Ballestas & Tambo Colorado
Ballestas Islands & Tambo Colorado: From Ocean Wonders to Inca Secrets
Embark on a thrilling full-day adventure that blends nature, history, and culture! Start your journey with a boat tour to the breathtaking Ballestas Islands, home to playful sea lions, curious Humboldt penguins, and stunning rock formations. Witness the enigmatic Candelabra geoglyph from the sea, then continue inland to explore Tambo Colorado, one of the best-preserved Inca archaeological sites along the Peruvian coast. This unique tour offers an unforgettable contrast between the rich marine wildlife of the Pacific Ocean and the architectural genius of the Inca Empire. Perfect for history lovers, nature enthusiasts, and travellers seeking authentic Peruvian experiences.
Top Highlights
- See sea lions, penguins, and the Candelabra geoglyph on a scenic Ballestas Islands boat tour
- Explore Tambo Colorado, one of the best-preserved Inca ruins on Peru’s coastal desert
- Enjoy a full-day cultural and wildlife experience from Paracas to the desert interior
- Ideal for history lovers and wildlife enthusiasts looking for an authentic Peruvian adventure
- Private or group options available with expert guides and flexible departure times
Tour Level: Easy – suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
Service: Mix Tour service, group and private tour.
Departure: From Paracas at 8:00am | 9:00am | 10:00am
Duration: 6 hours.
Tour Type: Cultural & Nature Expedition.
Your adventure begins with a hotel pick-up at the scheduled time, followed by a shared boat tour to the stunning Ballestas Islands, where you’ll admire the iconic Candelabra geoglyph, colonies of sea lions, Humboldt penguins, marine birds, and dramatic coastal rock formations during a two-hour guided excursion. Upon returning, enjoy 30 minutes of free time to relax or explore the Paracas waterfront. The journey then continues to Tambo Colorado in private vehicle, located around 1 hour away, through scenic desert landscapes. Along the way, we’ll make short stops at viewpoints and local sites. At Tambo Colorado, one of the most preserved Inca archaeological complexes on the Peruvian coast, you’ll explore ceremonial plazas, ancient adobe structures, Inca murals, and learn about the region’s cultural legacy. The tour ends with a comfortable return to your hotel, making this a perfect blend of nature, history, and culture in one unforgettable day.
Book now for an eco-tourism experience you won’t forget!
Included:
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Paracas.
- Shared boat tour to the Ballestas Islands.
- Professional bilingual tour guide (English/Spanish).
- Private transport to Tambo Colorado.
- Guided visit to Tambo Colorado.
- Scenic stops along the route.
- Bottled water on board.
- Travel assistance during the tour.
Not Included:
- Meals and personal snacks.
- Entrance fees to the Ballestas Islands and Tambo Colorado (22 soles or 7 USD per person)
- Tips for guides and drivers.
- Travel insurance.
- Extra activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Optional entrance to other nearby attractions.
Note:
The entrance fee to Ballestas Islands and Tambo Colorado is not included in the tour price and must be paid directly in cash or card at the control point, in Peruvian soles.
✅ Allowed:
- Photography and video for personal use.
- Bringing reusable water bottles and snacks.
- Wearing hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
- Comfortable walking shoes or sandals.
- Eco-friendly behaviour and respect for nature.
❌ Not Allowed:
- Littering or removing natural elements (e.g. shells, rocks).
- Drones (without prior permit).
- Loud music or disruptive behaviour.
- Smoking in protected areas.
- Feeding or disturbing wildlife.
🎒 What to Bring:
- Cash in soles for entrance fee.
- Sunglasses, hat, and high-SPF sunscreen.
- Comfortable clothes for warm and windy conditions.
- Refillable water bottle.
- Camera or smartphone.
- Light snacks (optional).
- Windbreaker or light jacket (optional – coastal breeze).
Pick up will be at your hotel, where our staff will welcome you and assist you. Please be ready at your hotel lobby at least 20 minutes before your selected departure time to ensure a smooth and timely start.
Please note that the Ballestas Islands boat tour is subject to weather and sea conditions. In the event of cancellation due to bad weather or port closure (as determined by the local harbour authorities), we will offer you the following options:
Reschedule the tour for another available day
Take an alternative land-based tour
Continue only with the Tambo Colorado land tour and receive a partial refund
Cancel the full tour and receive a full refund
Your safety is our top priority, and we appreciate your understanding.
All travellers must provide a valid WhatsApp number during booking or confirmation so we can stay in touch for any last-minute updates, meeting instructions, or emergencies.
This tour is not suitable for cruise ship passengers arriving at San Martín Port, as the timings and logistics do not match cruise schedules. Please note that this is a land-based tour with fixed departure times and we are unable to offer custom pickups from the port.
For the best experience, we recommend this tour for visitors who are staying overnight or arriving independently in Paracas.
Your tour is confirmed immediately upon booking, and you will receive an official confirmation by email or WhatsApp. We accept all major credit and debit cards and offer secure online payment options for your convenience.
You may cancel or reschedule your tour up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time at no additional cost. If you fail to show up on the day of the tour (No Show), no refunds or rescheduling will be offered.
We are committed to providing flexibility and transparency, ensuring your experience in Paracas is enjoyable, safe, and fair under all circumstances.
Why Book This Tour
Why Book With Us?
To see more Tours in Paracas
To see more Tours in Peru
What Our Customers Say
Our clients consistently praise our tours for their professionalism, punctuality, and exceptional service. Many highlight the knowledgeable bilingual guides, the comfort and safety of our boats, and the unforgettable wildlife sightings. With thousands of positive reviews, travellers recommend us as the top choice for Paracas tours, ensuring a memorable and hassle-free experience every time.
Trevor Berceau2025-06-27Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We did the half day tour, starting with a boat tour of the islas ballestas, and then going on a driving tour through the reserve. The whole tour was excellent. The boat tour was good and we saw many types of birds, penguins, sea lions, and dolphins. the driving tour through the desert far exceeded expectations. Olenka was an amazing guide, she did a great job explaining things at every point along the way, adapted the tour to our interests, and was great at engaging our whole family. She had excellent English and a lot of knowledge about the area, both geography and history. I highly recommend this trip. Hugo Desjardins2025-06-21Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent service de José, réponds très rapidement et nous avons passé une très belle excursion sans imprévus. Michelle Castaneda2025-06-20Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. JD Travel did an amazing job coordinating this Nazca flight/transfers. Jose went above and beyond to make sure we could participate in this activity. It did not disappoint! The flight time was moved by the airline and Jose made every effort to help us with this change. I could not recommend this activity or JD Travel more. Jose is the best! Martin Kollmann2025-06-19Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. It was an outstanding experience organized by a skilled local entrepreneur and his team. Thank you, Jose for the hospitality! Delia Spiegl2025-06-13Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 100 % recommendation friendly tour guide, everything well organised Felix2025-06-08Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very helpful & friendly! Helped us organize direct transport from Paracas to Huacachina. Highly recommend JD 🙏🏽 Edwin Cannon2025-05-29Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Archeological dig sites at Huaca del Sol and Luna (moon) Chan Chan were fascinating. It's amazing that these painted petroglyphs have been buried for centuries. They appeared like they were just carved. Chan Chan stone carvings as well. I particularly was fascinated by the Luna Pool (moon pool) where worship was conducted towards the Moon God and often times involved human sacrifice. Your tour was the only tour to conclude at the Peru surf capital Playa de Huanchaco (Huanchaco beach). The Sombrero restaurant was fabulous drinking juice carafes, eating shrimp and watching surfing. What a wonderful day. T J2025-05-28Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very good tour guides and tour. The owner is very helpful and I had a nice chat with him. Highly recommended! Spoorti Shivamurthy2025-05-25Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jose and his team were fantastic. All the guides were knowledgeable, especially Augustino in Machupicchu. Jose takes personal attention to all the activities and our experience. Extremely clean vehicles for all transfers. Highly recommend his company for your Peru trip.
Michelle C2025-06-20Verified Fantastic Tour Provider JD Travel did an amazing job coordinating this Nazca flight/transfers. Jose went above and beyond to make sure we could participate in this activity. It did not disappoint! The flight time was moved by the airline and Jose made every effort to help us with this change. I could not recommend this activity or JD Travel more. Jose is the best! gabrielBZ2025-03-24Verified Precise islands full of pelagic birds and some, unique. Beautiful and essential visit to the Ballestas Islands, you sail 1/2 hour in a speedboat. First you visit the coastal area and see the spectacular “Candelabra” figure made on the ground of the pre-Inca era. Then you're headed to the islands. My interest was to see birds. And my interest was filled. I wanted to see the spectacular Inca terns. The boat handling is fabulous. You are in the Pacific and you have to know how to drive very well because they come very close to the islands. The seascape or rock formations are also unique and spectacular. It's a lovely ride. And absolutely recommended. Yris yaneth M2025-03-10Verified Nice experiences We were given a tour of the skies through the Nazca Lines this is a very important site of interest in Peru is company IZI organizes very well transfers to the airport and flights to see them independently this is a challenge that thrills the view from above the sky enjoying its beautiful landscapes the condor, hands, spider and tree among othersHERBERT SOLORZANO Linda B2025-01-04Verified Don’t miss this! Trip was fantastic and we had logistics issues on our end and they found a way to make the trip happen despite that! Wonderful customer service and the natural beauty of the islands was stunning! fossil12024-12-15Verified Outstanding trip, great value and excellent service Booked the tour about a month before the cruise and the trip could not go any more smoothly. Price was outstanding and was about $200 less per person than the same tour offeered by Princess. Jose and his staff were at the pier as promised and took us for a short drive to the boat in Paracas for the tour bypassing several other groups that were waiting for their boat. His staff was excellent inculding our guide Olinka (sp?) who knew her stuff and was easy to understand. I must confess some apprehension as Princess warned us that independent operators could not enter the port area (false) though they alerted us to the same situation in Lima (Callao). He and his staff met us at the gangway in Paracas as promised. We did not see any independnet operators in Lima. Jose and his saff ushered through the entire boarding process and did the same when our boat returned.The boat carrying approximately 40 people was in great condition and the cpatain did a wonderful job showing us the wildlife and guano fields. He made certain that both sides of the boat had ample opportunity to see the wildlife and take pictures. We had a brilliant sunny day and the canopy on the boat shielded us from the sun.Highly recommended as Jose was responsive to several emails with detailed explanations. At the conclusion of the tours my wife decided to return back to the ship with their return transfer whike I stayed in gthe small town for lunch and shopping. His restaurant recommendation as spot on as well--Muna.My only recommendation to the tour operator is that they encourage people to provide voluntary tips to both the guide and the boat captain. I was surprised that very few people and I mean very few people gave tips.The trip was outstanding and I highly recommend the company--job very well done. If I return, I would book them again for other trips without any hesitation.For those arriving by ship, book them! djackley2024-11-29Verified Paracas and Ballestas Islands A little rough to start off with as the company took us early to the wrong meet up location. 30 minutes later we joined the group. Boat trip was wonderful and the guide spoke in clear English as she described history, birds and sea life of the area and the islands. Great photos and wonderful day. Bring sunscreen and a hat! Linda F2024-11-05Verified This is a must do in Paracas This was definitely a tour that you should take while in Paracas. It was absolutely fantastic, first you sail to the candelabra to take pictures from the boat. They turn the boat so that each side can see it and take pictures. Then you go to Ballestas which was absolutely fantastic. We do recommend you bring a wind breaker since you will get wet.We highly recommend this tour Linda F2024-11-05Verified Great and exciting tour This tour was great, we had an excellent guide. It is a well organized tour with three short stops to take pictures. It is an amazing place to see and the dune buggy was a great way to see it. I highly recommend doing it, take the extended route.