The Ballestas Islands are a group of rocky islands off Paracas, on Peru’s south coast, where you see sea lions, Humboldt penguins and thousands of seabirds from a speedboat. This guide answers what travelers ask us most before going: what the visit really costs, where to start from and whether it’s worth it, with prices checked in October 2026.
Quick answer
- What it is: a boat tour of about 2 hours from the pier in Paracas. You don’t get off the boat: the islands are protected.
- Entrance fees: S/ 16 per adult (S/ 11 SERNANP ticket + S/ 5 pier fee), in cash. S/ 22 if you add the Paracas National Reserve.
- Tours: from Paracas USD 35 with hotel pickup (07:50 to 11:00), from Ica USD 55 with the Reserve, from Lima USD 105 in a full day. Fees are paid apart, except on the Lima full day.
- When: always in the morning, when the sea is calmer.
- Worth it? Yes, if you’re already heading to Paracas or Huacachina. It’s a boat ride close to the animals, not a Galápagos landing.
What are the Ballestas Islands, and are they part of the Paracas Reserve?
The Ballestas Islands are three small rock islands about 30 minutes by boat from the coast of Paracas, in the Ica region. They are not part of the Paracas National Reserve: the islands belong to another protected area, the Reserva Nacional Sistema de Islas, Islotes y Puntas Guaneras, managed by SERNANP.
The Paracas National Reserve is the desert peninsula on land: Playa Roja, the cliff viewpoints and Lagunillas beach. So there are two visits and two tickets. The islands are a boat trip; the Reserve is a drive. Most tours do both on the same day, the boat first and the Reserve after.
How much does it cost to visit the Ballestas Islands?
Visiting the Ballestas Islands costs the boat tour plus S/ 16 per adult in fees: S/ 11 for the SERNANP protected-area ticket and S/ 5 for the pier. Some websites say there is no entrance fee. There is, and it’s paid in cash, in soles, before you board at El Chaco pier. Fees checked in October 2026:
| Fee | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SERNANP ticket, Ballestas | S/ 11 | S/ 3 ages 5 to 16 |
| Pier fee | S/ 5 | Per person |
| Paracas Reserve (land) | S/ 11 | S/ 3 ages 5 to 16, free under 5 |
| Reserve + Ballestas combined | S/ 17 | Adults only |
If you do both on the same day, the combined adult ticket (S/ 17) plus the pier fee (S/ 5) comes to S/ 22, which is what our tour from Ica lists as fees. Reserve rates, including free entry over 65, are published by Andina, Peru’s state news agency, and you can check them on SERNANP’s ticket site.
The boat itself is a separate cost. Bought directly at the pier, a shared boat costs around S/ 40 (more on holidays), without hotel pickup. Our tours add the pickup, a guide and a confirmed seat, which matters on busy weekends.
How to get to the Ballestas Islands from Lima, Ica or Paracas
The only way to see the Ballestas Islands is on a boat tour from El Chaco pier in Paracas, and most boats leave between 08:00 and 10:00. So the real question is where you sleep the night before.
| Where you are | Best option | Time · price |
|---|---|---|
| Paracas | Ballestas tour from Paracas | 07:50 to 11:00 · USD 35 |
| Ica or Huacachina | Ballestas and Paracas Reserve tour from Ica | 06:50 to 16:15 · USD 55 |
| Lima, one day only | Full day from Lima with Huacachina | 04:30 to 22:30 · USD 105 |
From Lima
Paracas is about 250 km south of Lima, so a day trip is possible but long. Our full day leaves Miraflores at 04:30, includes the Ballestas boat and its entrance, a winery in Ica and the Huacachina dunes, and gets you back around 22:30. If you have two days, sleeping in the Huacachina oasis makes a much better trip.
From Ica or Huacachina
Paracas is 1 h 15 min from Ica by road. Our tour from Ica picks you up at your hotel at 06:50, boards the boat at 09:00, adds the Paracas Reserve and has you back around 16:15. Leave the dunes for the afternoon before or the next day.
From Paracas
If you sleep in Paracas, the boat tour picks you up at your hotel or the bus station at 07:50 and you’re back by 11:00. Want the Reserve too? It runs from 11:00 to 15:00 and we can add it on request.
Not sure which one fits your dates? Tell us where you’ll be staying and we’ll put it together.
What will you see on the boat tour?
On a Ballestas boat tour you see sea lions, Humboldt penguins and large colonies of seabirds such as the guanay cormorant, the Peruvian booby and the Inca tern. On the way out the boat stops in front of the Candelabra, a giant geoglyph cut into a sand hill on the Paracas peninsula.
Around the islands the boat slows down along the cliffs and rock arches. It doesn’t land: the islands are protected, and landing needs a special permit that is given for research.
When is the best time to go?
The Ballestas Islands can be visited all year, always in the morning. Boats go out early because the sea is calmer; in the afternoon the wind picks up. From June to October Paracas mornings are often grey, but the boats still go out.
The boat crosses a stretch of open sea, so if you get seasick, take something before you board. When the sea is very rough, departures can be suspended for the day. That’s one more reason not to leave Ballestas for the last morning before a long bus ride or a flight.
Are the Ballestas Islands worth it?
The Ballestas Islands are worth it if you like wildlife and you’re already going south to Paracas or Huacachina. It’s about two hours on a boat, close to sea lions, penguins and seabird colonies in the wild.
It isn’t the Galápagos, and it’s fair to know that before you go: you don’t walk on the islands or swim with the animals. Our take: we wouldn’t drive from Lima only for Ballestas, but we always add it when the trip includes Huacachina, because it fits in a single morning.
Mistakes to avoid
- Booking an afternoon boat. The sea is rougher and the wind picks up. Morning only.
- Expecting to get off on the islands. You stay on the boat the whole time.
- Booking the last bus to Lima right after the tour. Any delay at the pier and you miss it. Leave a margin.
- Forgetting cash in soles. The SERNANP ticket and the pier fee are paid in cash.
- Doing everything in one day from Lima when you could sleep in the oasis and do it calmly.
Plan your Paracas and Huacachina trip with us
Most travelers combine Ballestas with the Huacachina dunes and the Ica wineries. Our Paracas and Huacachina in 2 days plan does exactly that: a night in the oasis, a sunset picnic in the dunes and the Ballestas Islands the next morning, from USD 170 per person based on 2 travelers. If you also want the pisco route, there’s a 3-day version.
Send us your dates and we’ll send you a plan the same day, free and with no commitment. We can also book your domestic flights inside Peru as part of the trip; international flights you book yourself.
FAQ
Do you get off the boat at the Ballestas Islands?
No. The Ballestas Islands are a protected area, so the tour circles them by boat without landing. You still get close to the sea lions and seabirds.
How long is the Ballestas Islands tour?
The boat ride takes about 1 h 30 to 2 hours, including the stop at the Candelabra. With hotel pickup in Paracas, the tour runs from 07:50 to 11:00. From Ica it’s a full day, because it adds the drive and the Paracas Reserve.
How much is the entrance fee to the Ballestas Islands?
S/ 16 per adult: S/ 11 for the SERNANP ticket and S/ 5 for the pier, paid in cash. Children 5 to 16 pay S/ 3 plus the pier fee. With the Paracas Reserve added, the fees come to S/ 22.
Can you see penguins at the Ballestas Islands?
Yes. Humboldt penguins live on the islands, along with sea lions and colonies of guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies and Inca terns.
Can I visit the Ballestas Islands as a day trip from Lima?
Yes. Our full day from Lima leaves Miraflores at 04:30, includes the Ballestas boat, a winery and the Huacachina dunes, and returns around 22:30. From USD 105 per person.
What should I bring?
Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a light jacket for the morning wind, your passport or ID, and cash in soles for the fees.
