Visit the Sea Lions in Palomino Islands, in Lima Peru
Lima, Peru
Visit the Sea Lions in Palomino Islands, in Lima Peru
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Lima, Peru
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Calling all nature lovers, this tour allows you to swim alongside wild sea lions in their natural environment. Departing Lima, travel by boat to the Guanera Islands (Islas Guaneras), home to Humboldt penguins, guano birds, and sea lions. Plunge into the water to enjoy a supervised swim with the marine mammals before admiring rock formations and other wildlife on your return journey. Refreshments are included.
- Tour of the Guanera Islands (Islas Guaneras) from Lima
- An immersive experience designed for nature lovers
- Take a boat tour of the Guanera Islands, home to Humboldt penguins, guano birds, and sea lions
- Swim alongside sea lions in their natural environment
- Refreshments are included
What's Included
Meeting and Pickup
Itinerary
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 716 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Well organized. Friendly staff. Highly recommended
Would have been a perfect experience if the seals had cooperated 🤣
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review! 😊
We're very happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience and found our team friendly and professional.
And yes… sometimes the sea lions have a mind of their own! 😂🦭 We wish they had cooperated a little more during your visit, but we're glad you still had a great time.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back someday for another adventure!
Warm regards,
Mar Adentro Excursiones
Swimming with the sea lions was a great Lima, Peru adventure for us. The guides were very knowledgeable, friendly, a lot of fun! I would highly recommend this excursion with this company!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed swimming with the sea lions and that our guides made your experience fun, informative, and memorable.
It means a lot to us that you would recommend our tour and our team. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another adventure the next time you're in Peru!
Warm regards,
Mar Adentro Excursiones S.A.C.
It was nice we swam with the sea lions who are very curious and cute but there was also jellyfish and we got stung
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your review!
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed swimming with the sea lions and that you found them curious and adorable. 🦭
Regarding the jellyfish, we're sorry to hear you were stung. As this is a natural marine environment, jellyfish occasionally appear, especially during certain seasons, and unfortunately this is beyond our control. Fortunately, most stings are mild and temporary.
We truly appreciate your understanding and hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Peru!
Awesome day. We took a boat and saw the old prison, quite a few penguins and swam with hundreds of seals who were quite friendly and came right up to us.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We're thrilled to hear that you had such an awesome day with us. Seeing the historic prison, the Humboldt penguins, and swimming alongside hundreds of curious and friendly sea lions truly makes for a unique experience.
Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you back on another adventure the next time you're in Peru!
The Mar Adentro Excursiones Team
Overall, this is a neat experience! Our guides were wonderful. There were big waves, so it was difficult to interact with the sea lions, but they are so cute and curious! If you get sea sick, make sure you go on a calm day, and if you have trouble with strong smells, this may not be for you.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review!
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience and that our guides made your tour memorable. The sea can sometimes be rough, and unfortunately, wave conditions are beyond our control. The natural smell around the islands is also part of this protected ecosystem, home to thousands of sea lions and seabirds.
We're glad you had the chance to meet these curious and adorable animals, and we truly appreciate your recommendation and helpful advice for future visitors.
We hope to welcome you back on another adventure in the future!
Great experience BUTTT READ first:
Pros:
- the history tour
- the views of the surrounding islands
- whale sightings if lucky like us
- best views of Lima
Cons
- huge waves that will make most sea sick.
- the foul smell from the bird poop on the islands is very bad.
- they didnt provide goggles or snorkel gear. We were the ONLY people on our boat to see underwater because we actually brought our own luckily. Why they wouldnt provide goggles to all guests is beyond me.
Great tour just come preparred.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour, the history, the scenery, and even had the chance to see whales!
Regarding the waves, unfortunately, sea conditions are completely beyond our control and can vary from day to day. The strong smell around the islands is also a natural part of visiting a protected natural reserve, home to thousands of sea lions and seabirds.
As for the equipment, our activity is a sea lion swimming experience, not a snorkeling or diving tour. For this reason, we provide wetsuits and life jackets, but we do not provide snorkeling masks or goggles. Guests are always welcome to bring their own if they wish to have a better view underwater.
Thank you again for your comments. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back in the future!
Our tour guide and captain, Rodolfo and Francisco, were absolutely wonderful. Very kind, knowledgeable, and full of jokes and fun facts. The actual swimming with the sea lions was a wonderful once in a lifetime experience. That being said the water on the day we went out was VERY choppy. I regretted not taking medicine for motion sickness in advance. I would also recommend bringing a mask or some kind of facial covering, part of the tour goes past islands covered in guano and the smell is extremely pungent. Overall a great way to spend a day! My whole family had a blast. I just wish we had been better prepared.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review!
We're delighted to hear that you had such a memorable experience with Rodolfo and Francisco. We'll be sure to share your kind words with them—they'll be thrilled to know they made your day so special.
We're also glad you enjoyed swimming with the sea lions and that your whole family had a great time. It's truly a unique experience!
Thank you as well for sharing your helpful suggestions about motion sickness and the guano islands. Sea conditions can vary from day to day, and your advice will certainly help future travelers come better prepared.
We really appreciate you choosing us, and we hope to welcome you and your family back for another adventure in the future!
Bring sunscreen! park fee is 11 soles not 4. Guides are great. Very unique experience. Water is cold but the wetsuits provided help.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your comment. We always recommend bringing sunscreen for the tour. The entrance fee to the protected natural area is 11 Peruvian soles, which is approximately 4 US dollars depending on the exchange rate. We’re glad you enjoyed the experience! It truly is a unique adventure, and the wetsuit helps make the time in the water much more comfortable and enjoyable.
Excellent experience. Rodrigo was a fantastic guide and it is a very unique experience. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We're delighted to hear that you had an excellent experience and enjoyed this unique adventure. Rodrigo will be especially pleased to know that his guidance helped make your trip memorable.
Thank you for your recommendation. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back on another adventure with us in the future!
Best regards,
We could not have asked for a better experience than what we got. Everything was very organized and it was a smooth operation. Our guide, Rodrigo, was extremely knowledgeable, welcoming, and was an overall fun host.
This was a well rounded experience from the personnel side to the incredible opportunity to admire and interact with the coastal wildlife including sea lions, penguins, dolphins, whales, and many more. This was truly an absolute pleasure.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience with us.
Rodrigo will be delighted to know that his knowledge, enthusiasm, and hospitality made your adventure even more memorable. We are also happy that you enjoyed the incredible wildlife of Callao, from sea lions and penguins to dolphins and whales.
One of the highlights of our tour is the unique opportunity to swim with sea lions, and we're glad you were able to experience the beauty and magic of their natural habitat.
Thank you again for choosing us. We hope to welcome you back to Callao for another unforgettable adventure in the future!
In just a few words. The tour was fantastic, the good folks operating and running the tour, fantastic. This was one of my favorite tours of all times.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for being part of this adventure, we're happy that this is a great experience
It was an amazing experience. The seals were very courageous of us and swam right up to us. The smell was thought was horrendous. But was with it to have a baby seal swim right up to you face to face.
Response from Host, May 2026
We are very glad that you enjoyed this experience called Mar Adentro, in fact the smell is part of the protected natural area, but it is well worth doing the activity.
Get up close and personal with sea lions!! Alex was an excellent and hilarious guide. Wet suit and life vest provided. Need swimwear to go under the suit. For those prone to motion sickness (like me…), might want to take something before heading out on the boat.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks for being part of this adventure. The wetsuit is definitely a big help in the cold, and if you're prone to seasickness, it's best to take precautions.
Our guides, Alex and Rodrigo were funny, knowledgeable, and patient. They handled a very diverse international group extremely well. Our captain, Fernando navigated the ship like a true professional. The sights are unforgettable. What an experience to be this close to nature.
Response from Host, May 2026
Muchas gracias por tus comentarios, estamos felices que hayan disfrutado de esta linda experiencia, nuestros guias son excelentes y hacen que esta experiencia sea inolvidable
Truly a remarkable experience! The view of the penguins and sea lions is amazing, and then getting into the water with them is breathtaking. The staff is wonderful, very friendly and informed and their English is really good. I highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
muchas gracias por tu comentario, en Mar Adentro estamos felices que hayas disfrutado de un dia super lindo en contacto con la naturaleza
Really well done! The whole thing is very organized and professional and fun. Our guides spoke perfect English (if that matters to you) and had all kinds of information about the wildlife we saw along the way. The check in spot is on a residential street, so look for the house street number rather than any commercial sign. There were young children on our boat and they were looked after with care. It was the best part of my visit in Lima. And we stayed for a very nice lunch just down the boardwalk along the oceanfront. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
muchas gracias por el comentario nos ayuda muchisimo para que otras personas se animen a realizar el tour, sobretodo familia con niños , como dices nos preocupamos por la seguridad , salimos puntuales y les brindamos una super experiencia, gracias por su visita
Great guides. Great fun. Unforgettable experience but if you suffer from sea sickness take something for it before you go!!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi, thank you for being part of this adventure called Mar Adentro. Thank you for leaving your comment. It is indeed a great experience, but if you are prone to seasickness, you should take precautions.
Book this tour! It was such a great experience. They take you out on the boat (which is nice) and swimming with the sea lions is a moment I’ll never forget! The guide is in the water with you as well to help you get close to the sea lions and make it a fun experience for you. I do recommend taking meds if you get sea sick easily, because the water is a bit choppy on the ride there. I also recommend to bring a towel bc they don’t provide one for you. Also you don’t have to get into the water if you don’t want, not everyone did.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
gracias por tu comentario, estamos felices que hayas disfrutado de esta aventura y si no desean ingresar al agua tambien esta bien, en la plataforma recomendamos llevar toalla, bloqueador , igual gracias por tu comentario y nos vemos pronto en otra aventura Mar Adentro
This was the absolute most fun thing I’ve ever done. Everyone was hysterically laughing in the water with the adorable sea lions coming right up to you to nibble your toes. The highlight of our trip.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
hola Ariane ,gracias por tu comentario nos alegra que hayas disfrutado de este tour super vivencial nadando con lobos marinos en su habitat natural
A well organized and safe tour that combines nature, Peruvian history and humor, thanks to Sebastien and team.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
gracias Paul, le enviaremos tus saludos a los chicos, gracias por formar parte de esta aventura de nadar con lobos marinos en su habitat natural
The guide and staff were knowledgeable and friendly. The water was fairly calm but cold and there were penguins and seabirds as well as sea lions that curiously swam close to us.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hola James, gracias por tu comentario, de hecho el agua esta menos fria de lo normal, pero bien vale la pena nadar con estos animales curiosos, gracias por formar parte de esta super experiencia, nos vemos pronto
It is totally worth it! Alex was one of our guides and he was so knowledgeable and funny. They even took photos of us in the water and sent them to us later for free. We saw penguins and so many sea lions. It was an amazing experience. Wear lots of sunscreen even if it’s cloudy!!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Muchas gracias Laura por compartir con otros usuarios tu experiencia, si de hecho hay que llevar protector, ropa de baño puesta, toalla y un desayuno ligero, pero de todas maneras vale la experiencia de ver a los lobos marinos en su habitat natural , saludos y bonito dia
The experience is wonderful. The guide is very useful and he will take 2 picture and 1 vedio for you for free.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
gracias por dejar su comentario, en Mar Adentro estamos felices de que hayan disfrutado de esta super experiencia, nos vemos pronto, saludos
It was so exciting to get so close to them! The tour guides were kind & knowledgeable! They didn’t touch us, but they got close!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
gracias por formar parte de esta super experiencia, estamos felices porque hayan disfrutado de esta aventura, gracias por dejar su comentario nos ayuda mucho, saludos y nos vemos pronto
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unforgettable sea lion experience in Lima
Swimming with sea lions in the wild Pacific Ocean was honestly one of the highlights of our Peru trip with my daughter 💙
Everything was perfectly organized from the beginning. Our guide Rodrigo was amazing — so kind, professional, and always making sure we felt safe and happy. He even helped us take beautiful photos and videos so we could fully enjoy the moment.
They provided comfortable wetsuits, which made a huge difference. I was honestly a little scared the Pacific would be freezing… but surprise — the water was absolutely comfortable! We swam around 10–15 minutes, laughing like little kids.
The sea lions were incredibly friendly and playful, swimming so close to us. And the biggest bonus — we even spotted a penguin 🐧✨
Such a magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget.
Highly recommend this tour if you are in Lima — especially if you travel with kids or want a truly unique adventure. 💙
Response from Host, Mar 2026
muchas gracias por tu super comentario, nos alegra que hayas disfrutado de esta aventura marina, de hecho es un turismo muy responsable y sostenible, que bueno que hayan tenido un super dia, nos vemos pronto, saludos
Very helpful in the water made sure we all had interaction with the sea lions. Great value very fun afternoon
Response from Host, Mar 2026
gracias por tu comentario, nos alegra muchisimo que hayas disfrutado de esta linda aventura, nos vemos pronto en una nueva aventura
Once we got to the boat the tour was great. We felt safe and saw a ton of sea lions and different birds including penguins. The swimming portion was definitely the highlight! Our guides were really great too.
It was extremely hard to find the meeting location. It was not the address that’s in the activity listing. We reached out to the tour operator and they sent us a second incorrect address. We were walking around for 30 minutes before finding it.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Hola Sophie lamentamos el inconveniente, pero que bueno que pudiste llegar y vivir esta experiencia, gracias por formar parte de esta gran aventura Mar Adentro
Had an awesome experience. The guide was great, the sea lions were hilarious, however I did get the most intense sunburn of my life. Learn from my experience- bring a towel! The water is very cold and the sun is very intense and there is no covering on the boat. Perhaps including a bit more info as to what to bring would be helpful.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
hola, nos alegra que hayas pasado una super experiencia, de hecho es verano y es recomendable ponerse bloqueador, gorro y llevar una toalla, esperemos que esa insolacion pase pronto, saludos y la embarcaciones no tiene techo porque evita el mareo
omg so fun!! definitely recommend doing this if you travel to peru, HUGE shout to Julio! He was so much help and convince us to get into the water and it was 100% worth it! 10/10 experience
Response from Host, Feb 2026
muchas gracias por compartir esta experiencia con otros pasajeros, de hecho vale 100% ingresar al agua y tener ese contacto con los lobos marinos, de hecho es un paseo que vale la pena, que tengan un buen viaje , nos vemos pronto
Not to be scared and just get in. You will miss out if you don't. You will get used to the water temperature super quick
Response from Host, Jan 2026
muchas gracias por tu comentario, de hecho vale la pena cada minuto en esta super experiencia
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Archaeology Tours
- Half-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Lima
- Half-day Tours - Pisco
- Bus Tours - Pisco
- Archaeology Tours - Paracas
- Half-day Tours - Paracas
- Bus Tours - Paracas
- Historical Tours - Paracas
- Archaeology Tours - Ica
- Half-day Tours - Ica
- Bus Tours - Ica
- Historical Tours - Ica
Attractions in Lima, Peru
- Huaca Pucllana Tours & Tickets
- Pachacamac Itshma Temple Tours & Tickets
- Lima Chinatown (Barrio Chino) Tours & Tickets
- Lima Art Museum (Museo de Arte de Lima - MALI) Tours & Tickets
- Larcomar (Centro Comercial Larcomar) Tours & Tickets
- Chorrillos Tours & Tickets
- Pedro de Osma Museum (Museo Pedro de Osma) Tours & Tickets
- Lima Cruise Port Tours & Tickets
- Callao Tours & Tickets
- Mujica Gallo (Gold Museum) Tours & Tickets
- Iglesia de Santo Domingo Tours & Tickets
- Magic Water Circuit Tours & Tickets
- Lima Plaza Mayor Tours & Tickets
- San Isidro Tours & Tickets
More attractions near Lima, Peru