Lima to Paracas: Islands, Slave Tunnels & National Park in 1 day!
Description
Make the most of a full day from Lima: cruise the wildlife-rich Ballestas Islands on a guided boat tour to look for sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and soaring seabirds, then continue into the dramatic Paracas National Reserve where desert drops into the Pacific. Close the day with a powerful visit to the historic Chincha Slave Tunnels. • Full-day tour from Lima: Ballestas Islands cruise & Paracas Reserve • Wildlife viewing opportunities - sea lions, penguins, and seabird cliffs • Iconic desert-meets-ocean viewpoints inside Paracas National Reserve • Guided visit to the Chincha Slave Tunnels; hotel pickup and drop-off included
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin with an early pickup from your hotel in Miraflores, San Isidro, or Barranco. Board your Peru Hop bus with onboard high-speed Wi-Fi and settle into a premium, air-conditioned coach with reclining semi-bed seats and an onboard restroom. Your friendly Peruvian host shares stories and tips as you trace the scenic Pan-American Highway toward Paracas, a peaceful fishing town on the Pacific.
Board a fast, comfortable boat for a 2-hour wildlife cruise. Skim past towering rock arches and the mysterious Candelabra geoglyph while watching for sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and a kaleidoscope of seabirds - and, with luck, playful dolphins. Skippers keep a respectful distance so you can enjoy natural behavior (wildlife sightings vary seasonally).
Enjoy a hands-on class where you’ll make, taste, and enjoy your very own Pisco Sour, Peru’s national cocktail, with views over the Paracas harbor.
You will have ree time to have lunch in one of the many restaurants of Paracas overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Join a guided bus tour inside one of South America’s largest protected desert reserves. Photograph red-sand cliffs, wind-carved headlands, and sweeping Pacific views where dunes meet turquoise water. Short walks to lookouts are rewarded with unforgettable panoramas.
Travel north aboard your Peru Hop bus to a historic hacienda to explore its underground tunnels, once used during the slave-trading era. Your guide shares context and stories that bring this difficult history to life. Some passages are narrow and have low ceilings; guests should be comfortable with enclosed spaces.
Relax aboard your comfortable Peru Hop bus with onboard high-speed Wi-Fi for the drive back to Lima - ideal for sharing your best Ballestas and Paracas photos on the way. Enjoy direct drop-off at your hotel in Miraflores, San Isidro, or Barranco. Typical arrival is around 10:30 PM (traffic and sea conditions can affect timing; Downtown drop-offs may be slightly later).
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
View the pickup list when booking to see if your hotel is included among the pickup points. If it is not on the list, choose “I'll decide later" or "My hotel is not on the list" and after booking let us know where you are staying. We will inform you whether we can pick you up directly at your hotel, or the nearest alternative. -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in San Isidro: between 4:50 am and 5:00 am -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in Miraflores: between 5:00 am and 5:40 am -Pick ups from hotels/hostels in Barranco: between 5:45 am and 6:00 am
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- The bus will arrive back in Lima around 11:30 pm - midnight
- The Only company with Luxury Buses for the long journey, others use small vans
- Minimum age: 8 years old – Must have parents permission
- Recommended: Treking or tennis Shoes (no flipflops allowed), Sunglasses, Hat, Sunscreen, Drinking water, Windbreaker jacket & warm clothes.
- The tour runs with slight adjustments during the following holidays: Easter weekend (April 2-5) and Peru's Independence Day celebrations (July 27-29). The pick-up time will be 1 hour before the usual time.
Reviews(827)
Great day. Lots of variety...nature and history.
This was a great way to see a lot of beautiful sites! The boat ride took us to multiple spots where we saw sea lions and penguin. Be sure to have a poncho and jacket. The tour of the National Park gave us breathtaking views. We saw dolphin from one of the cliffs. Some of it looks like your on another planet while other areas just looks to picturesque to seem real even when you are standing there. The slave tunnels are a darker part of history but Roberto delivers the history in a captivating way. Juanchito and Roberto are great guides and hosts. You can tell they love their jobs and want to share everything with you.
Juanchito and Roberto were excellent hosts and tour guides. Their knowledge of the area made the adventure exciting and fun. They also knew when to let us rest and adventure on our own. They had a perfect balance for the day. The boat trip was very wet but worth every splash. We saw sea lions and penguin during our ride. The National Park is a must see. There is no describing the beauty you will see. Part of it looks like you are on another planet and the rest looks like a painting. We also saw dolphins as we explored the cliffs.
Hi there, Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful review with us! We’re really happy to hear that Juancho and Roberto helped make your last day in Peru such a special one. Their knowledge, great balance between guiding and giving you time to relax, and ability to create a fun atmosphere are exactly what we’re proud to have in our hosts. It’s also fantastic to know that the Ballestas Islands boat trip was worth every splash and that you got to see sea lions, penguins, and dolphins along the way. The Paracas National Reserve really is an incredible place, and we love hearing how much you enjoyed its unique landscapes. Thank you for choosing Peru Hop to be part of your final day in Peru! We hope it left you with some unforgettable memories to take home.
We had a wonderful day. The bus picked us up from our hotel on time and transferred us to Caracas. We met with our guide Roberto who brought us to all the spots, including, bringing us to a very cute restaurant at the yacht club that was delicious. He also gave us a little class with the bar tender on how to make a Pisco Sour which was so fun and unexpected! The price for all the travel and admittance to the boat tour, tour of the national park, and the slave tunnels was a terrific price for the service. Highly recommend.
Hi Savannah, Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful review with us! We’re really happy to hear that you had such a great day with us, from the on-time hotel pickup to exploring Paracas with Roberto. It’s wonderful to know that he made the day even more special with his guidance, the delicious lunch spot, and the unexpected Pisco Sour experience! We love hearing that the mix of activities, transportation, and experiences made the tour such great value for you. Creating a full day where everything is organized and passengers can simply enjoy Peru is exactly what we aim for. Thank you for recommending Peru Hop! We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and discoveries throughout Peru.
So awesome!! Definitely worth the cost and the day! From pickup to drop off everything was well organized and smooth. Our guide Roberto was EXCELLENT and so fun! It was like touring with your friend.
Hi Angel, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We’re really happy to hear that you had such an amazing day with us and that everything from pickup to drop-off ran smoothly. It’s especially great to know that Roberto made the experience so much fun and created that feeling of exploring Peru with a friend. That’s exactly the kind of atmosphere we want our guides to create! Thank you for choosing Peru Hop and for recommending us! We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and unforgettable moments in Peru.
Luiz as a guide as fantastic! Very knowledgeable and fun! It was a pleasure doing this tour.
Hi Rodrigo, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re so happy to hear that you had such a great time on the tour and that Luiz made the experience even more enjoyable. It’s wonderful to know that his knowledge and fun personality left such a positive impression. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Luiz. We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and discoveries throughout Peru!
Good experience all around, our guide Luis was very friendly and helpful, and gave a great tour. Greta value for what you pay, and the group size was not bad at all. Would recommend for all first time visitors
Hi there, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re really happy to hear that you had such a great experience and that Luis helped make the tour even more enjoyable with his friendly and helpful approach. It’s also wonderful to know that you found the group size comfortable and felt the experience offered great value. Thank you for recommending us to first-time visitors! We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and discoveries throughout Peru.
Pick up is well arranged. Our guide Luis was friendly and could speak good English.
Hi Maud, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re glad to hear that the pickup was well organized and that Luis made the journey even more enjoyable with his friendly approach and clear English. We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and discoveries throughout Peru!
Luis was friendly, knowledgeable, and great at keeping things moving at a good pace. The bus was comfy and communication has been top notch.
Hi there, Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review! We’re glad to know you had such a smooth experience with us. It’s lovely to hear that Luis brought a good balance of friendliness, knowledge, and organization to the journey, while the comfortable bus and clear communication made things even easier. We really appreciate you traveling with us and hope you get the chance to explore more of Peru with us in the future!
Explanation easy to follow and very cozy guide Luis
Hi there, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re glad to hear that Luis made the journey enjoyable and that his explanations were easy to follow. It’s great to know that his friendly personality added such a nice atmosphere to the experience. We hope to welcome you back one day for more adventures and discoveries throughout Peru!
