Nazca Lines Peru Tours
450 km south of Lima on the high, arid desert plateau between the towns of Palpa and Nazca known as the Pampa Colorada (Colored Plain), lies the mystifying UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Nazca Lines. Constructed more than 2,000 years ago by the ancient Nazca culture and covering an earthen canvas of nearly 500 square km (190 square miles), over 800 straight lines, 300 giant geometric shapes and 70 bewildering biomorphic drawings are etched into the Nazca desert. Their construction and significance has been shrouded in mystery since their discovery in the 1920s, with various interpretations being offered, from an astronomical calendar and celestial celebration to procession routes for water-related religious worship. The region is also famous for its Chauchilla Cemetery, an ancient necropolis of prehispanic mummified human remains, that was featured in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Virtually indecipherable from ground level given their size, the lines are best appreciated from above on a Nazca flight tour. We recommend taking flights over the Nazca Lines from Pisco Airport aboard a larger, more modern, and more stable 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan, rather than the smaller 3 to 6-seater Cessnas that fly from Nazca’s Maria Reiche Airport. This option also provides the added benefits of being able to stay in a more luxurious hotel in Paracas (within easy reach of the adventure activities of the nearby desert dunes) versus those in Nazca, and also saves around 7 hours of travel time. Round-flight times from Pisco are 90 minutes and take in 12 of the major lines; Heron, Condor, Monkey, Dog, Hands, Hummingbird, Spider, Tree, Whale, ‘The Astronaut’, Parrot and Trapezoids. Flights are subject to weather conditions.
