The Islas Ballestas are a group of rocky islands about 20 km from Paracas, accessible only by boat. They are covered — literally covered — in wildlife: hundreds of thousands of seabirds including Peruvian boobies, pelicans, and cormorants, plus huge colonies of South American sea lions lounging on every ledge and flat surface, and Humboldt penguins nesting in crevices along the base of the cliffs.
Boat tours leave from the Paracas harbour most mornings, typically around 8–9 am. The trip takes about an hour each way, with 45 minutes spent circling the islands. Boats cannot land on the islands — they are a protected nature reserve — but the tours get close enough to make the wildlife clearly visible and audible. Bring a light jacket: the sea is cold and the wind picks up on the water.
On the way out, the boats pass close to the Candelabra geoglyph on the Paracas peninsula, visible from the sea as a large figure scratched into the cliff. Book the boat early to get a good position.