Lobos de Afuera Islands

Islas Lobos de Afuera lie roughly eighty kilometres off the Lambayeque coast, a small archipelago of rocky islands and stacks within the national reserve system that protects Peru's guano islands and points. They are named for the sea lions - lobos marinos - and hold large colonies of South American sea lions and fur seals along with Guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies, pelicans, Inca terns and Humboldt penguins, in numbers that reflect how little disturbance they get. Guano is periodically harvested under state licence. Getting there is the point at which most plans stop: it is a long open-sea crossing in a fishing boat, several hours each way in swell, chartered privately from Santa Rosa or nearby ports, with no facilities on the islands and landing restricted to protect the colonies. Diving and fishing trips run occasionally. This is a serious small-boat trip, not a day excursion.

What you actually see

• The sea lion colonies - large numbers on the rocks the islands are named for.
• The seabirds - cormorants, boobies, pelicans and Inca terns in dense colonies.
• The guano operation - periodic state-licensed harvesting.
• The isolation - eighty kilometres offshore with no facilities.

When to go

April to November for calmer seas. Two to three days including the crossings. Charter is arranged directly with fishing operators at Santa Rosa or Puerto Eten.

Honest expectations

A long open-sea crossing in a fishing boat, several hours each way - seasickness is normal and conditions turn quickly. Landing is restricted. No facilities of any kind. This is not a tourist excursion and no rescue capacity exists offshore.

Nearby

Pimentel and Santa Rosa are the mainland ports; Chiclayo is inland.