The Nazca Lines

The Nazca Lines are one of the great mysteries of the ancient world, a vast collection of geoglyphs scored into the desert floor of southern Peru over two thousand years ago by the Nazca culture. Ranging from straight lines and geometric shapes to enormous figures of a hummingbird, monkey, spider and condor, some hundreds of metres across, they are so large they can only truly be appreciated from the air, and their purpose remains debated.

The main sights

• The great figures - the hummingbird, monkey, spider and condor.
• A scenic flight - the light-plane flight over the lines.
• The viewing tower - the roadside tower over a couple of figures.
• The desert setting - the vast, pale desert plain of the geoglyphs.

When to go

The lines can be seen year-round in the dry desert; morning flights, before the midday winds and haze, offer the smoothest ride and clearest views. It is a long trip from Lima, often broken with a stop at the Paracas and Ica oasis region.

Things to know

The lines are truly appreciated only from a small light aircraft, and the tight, banking flights to see each figure make many passengers airsick, so take precautions and choose a reputable operator with a good safety record. It is remote, a long drive from Lima. The cheaper roadside tower shows only a couple of figures.

Nearby

The Paracas reserve, the Ballestas Islands and the Huacachina desert oasis are to the north.

Key facts