Nazca Lines
Located 7 hours by bus to the south of the city of Lima are the enigmatic Nazca lines. These lines are a group of pre-Columbian geoglyphs (lines dug in the desert sands approximately 30 cm deep) and cover an area of almost a thousand square kilometers. These lines were discovered by the American anthropologist Paul Kosok, who suggested that the lines represented an astronomical calendar. However, the one who dedicated many years of study to these lines was the German archaeologist Maria Reiche, considered the pioneer in her research.
We find around 800 different figures that mainly include animals, plants and geometric figures. Some of anthropomorphic beings have also been found. These figures have been preserved to this day due to the privileged climate (very little rain) and the sand hills that surround them. Among the best known figures we have the monkey, the hummingbird, the astronaut, the tarantula among others. These lines can only be distinguished from above, so the researchers wonder how they were able to draw them. There are speculations where they say that all this land is a spaceport.
To be able to see the Nazca lines, you must take a plane which gives us a 30-minute tour over the Nazca desert. This flight can be taken from the Nazca aerodrome, with the price of the overflight starting at USD110 US dollars. Another option is to take the flight from the city of Ica which would make the entire journey last 1.15hrs.
The flights depart from early in the morning until approximately 2pm in the afternoon, depending on the winds that usually appear later in the afternoon, which makes it difficult to fly over.
We recommend not going up on a full stomach or having drunk alcohol.
Without a doubt, seeing the Nazca lines in all their splendor is a unique experience!