Nasca Lines Travel Guide
Mysterious images in Atacama sands
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Following the Pan American Highway through the sand dunes and desert south of Lima and Ica, just before the town of Nasca lies one of Earth’s great archaeological mysteries.
Here, on the plains of San Jose, lie a collection of enormous mysterious geoglyphs and straight lines, covering an area of almost 350 square kilometres, which are believed to have been etched into the desert sometime around AD 600.
The Nasca Lines are vast designs made up of furrows approximately 20 centimetre deep, drawn in the shape of distinct figures such as a tree, a hand, a monkey, a spider, a fish, a hummingbird, and more. Some of these etchings are nearly 500m in length.
Many theories are debated on why they exist, ranging from being symbols for the gods to being a giant astronomical calendar. Studied by Max Uhle in 1901, Toribio Mejia Xesspe in 1926, and Paul Kosok in 1939, it is the German mathematician, Maria Reiche, who dedicated her life to researching and protecting these geoglyphs between 1940 and 1998 that truly put this enigma on the map, and they are now declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is possible to view the hand and the tree from a 12 metre high tower next to the Pan American Highway, but they are best appreciated from the air.
Attractions in Nasca Lines
The main event here is flying over the Nasca Lines, but in and around Nasca there are also many other places of interest, as outlined below and in detail in the Nasca section.
Activities in Nasca Lines
The main activity at the Nasca Lines is the overflight, but not too far away it is possible to enjoy boat rides and wildlife watching near Ica, sand boarding, dune buggy trips, hiking and horseback riding.
Relaxing
Desert life can be a hot affair, a rarity if heading to the highlands, so take advantage of your time here and relax by your hotel’s swimming pool.
Getting Around
To see all the sights in the Nasca area, you will need transport which can be arranged through your local Travel Expert. To truly appreciate the Nasca Lines you must take an over-flight in a small plane.
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