South of Lima, sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingos and other protected species live in harmony. It is the Paracas National Reserve, which takes its name from the sand storms or “paracas”, which are common in the area.
When crossing by boat to the Ballestas Islands, where literally thousands of sea lions are housed, you can clearly see, on the side of a hill, an enormous geoglyph of uncertain origin called El Candelabro. One more of the enigmas to which this area of Peru has accustomed us.
The Ballestas Islands are located near the coast, near Pisco. If you like nature and seeing animals in their habitat with your own eyes, during this excursion you will meet sea lions, Humboldt penguins (in danger of extinction), pelicans or cormorants, as well as other birds.
Due to the large number of birds that frequent the Ballestas Islands, guano became a very important source of income for Peru in the mid-19th century. The exploitation and impact of the export of fertilizer was such that this era was known as the Guano Era, something that your guide will surely tell you.
When you approach the islands you will also observe the large geoglyph that for centuries has served as a reference point for navigators, a candelabra located on a hill undoubtedly designed to be seen from the sea. About 180 meters long, dug into the sand about 2,500 years ago. Not bad... Like so many others, the interpretations are very varied: treasure map, symbol of Freemasonry, pirate compass and of course the work of aliens, are some of the proposals about the meaning of this geoglyph.
Many of the excursions include a walk through the rest of the Paracas National Reserve with stops at beaches, where you will also enjoy the desert landscape, dunes and cliffs from which to see the sea lions again. These are easy to hire at any agency or through the accommodations themselves; in some places they will offer it to you at reception.
Although it may seem like it is closer to the city of Pisco, the boats leave from the port of Paracas, so you have to get to that city. There are also tours that you can hire from Lima and that will take care of everything; Below we propose other alternatives:
If you are traveling from Lima, buy the bus ticket at the Javier Prado station. The buses leave from there and the ticket will cost you between 10 and 20 euros, depending on the company: Oltursa or Perú Bus, for example. The trip lasts about 3h 30min.
If you travel by car it is easy to get there: Pan-American highway until km 245, detour to Pisco and from there to Paracas.
Once in Paracas, you have 3 shifts to visit the islands on boats that you can hire at an agency or at the port itself. 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The first shift is recommended if you have spent the night in Paracas, because the sea will be calmer and the sun is also less intense. Of course, don't forget your coat or windbreaker, as well as sunglasses and sunscreen.
If you want to do the excursion in one day from Lima and return, there are buses that leave at 6:00 a.m., so you will arrive without too much problem at the 10:00 a.m. shift.
You can do it on your own by hiring a boat in Paracas, although it is true that in the city you will find many agencies with pack prices that will work for you to visit the Ballesta Islands and the Paracas National Reserve for a reasonable price, with a guide included. It usually costs about 50 soles.
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu entrance tickets in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.
