Soar above the monumental and mysterious Nazca lines left behind by the ancient Nazca culture on a short plane ride.
Nazca is a city and a system of valleys in the Southern coast of Peru. It is also the name applied to the culture that flourished in the area around 700 BC. They were responsible for the enormous Nazca Lines etched into the surrounding desert and the ceremonial city of Cahuachi. They also constructed an impressive system of subterranean aqueducts which have been responsible for preserving Nazca’s green and fertile valley.
The most outstanding aspect of Nazca and the reason why it is World-renowned is the 800 gigantic and unexplained line drawings marked out on the desert plains. The Nazca Lines were first noticed from the air in 1927 and experts are still pondering the methods of their construction and the purpose of their existence. The remarkable Nazca Lines have survived so many centuries partly due to the dry climate, and in doing so have preserved the secrets of an ancient culture which you can enjoy from land or air.
Three Reasons To Visit Nazca:
Nazca Lines
The giant animal figures and hundreds of razor-straight lines etched into the sun-baked Pampa Colorada plain near the Peruvian desert town of Nazca constitute one of humankind’s enduring mysteries.
Maria Reiche Observatory
You’ll hear a lecture about the researcher Maria Reiche, with a great overview of the Nazca Lines including the discovery of the lines in the early 20th century. You can also scope out some of the stars and planets in the Southern hemisphere.
Archeological excursions
There are numerous ancient archeological ruins nearby which are easy to reach by a cab or bus ride from Paracas.
Recommended Things To Do or Visit
Nazca Lines Flight
Enjoy an exciting flight over the Nazca Lines, offering a spectacular opportunity to see 12 of the most famous Nazca Lines including the hummingbird, dog, hands, astronaut, tree, spider, whale, lizard, shark and many more.
Duration: About 1 Hour
Chauchilla Cemetery Tour
We will drive you to the Southern part of Nazca, following the Panamerican route for about 21 kilometers (13 miles) and then we will drive over a rough road of 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) that leads to the archaeological cemetery of Chauchilla.
In the graveyard of Chauchilla we will visit several tombs containing ancient fragments of Pre-Columbian pottery and human remains.
Duration: About 4 Hours
Cantalloc Aqueducts Tour
After having reached this aqueduct you will witness the great ingenuity of the ancient inhabitants who struggled for survival by building underground channels to capture water flowing down from the Andes.
Then you will visit the “Needles”, a place where you can appreciate the Nazca lines closer in the form of a large trapezoid. Here the guide will explain the reason for the existence of these trapezoids on the side of the majestic Cerro Blanco (the highest dune in South America and a holy place to worship water and fertility).
Finally, we will arrive to the Inca administrative center. Archaeological studies found that it has an Inca origin and was called Cajamarca. It was built for administrative purposes to link the Coast and the Highlands. It was home to the Inca representative in this part of the coast and was likely inhabited by maidens, merchants and soldiers.
Duration: About 4 Hours
