Pisco Travel Guide

The Islas Ballestas are a cluster of rocky islets off the Paracas Peninsula in Peru, protected alongside the Paracas National Reserve. Three main islands covering just 0.12 square kilometres host dense colonies of guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies and pelicans, thousands of South American sea lions, and endangered Humboldt penguins—hence the nickname 'the Poor Man's Galapagos'. En route the boat passes El Candelabro, a geoglyph about 170 metres tall and 78 metres wide carved into the cliff, its origin a mystery and possibly an ancient sailors' marker. Wind and waves have sculpted natural arches, caves and bridges—the islands' most photogenic features. To protect the habitat, landing and swimming are forbidden: you view everything from the boat over about two hours. Guano mining in the 19th century brought Peru enormous wealth, and deposits still pile tens of metres deep.

The Paracas National Reserve lies on the Pacific coast of the Ica region in southern Peru and is one of the country's important coastal nature reserves, covering desert, coastal cliffs and offshore waters. Within the reserve, red and yellow desert cliffs drop straight into the sea, the coastline is rugged, and the waters hold sea lions, Humboldt penguins, cormorants and dolphins, while flamingos can be seen in the wetlands. From the town of Paracas, a speedboat trip to the nearby Ballestas Islands is a popular way to see seabirds and marine mammals, and because of its rich ecology it is often called the poor man's Galapagos. Light is strong and winds are high, so a half-day to a day suits, with sun and wind protection advised.