Ballestas Islands and Huacachina: A Guide to Paracas, Ica and the Oasis from Lima

The Ballestas Islands and the Huacachina oasis are the two highlights of Peru’s south coast, about four hours from Lima down the Panamericana Sur highway. You see the islands, home to sea lions, Humboldt penguins and guano birds, only from a boat, best in the morning before the wind picks up; Huacachina is a lagoon among dunes next to Ica, with an hour-long buggy and sandboarding circuit. Both fit into one long day from Lima, or two days with a flight over the Nazca Lines.

• 272 km(169 mi) from Lima to Paracas National Reserve on the Panamericana Sur, about 4 hours, according to SERNANP.
• S/11one-day entry to Paracas National Reserve (general rate), as listed on SERNANP’s visitor site on October 29, 2026.
• 1 h 45 min–2 hthe Ballestas boat trip on our tours, from the El Chaco pier in Paracas Bay.

Ballestas Islands: what you see from the boat

The Ballestas are three islands, North, Central and South Ballesta, lying off Paracas National Reserve, about 250 km south of Lima, according to Peru’s state news agency Andina. They are not part of the Paracas reserve itself: they belong to the National Reserve System of Guano Islands, Islets and Headlands, a separate protected area created in December 2009 by Supreme Decree 024-2009-MINAM and managed by SERNANP, Peru’s protected-areas service.

Our tours sail from the El Chaco pier in Paracas Bay in speedboats with life jackets, for about 1 h 45 min to 2 hours. What you can expect to see:

• Sea lionsLarge colonies of South American sea lions on the rocks, often swimming close to the boats.
• Humboldt penguinsThe only penguin that lives permanently in Peru, according to Andina. They are small and stay on the lower rocks: bring binoculars or a zoom.
• Guano birdsGuanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies and Peruvian pelicans. You also pass the area used for guano extraction.
• Sometimes dolphinsOur guides see them on some crossings, but not always.

On the way out, the boat stops in front of the Candelabra (El Candelabro), a giant figure on the north face of the Paracas Peninsula. It is about 170 m (560 ft) tall and cut some 60 cm (2 ft) into the ground; pottery found nearby has been radiocarbon-dated to around 200 BC, the time of the Paracas culture, according to studies summarized on Wikipedia. Your guide will explain the main hypotheses about who made it.

Why you can’t land. The boats circle the rocks, arches and caves and keep their distance from the colonies: the Ballestas are a breeding and nesting area inside a national reserve, and their guano is still a managed resource. That is why the animals are still there.

Wind and the morning boats: the best time to go

Paracas has wind all year, and it usually gets stronger as the day goes on. When the sea gets rough, the Port Captaincy of Pisco, part of the Peruvian Navy’s maritime authority (DICAPI), closes the pier. On November 6, 2025, for example, Andina reported that strong winds started around 1 p.m. and the Captaincy suspended boat departures, during a SENAMHI warning for strong coastal winds.

That is why our boats go out early. If the pier is closed in the morning, we wait to see whether the Captaincy reopens; the first departures have the best chance of sailing; later ones risk a second closure. If the port stays closed, nobody sails: it is a safety decision. Bring a windbreaker, especially from May to August, because the boats are open.

Paracas National Reserve: entry fee, hours and what to see

Paracas National Reserve was created on September 25, 1975, and covers 335,000 hectares of sea and coastal desert; SERNANP records 216 bird species, 36 mammals and 168 fish. It is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with entry through the Santo Domingo control post.

SERNANP visitor site, checked October 29, 2026 (no validity date shown). Check what your tour includes: our La Mina tour lists the S/11 fee as not included.

SERNANP’s northern circuit covers 26 km and takes 4 to 6 hours: La Catedral (a rock formation shaped by sea and wind), Playa Roja with its red sand, and the beaches of La Mina, Raspón and Yumaque, with the Lagunilla viewpoint. Stay on marked trails and do not disturb the wildlife.

For a beach day instead of buggies, our La Mina, Chincha and Ballestas Islands tour (from US$70) gives you about 4 hours at La Mina or La Raspadita beach, the viewpoints, and free time at El Chaco, where flamingos and pelicans feed, before the wineries of Chincha. Its itinerary lists the boat ride as optional, so ask us whether the Ballestas boat is included on your date.

Ica: wine and pisco on the way to the oasis

Our itineraries reach Ica about an hour after leaving the pier. Ica is known as the cradle of pisco, the grape brandy, and all our Ballestas–Huacachina days stop at a winery. On our Paracas tour with buggies in Huacachina (from US$70) it is an artisanal winery making wine and pisco since 1856, with clay botijas and an old huarango-wood press, and a tasting of wines, piscos and pisco creams. Lunch is on your own; the tour can stop at another winery in Chincha on the way back.

Huacachina oasis: dune buggies and sandboarding, and how to stay safe

The Huacachina oasis is a natural lagoon among high dunes, about 5 km from the center of Ica, within the Laguna de Huacachina Regional Conservation Area. The lagoon is small: most people come for the dunes.

• The buggy rideOpen sand buggies (tubulares) climb and drop down the dunes at speed: closer to a roller coaster than a scenic drive.
• SandboardingThe buggy stops on top of several dunes so you can slide down. Start on the smaller slopes; if you have never snowboarded, ride lying on the board.
• About an hourThat is how long the circuit lasts on our tours, followed by free time at the lagoon.

Safety. Buggies here have had real problems. In October 2025, Peru’s tourism ministry (Mincetur) created a working group with the transport, environment and interior ministries, the Ica regional government and the Ica provincial municipality, among others, to strengthen safety and formalize the buggy service, after safety deficiencies recorded in recent years, according to the official newspaper El Peruano (Ministerial Resolution 293-2025-MINCETUR). In practice:

• Seat belts for everyoneFastened before the buggy moves. If yours does not work, change seats or do not ride.
• A briefing firstThe driver should explain the rules before leaving, and you can always ask him to slow down.
• No street offersOn our tours, the buggy and sandboard are arranged as part of the service.
• Know your limitsThe ride is bumpy. With back or neck problems, or if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before booking; you can wait at the lagoon.

Is Huacachina worth it? If you enjoy adrenaline and desert views, yes. If speed is not your thing, the La Mina beach day may suit you better.

How to get from Lima to Paracas and Huacachina

Everything is on the Panamericana Sur, the coastal highway south of Lima. You can take an intercity bus to Paracas or Ica, but then you must buy the boat at El Chaco, get from Paracas to Ica and book a buggy yourself: it works if you stay overnight. For a day trip from Lima, a tour with hotel pickup is the realistic option. Times on our itineraries:

Distance from SERNANP; times from our itineraries, depending on Lima traffic.

With a spare half day in Lima, the Pachacamac ruins, also south of the city, make a separate outing.

One day or two? Our options compared

A day trip from Lima is long, around 17 hours door to door, but covers Ballestas, Ica and Huacachina. Two days add a night in Ica and the flight over the Nazca Lines.

Prices per person from our tour pages. Meals are not included on the day trips.

The first two day trips follow almost the same route; they differ mainly in pickup time and districts and the optional Chincha stop. Choose the 2-day trip to add Nazca without another 4-hour drive from Lima. See all our Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca tours.

Weather by season and what to bring

This coast is desert and almost never rains. SERNANP describes Paracas as windy and clear, from 15.5 °C to 32 °C (60–90 °F), averaging 24 °C (75 °F), and good all year. Inland, Ica is warmer by day, according to SENAMHI, Peru’s weather service:

SENAMHI climate normals 1991–2020, Ica (San Camilo station, 407 m).

From December to March the desert sun is strong all day; from May to August mornings are cool and the boat is cold. What to bring:

• WindbreakerFor the open boat, above all from May to August.
• Sun protectionSunscreen, a hat that will not fly off and sunglasses; a buff keeps sand off your face on the buggy.
• Cash in solesFor lunch, tips, fees your tour does not include, the optional kayak at La Mina (S/20 for 30 minutes) and the S/77 on the Nazca trip.
• BinocularsPenguins and birds are seen from a distance. Add a swimsuit for the La Mina day.

If Paracas starts a longer trip, our guide from Lima to Cusco covers the flight and the altitude, and planning a Peru trip from the USA helps you fit the coast, Cusco and Machu Picchu into your days. Heading south to Arequipa? See our Colca Canyon guide.

Frequently asked questions

About the author

Raquel Sánchez

CEO and co-founder of Terra Quechua Peru · Cusco

Raquel Sánchez co-founded Terra Quechua Peru in Cusco in 2012 together with Edwin Medina, both with extensive trekking experience. She writes our Inca Trail guides from the day-to-day work of securing permits and organizing every departure with our guides, cooks and porters.

Published October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026