Paracas and the Ballestas Islands

The cold Humboldt Current runs up this coast and turns the sea into one of the most productive fisheries on earth, which is why the Ballestas Islands, a cluster of eroded rocks a short boat ride from Paracas, are covered in wildlife. Boats circle them past thousands of Peruvian boobies and cormorants, Humboldt penguins on the ledges, and sea lions hauled out in noisy heaps. The guano these birds produce was once so valuable it drove a nineteenth-century export boom. On the way out, the boat passes the Candelabra, a large figure cut into a coastal hillside whose age and purpose remain unsettled. Ashore, the Paracas National Reserve is pure desert: ochre and red cliffs dropping into cold blue water, with almost nothing growing anywhere.

What you actually see

• The Ballestas boat trip - sea lions, Humboldt penguins and dense seabird colonies, morning departures.
• The Candelabra - the large hillside figure seen from the boat on the way out.
• Paracas National Reserve - red desert cliffs, empty bays and the Cathedral viewpoint.
• Paracas culture textiles - the museum collections in Lima and Ica hold the finest examples.

When to go

Boats run year-round, weather permitting, and always in the morning when the sea is calmest. December to March is warmest; the cold current keeps the water bracing all year regardless of air temperature.

Honest expectations

You do not land on the Ballestas; boats circle them and the trip lasts around two hours, which is the right length given the smell of a large guano colony. The sea can be rough and the boats are open. The reserve is a desert with essentially no shade or facilities, so bring water and sun protection.

Nearby

The Huacachina oasis and the Nazca Lines lie further south along the desert coast.