Swim with sea lions
Curious animals.
GORE Callao — Public domain · GORE Callao — Public domain · Santiagostucchi — CC BY-SA 3.0 · GORE Callao — Public domain
Four small rocky islands in the Pacific some six nautical miles from the port of Callao near Lima, home to a huge colony of sea lions that fill the rocks with their calls, and large numbers of seabirds. Boats leave from the pier at La Punta in Callao, passing the large San Lorenzo Island and the remains of an old prison on El Frontón island, before stopping by the Palomino Islands, where sea lions lie on the rocks and the young play in the water. The trip's highlight is swimming with the sea lions, in a thick wetsuit and life jacket, as the curious animals come close and circle the swimmers. Those who prefer not to swim watch from the boat. On the rocks are pelicans, cormorants and Peruvian boobies, and an old lighthouse stands on the top of the island. The ocean is very cold because of the Humboldt Current, even in summer, and the sea can be choppy, so bring seasickness tablets if you need them. Do not touch the animals, as they are wild.
Curious animals.
Pelicans and cormorants.
Atop the island.
Off the port of Callao, west of San Lorenzo Island; boats from La Punta in Callao
No: swimming is optional, and you can watch the sea lions and birds from the boat. Swimmers wear a thick wetsuit, as the water is very cold.