu photoshoot. Easy to learn how to drive on it. Improvement: a bit bigger buggy. A bit of an explanation at each stop and why it's interesting/special about it would've been appreciated. More control over the group, one driver decided to overpass another and went into the next lane while on the actual road, could've been dangerous.”

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2-Hour Tour to the Ballestas Islands from Puerto San Martín - Ten minutes to the Candelabra on the peninsula
2-Hour Experiences, Ballestas Islands Tours, Paracas Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

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

15.2-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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New in Paracas Tours

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★ 5.0Paracas National Reserve TourFrom $6030 reviews
★ 4.0Buggy ride in Paracas National Reserve38 reviews
★ 4.5Ballestas Islands from San Martin Port CRUISESHIP TERMINALFrom $5038 reviews
★ 4.5Ballestas Islands Group Tour from ParacasFrom $1538 reviews
★ 4.57-Hours Tour in Paracas National Reserve with PickupFrom $3848 reviews
★ 5.0Full day PRIVATE to Paracas, Ica and Huacachina from Lima All Inclusive and LunchFrom $37055 reviews
★ 4.5Unforgettable Trip to Ballestas and Huacachina from LimaFrom $9058 reviews
★ 5.0Full day Tour Paracas Ica & Huacachina from Lima.From $8529 reviews
★ 5.0Ultimate Comfort: Lima to Huacachina, Ballestas and VineyardFrom $20031 reviews
★ 4.7Private Tour: Ballestas Island & Huacachina Oasis, from LimaFrom $26937 reviews
★ 4.9Private Tours Paracas National Reserve all inclusiveFrom $4350 reviews
★ 3.3PARACAS|| Sunset trekking in the Paracas National ReserveFrom $503 reviews

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