The Ballestas Islands are a group of small islands near the town of Paracas within the Paracas District of the Pisco Province in the Ica Region, on the south coast of Peru.
Composed largely of rock formations and covering an estimated area of 0.12 km2, these islands are an important sanctuary for marine fauna like the guanay guano bird, the blue-footed booby and the tendril. Other notable species include Humboldt penguins and two varieties of seals (fur seals and sea lions), amongst other mammals.
These islands are accessible from the resort town of Paracas (near Pisco) by tour boat which typically lasts 2 hours. During the visits it is not uncommon for the sea lions to approach the tourist boats and make spectacles for the visiting tourists. On the way to the islands, on the Paracas Peninsula, visitors will notice El Candelabro, a large-scale geoglyph that may have served as a beacon to mariners. The mystery as to the origins of this particular geoglyph is ongoing with much speculation. The visit to the Ballestas Islands is, from an ecotourism point of view, probably the best known along the Peruvian coast.
To the south of Lima sea lions, Humboldt penguins, flamingoes and other protected species live in harmony within Paracas National Reserve, which gets its name from the sandstorms, or “paracas” that are common to the area.
Visitors who cross by boat to the Ballestas Islands (Guano Islands, Islets, and Capes National Reserve System), where literally thousands of sea lions live, get an excellent view of an enormous geoglyph on the side of a hill, of uncertain origin, known as The Candelabra. This is just one more of the many enigmas found in this part of Peru.
Paracas Photo Gallery
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