Paracas and Ballestas Islands: seals, penguins and mystery

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.

Sea lions swimming in the sea near the Ballestas Islands

Tourists and sea lions at the Ballestas Islands. Credit: Carlos Ibarra / PromPeru

Carretera Panamericana Sur, Carretera Panamericana Sur

253.5 km, 3 h 41 min

	Head north on Ricardo Herrera	250 m
	Turn right onto Avenida República de Argentina	1 km
	Turn right onto Jirón Ramón Cárcamo	300 m
	Turn left onto Avenida Óscar Raimundo Benavides	800 m
	Enter Plaza 2 de Mayo and take the 2nd exit onto Avenida Alfonso Ugarte	25 m
	Make a slight right onto Avenida Alfonso Ugarte	1.5 km
	Enter Plaza Francisco Bolognesi and take the 4th exit onto Avenida 9 de Diciembre	250 m
	Turn right onto Avenida 9 de Diciembre	550 m
	Make a slight right onto Avenida Paseo de la República	100 m
	Make a slight left onto Vía Expresa Luis Fernán Bedoya Reyes	4 km
	Take the ramp on the right	250 m
	Go straight onto Avenida Paseo de la República	60 m
	Turn left onto Avenida Enrique Canaval y Moreyra	550 m
	Turn right onto Avenida República de Panamá	800 m
	Make a slight left onto Avenida de Tomás Marsano	3 km
	Keep left at the fork onto Avenida de Tomás Marsano	350 m
	Continue straight onto Avenida Santiago de Surco	200 m
	Continue straight onto Avenida Santiago de Surco	600 m
	Keep left at the fork onto Avenida Santiago de Surco	1 km
	Keep left at the fork onto Avenida Santiago de Surco	350 m
	Make a slight right	40 m
	Go straight onto Avenida Santiago de Surco	350 m
	Take the ramp on the right towards PE-1S	450 m
	Merge left onto Avenida Panamericana Sur (PE-1S)	4 km
	Continue straight onto Carretera Panamericana Sur (PE-1S)	4.5 km
	Keep right at the fork onto Carretera Panamericana Sur (PE-1S)	45 km
	Keep right at the fork onto Telepass Vía 8	600 m
	Merge left onto Carretera Panamericana Sur (PE-1S)	150 km
	Make a slight right onto Carretera Antigua Panamericana Sur	1.5 km
	Turn right onto Carretera Santa Cruz - Paracas (PE-28)	10 km
	Continue slightly left onto Carretera Paracas - Puerto General San Martín (PE-28)	350 m
	Make a slight right onto Avenida Los Libertadores	1 km
	Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Avenida Los Libertadores	80 m
	Turn right onto Avenida Los Libertadores	600 m
	You have arrived at your destination, on the left	0 m