8 Paracas National Reserve Tours in Paracas to Build a Day Around

1.Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 356 reviews · 5 hours · from $60Our pick

From Paracas, ride a speedboat to Ballestas Islands with an English-Spanish guide, then explore Paracas National Reserve by van. You’ll see sea lions, penguins, seabirds, the Candelabro, Playa Roja, and Lagunillas Beach. Guides such as Olenka and Pablo are known for making the reserve tour personal and informative.

“the tour was well planning and very effective in schedule. the tour to ballestas was wonderful!”

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2.Ballestas Islands & Paracas National Reserve from Paracas

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 228 reviews · 7 hours · from $34Best value

Start with a boat ride past the Candelabro geoglyph to see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds. After free time in El Chaco, ride through Paracas National Reserve to La Catedral, Playa Roja, a flamingo overlook, and Lagunillas Beach. English and Spanish guides lead the day.

“El tour se divide en 2 partes: primero fuimos en speedboat a las Islas Ballestas, donde vimos pingüinos y lobos marinos y El Candelabro. Tras volver a Paracas, nos recogieron para la segunda parte a la Reserva Natural de Paracas, donde hicimos paradas en varios spots para ver el paisaje. En la penúltima parada había opción de bañarse en el mar y en la última podías comer en un restaurante frente al mar. El tiempo para la parada de la comida fue muy limitado, debería ser algo más de tiempo. Andrea, la chica de la agencia fue muy amable con nosotros en todo momento, gracias!”

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3.Mini Buggy GO KART in Paracas National Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 98 reviews · 2 hours

Take the wheel of a private mini buggy for two and cross the desert scenery of Paracas National Reserve. An instructor handles the safety briefing, then you stop at Yumaque Beach, Red Beach, and the reserve’s upper viewpoint. This is a driving adventure, not a cultural tour.

“Le premier départ du matin permet d'avoir le désert pour soi.”

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4.Ballestas island & Paracas reserve from PISCO CRUISESHIP TERMINAL

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 71 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $100

From San Martín Port, your English-speaking guide takes you by modern bus and speedboat to the Ballestas Islands, then across Paracas Reserve. Look for sea lions, Humboldt penguins, seabirds, fossils, red beaches, and the Candelabra geoglyph. Guides such as Olenka and Brenda are praised for clear, friendly commentary.

“The company that ran the trip said that they had emailed us to start the trip at 8:00am instead of 9:15 which. Trip was not organized well.”

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5.Visit the Paracas National Reserve on a SCOOTER

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 1 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $35Top rated

Rent a scooter from Playa Roja Tours and follow a supplied map through Paracas National Reserve. You choose your pace and stops, with routes to Yumaque, Playa Roja, the Cathedral, the mine, and a lagoon. A license is required. Helmets, glasses, and the map are included.

“Flexible and let us change dates due to illness. Flexible about timings of starting. Good instructions on where to go.”

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6.Ballestas Island Cruise & Paracas Reserve Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 27 reviews · from $55

Meet your English- or Spanish-speaking guide at Las Adventure in Paracas for a group speedboat ride to Ballestas, a stop at the Candelabro, and a drive through Paracas National Reserve. See penguins, sea lions, pelicans, Playa Roja, and Lagunillas Beach before transport to Huacachina or Ica.

“L'esperienza è stata molto ben organizzata e molto gradita. I trasporti, le guide, l'organizzazione...tutto davvero apprezzato! Inoltre tutti sono stati di una gentilezza incredibile!”

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7.From San Martin Port: Ballestas Island & Paracas Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 8 reviews · 5 hours · from $74

From San Martin Port, ride to El Chaco for a speedboat trip around the Ballestas Islands, then tour Paracas National Reserve by road. You will see sea lions, Humboldt penguins, seabirds, the Candelabro, Red Beach, Lagunillas, and the remains of the Cathedral with Spanish and English guiding.

“Pick up was prompt from our cruise ship. The queues for the boat trip were very busy & a little chaotic although we did end up with a guide who spoke English after being passed to several people. The islands were excellent and the boat did a good tour so we saw plenty of wildlife with good narrative. The Paracas nature reserve tour was good , a nice length and fabulous desert scenery. Our driver really only spoke Spanish so it was not easy to get much detailed information but he was very friendly and took some great photos of us.”

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8.Ballestas Island & Paracas Reserve Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $100

From Ica, you’ll take a group speedboat to Ballestas Islands for seals, penguins, pelicans, and blue-footed boobies, then explore Paracas Reserve by private vehicle. The six-hour tour includes hotel pickup, an English, Spanish, or Italian guide, water, and drop-off in Ica or Paracas.

“The guides were really nice and gave good explanations. The organisation (including pick up and drop off) was really good.”

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