Islas Palomino

A short run out from Callao brings you to a group of bare rock islands in cold water off the Lima coast. The last of them, Palomino, carries a colony of South American sea lions running into the thousands, packed onto ledges and swimming in the surge around the rocks. Boats circle the islands past cormorants, pelicans, Humboldt penguins and Inca terns, then stop in a sheltered channel where passengers in wetsuits can get into the water while the sea lions come to look at them. The animals are wild and curious rather than tame. The trip passes San Lorenzo, the largest island on the Peruvian coast, on the way out.

What you actually see

• The sea lion colony - thousands of animals on the rocks and in the water around Palomino.
• The swim - wetsuited snorkelling in a sheltered channel with sea lions circling.
• Seabird colonies - cormorants, pelicans, Inca terns and Humboldt penguins on the cliffs.
• San Lorenzo island - the long bare island passed on the outward run from Callao.

When to go

December to April is the warm season with the calmest sea and the most bearable water temperature. Trips run through the year, but the Humboldt current keeps the sea cold in every month and a wetsuit is not optional. Boats leave in the morning when conditions are best. Rough sea cancels departures, so keep a spare day in hand.

Honest expectations

The water is genuinely cold and the swim is short for that reason; people with no cold-water experience often get out within minutes. The sea between Callao and the islands can be choppy and seasickness is common on small boats. The smell of a large sea lion colony is strong. Some operators run overcrowded boats and departure times slip.

Nearby

La Punta's waterfront is at the harbour, and central Lima is half an hour east.