Nazca Lines
★ 4.6🇵🇪 NazcaSuggested visit Half a dayBest season Year-round; December to March tends to be clearer
World HeritageArchaeological siteNatural wonder
Vast geometric figures and animal shapes drawn on the desert floor, still legible after two thousand years.
Overview
On the arid plateau of southern Peru, the Nazca Lines were made by the Nazca culture between about 500 BC and AD 500. They include a hummingbird, monkey and spider alongside long geometric lines, the largest over 300 metres and only fully legible from the air. Removing the oxidised dark surface stones exposed lighter ground, and the dry, still climate has preserved the designs. They joined the World Heritage List in 1994.
History
Drawn by the Nazca culture between about 500 BC and AD 500, widely noticed as aviation developed in the 1920s, and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994.
Highlights
- •The hummingbird and monkey figures
- •Aerial views by light aircraft
- •The viewing tower for a closer look
- •The open desert plateau
Practical tips
- •Light aircraft rides are bumpy — take motion sickness tablets if needed
- •Do not walk onto the lines; the surface is fragile
Practical information
- Best time
- Year-round
- Tickets
- Flights about USD 80-120; the tower about PEN 5
- Opening hours
- Flights roughly 6:00-16:00
- Local food
- Pollo a la brasa, quinoa soup, pisco sour
- Getting around
- About seven hours by bus from Lima, or six hours by car.
- Visa
- A visa is required; holders of a valid US, Schengen or UK visa may enter Peru visa-free.
Traveller reviews
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