Sometimes referred to as the “poor man’s Galapagos”, a Las Ballestas Islands tour allows visitors a chance to see some animals that they wouldn’t normally see. Highlights include penguins and sea lions, but if you’re really lucky, you might even get a chance to see a whale or a dolphin. Plus there’s always a chance to see some birds.
The Ballestas Islands are just off the coast of Paracas, Peru and it’s a very popular activity for anyone visiting the area. Every single tourist agency in Paracas (and there’s a lot of them) will be able to help you arrange a boat tour out to the Ballestas Islands. You’ll be able to see not only the animals, but some interesting sea caves.
Here’s what to expect on your Las Ballestas Islands tour.
Las Ballestas Islands Tour
So what does a tour of Las Ballestas Islands look like? Well, first, it’s probably shorter than you imagine. In total, it only takes about two and a half hours to complete and at least one hour of that is riding from the docks in Paracas to Las Ballestas Islands. Keep that in mind as you plan out your itinerary.
I had booked my tour at AM Viajes Tour Agency the day before. The next morning, I arrived and was shown to the boat dock. I booked my tour for 7:30 am and assumed that that meant the boat would leave at 7:30. Nope. The boat doesn’t leave until the boat is full, so despite booking a tour for 7:30, it took longer than that to actually fill up the boat. We didn’t leave until 7:50 once enough other passengers had finally arrived. That was really annoying and something I was not prepared for, but it’s what it was.
With our boat full of passengers, we finally set off. It’s a bit slower of a ride to start as you exit the harbor, but that’s ok. Soon you’ll be sailing past the Paracas Peninsula which has some nice views.
You can see the sea caves (which reminded me of a much smaller version of the Apostle Islands from my home state of Wisconsin) and the Candelabra. This is a series of lines, similar to those found in Nazca, but are out here on the island. You’ll also get your first glimpse of wildlife, but it’s likely to just be birds. Your guide will explain what you’re seeing and point out everything interesting during your tour.
If you happen to pass anything really exciting, the driver will spin the boat around so people on both sides of the boat can enjoy the view. When I took my Las Ballestas Islands tour, this typically happened for penguins and sea lions, though there were a few other occasions where the boat got spun around so everyone could get a good view.
Leaving the Paracas Peninsula behind, it’s another 20 minutes of riding until you reach Las Ballestas Islands. There’s not much to say at this point, so the guide will let you enjoy the views. Not that there’s much of a view, compared to other portions of a Las Ballestas tour. Though maybe you’ll get incredibly lucky and see a whale or a dolphin (I was not lucky).
Finally, you reach the part of the tour that you’ve been waiting for. You’re finally at Las Ballestas Islands. You won’t be able to get off the boat and explore, but your guide and boat driver will take you around the islands to try to see as much as you can. Like with all animal tourism, there’s no guarantees on what you’ll actually see.
The highlight for me was seeing a penguin, as that’s my favorite animal. We only saw one, but a guy who went a few days before me saw several penguins. A large part of this is seasonality, but I think that it’s unlikely that most people are planning their entire trip to Peru based on what animals they’ll be able to see on a Las Ballestas Tour.
We also saw sea lions. During the winter months, sea lions come to land to have their babies. We were at the tail end of the season so there were still a few sea lions lounging on the shore, but much less than had we been here a few weeks earlier.
There are plenty of birds and your guide will point them out. They’ll also point out the red crabs in the water. These are food to the whales, but we weren’t lucky enough to see a whale on my tour (or a dolphin which is also possible).
This portion of the Las Ballestas Islands tour goes by quickly. It seems like as soon as you find your rhythm and you start seeing animals, it’s time to turn the boat around and head back to shore. In total, you’ll only have about 45 minutes to an hour of animal watching. It’s enough to see some, but the time goes by very quickly.
Then it’s a 30 minute boat ride back to the harbor in Paracas where you’ll disembark your boat. From here, the rest of the day is up to you.
Is a Tour to Las Ballestas Islands Worth It?
It depends. I’m glad I took the Las Ballestas Islands tour, but it wasn’t my favorite activity that I did in Peru. If you’re stopping in Paracas, I do think it’s worth doing the tour, but I don’t think it’s worth diverting to Paracas on a short Peru itinerary just to do the Las Ballestas Islands tour.
Can You Visit Las Ballestas on a Day Trip from Lima?
Technically, yes. There are companies that will offer a day trip to Las Ballestas Islands from Lima, but I’d think twice before you sign up. The bus ride from Lima to Paracas is nearly four hours, one way. This means that you’re looking at nearly eight hours in a car one way. One tour I found departed Lima at 5:30 am but didn’t return to Lima until 11:00 pm. That’s a very long day.
More in Paracas, Peru
Nearby Paracas is the Paracas National Reserve. This is the other popular attraction for tourists to visit and it includes beaches, nice views, and an opportunity to see more wildlife. There are plenty of tours to the Paracas National Reserve, but it’s easy to visit on your own. Numerous travel agencies will rent scooters, bikes, and even dune buggies to travelers so they can enjoy the nearby reserve.
Final Thoughts
Taking a tour of Las Ballestas Islands felt like something I had to do when I was in Paracas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I did it (especially since I got a chance to see a wild penguin), but I think it’s very important to have realistic expectations. It’s not a full day event where spotting animals are a guarantee, but it can still be a good way to spend just a few short hours in Paracas.
