Islas Ballestas, Peru Cruises

Islas Ballestas, Peru Cruise Port

Islas Ballestas, or the Ballestas Islands, are a grouping of small islands near Peru’s Paracas District. Located in the Pisco Province on the southern coast of the country, the individual islands are comprised mostly of rock formations, making them vital homes for various marine animals. While these islands are uninhabited, the resort town of Paracas runs a number of tour boats that cruise passengers around the many islands, usually for a number of hours. Most tours pass the Paracas Candelabra, also known as the Candelabra of the Andes, which is a well-known geoglyph on the northern portion of the peninsula right at Pisco Bay. Carbon dated to around 200 BC, at almost 600 feet tall, this geoglyph can be seen from twelve miles away. Nearby, the Paracas Reserve consists of coastal areas and tropical deserts extending from Ica, Peru all the way south to Punta Caiman.

• While known best for its sea lions, the Ballestas Islands are also home to impressive birds like the guanay guano bird, the blue footed booby and the tendril.
   
• The sea lions also share their lounging and mating grounds with other mammals, most notably the fur seal. The Humboldt penguin, while a flightless bird, also spends considerable time on the isolated islands.
   
• Fishing is popular away from the islands but in the region nevertheless. Along with the boats that take passengers on tours of the Ballestas, there are other boats specializing in prize and deep sea fishing.
   
• The guided tours around the islands will on occasion pass pods of dolphins. While these creatures are wild, they tend not to be afraid of passing boats unless they get too close. Otherwise, they frolic rather freely.