Another must-see for many people when travelling in Peru, and South America in general, is the amazing Nazca Lines. Basically it is figures created in the desert around Nazca, which can only be seen from the air. It is estimated that the lines are created around 200 BC to 700 AD by the Nazca culture. This is the main attraction of Nazca, and often the only reason to go there.

The best option to see the Nazca lines is to fly over them with a plane. This is pretty expensive though, and takes between 20 and 35 minutes, depending on which plane you choose. The price varies from $50-$90 dollars, and an airport tax of s/20 soles. You can arrange a trip the same day as you arrive, so most people either leave the same day or just spend one night in Nazca. I expected it to be harder to arrange, so I got a hostel before arranging my trips over the lines, and had to spend a night there – which I regret. I would recommend just going there in one day, do the lines and maybe go see the mummies near Nazca [link], and then leave the same day. Nazca is not really worth staying in, and the town has nothing special to offer.

The flight over the Nazca lines is an amazing thing, and really makes you wonder why they made those figures. I went with a plane for about 35 minutes with 3 other people. If you suffer from motion sickness, you should try to take some motion sickness medicine before, as the plane goes around and tip a lot to the sides to give a good view of the lines. Most people don’t seem to have problems with it though, but there are always plastic bags in the plane if you get sick.

If you don’t like to fly, it is possible to catch a bus going north (buses to Ica go this way) and stop at the watch-tower, where you can see 3 of the figures; the Tree, the Hands and the Lizard, which is cut in half by the road. I did not went there though, and will definitely recommend flying over the lines instead, as it is an experience in itself flying in one of the small planes.

Tips for visiting Nazca

• Go to the airport to buy the tickets for the lines; if you can, gather 3-4 people as this will reduce the waiting time. (if you go there alone, you have to wait until there are at least 2-3 other people going on the tour)
• Don’t spend more than a day in Nazca – you it is possible to see everything Nazca has to offer in just a half day.
• Go visit the mummies in Nazca [link] while you’re there, but don’t pay more than 20 soles for a ride and a guide out there.