Nazca Lines
- Address:Nazca
- Admission:Free
Good Views / Viewpoint, Desert, Monument - Historical, Ruin - Ancient
8:35 PM Saturday, May 26
Passing clouds. Mild.
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The arid plains surrounding the small town of Nazca are detailed with South America’s most enigmatic sight, the extraordinary Nazca Lines.
Etched into more than 80km (50 miles) of rocky desert, and only properly appreciated from the air, the Nazca Lines are made up of more than 800 lines, 300 figures and 70 animal and plant outlines.
Creatures drawn here include monkeys measuring 90m (300 feet), lizards, spiders representing fertility, and an astronaut lookalike. Birds like the hummingbird, condor and flamingo represent summer and winter, and point exactly to where the sun rises and sets. The largest drawings measure 200m (660 feet) across.
There are a number of theories behind the lines and their construction - who made them, why and how? - but no one knows for sure, and they were only rediscovered in 1939.
One theory dates them to between 400 and 600 AD, believing that they were mapped as an astronomical calendar by early mathematicians. Fertility cults, marathon races, hallucinogenic dreamscapes and extraterrestrial landing sites are just a few of the other hypotheses behind their creation.
If you can’t jump into a Cessna to view the Nazca Lines from the air, visit the observation tower 20km (12 miles) north of the town of Nazca to get an overview of the lines.
Latest Reviews All Nazca Lines Reviews »
Wow, this was quite a day. The bus ride from Lima was long, but very comfortable. They say the tour begins at 4am, but we had to be picked up at 3am. We were able to sleep on the bus. Ballestas Islands were amazing. The Nazca lines breathtaking. All the guides were informative and professional. Please take motion sickness medicine for the plane trip to see the lines. Half the group carried full sick bags from the plane. All and all a good day, but a very long day.
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Brilliant tour if you don't have time to spend travelling down the coast to see the Ballestos Islands or the Nazca Lines. It was an unforgettable day with two great trips! Do be flexible though - the schedule changes a lot with a fair bit of waiting around followed by rushing around at times!
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dear sir, it was very nice trip, however for ballestas comments, 90% were in Spanish and the rest in english. when given in english the boat has already started moving and it ws difficult to hear or ask questions. as for the Nazca lines, it was very limited information, and i have to say not so easy at times to take pictures without being so sure where to look. but thank you very much for organizing great tours like this.
Continue Reading »Practical Info
Nazca lies just inland from the coast in the Nazca Desert, around 440km (275 miles) south of Lima. The best way to view the lines is from the air aboard an early-morning Nazca Lines Air Tour.
