Nazca Lines: Is it worth the flight?

The lines of Nazca are as mysterious as history can get. A series of 300+ huge geopglyphs portraying plants, birds, animals and bizarre shapes spread across an arid plateau in South Peru. The sizes of these arts make it easier experiencing from an aerial perspective. But is it worth taking the flight to see the Nazca Lines?

Researchers have multiple theories about the reasons why the Nazca people drew these geoglyphs which ranges from alien theory, religious rituals praying for water to astronomy. Whatever the reason was, flying over this UNESCO World Heritage site was an experience in itself. The lines are about 10-15 cm deep on the soil and the largest ones are about 370 m long. The contrast created by the depression in red soil reveals many interesting figures, and hence, the interesting theories.

Our Doubts

Honestly, we had our reservations about doing this for various reasons – expensive ($100 per person plus departure tax for a 30 minute flight), possibility of nausea and safety concerns. In the past few years, Peru government has taken necessary steps to tighten the safety measures of these flights. But, it is still recommended to check the reviews of the flight carriers that you choose to fly with.

So should you take the Nazca Lines flight? Yes, of course. The flights are still the best way to experience these cryptic lines. Also, this experience is one of the highlights of our trip to South Peru.

Preparation for the flight

We were concerned about the nausea. The aircraft is small and the pilot will tilt it both ways, one by one, so that people on either side of the plane, can see all figures prominently. This tilt and turn method has the potential to mess up a filled stomach. So, we decided not to have breakfast before the flight (so wise of us!). Since we didn’t want to miss the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we timed our flight such that we can return from the ride and savour our breakfast.

Pre-flight rituals – Maria Reiche Airport

The onboarding is not that punctual and you may have to wait for at least half an hour, depending on the rush. The waiting area is a small place with the kiosks of the 8 flight carriers. We got a map of the area of the tour and the sequence in which the geoglyphs would appear.

After some wait, our passports were checked and we entered an open area where the aircrafts were parked. The pilot and co-pilot briefed us about the safety procedures and how we can see each figure when they incline the plane in that direction. There were 6 passengers, 3 on either side and they mentioned that we would take turn to view the lines and they would provide instructions through the headphones (given to us when we boarded). The space felt like no more than a mid-sized family car. As the sitting pattern depends on weight distribution of the passengers, we didn’t get to sit next to each other. So, no chance of holding hands with the wife!

I was rehearsing in my mind the recommendations of our instructor to avoid nausea. “Always look straight and turn your head to look outside the window when your turn comes to see a Nazca Line”. All set for the mission and there we go.

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The window beside the pilot was open and while I was wondering if it was meant to be like that, the pilot closed it while we were on the runway. Pretty casual, I thought, like we normally do in our car. It takes few minutes to reach the plains that hold these geoglyphs.

The Nazca Lines

Excitement started with our first encounter, the figure of a whale. You hear the co-pilot as he calls it out over the mike. The figure of the whale was one of the smaller ones, there is a chance to miss it. Don’t worry, you get used to this exercise of spotting the figures, it becomes easier and the co-pilot-cum-guide calls it out in advance and we got enough time to see each geoglyph and even photograph them. A word of caution, there might be turbulence sometimes, and you might feel nauseated, so keep your head straight and concentrate only when it’s your turn to see.

Some of the geoglyphs were easy to spot and pretty amazing how they managed to create this lines with such precision. The monkey was my personal favorite, the tail of which is used in the logo of Peru tourism, check out the ‘P’. The hummingbird, the condor and the spider are stunning pieces of work that mix geometric precision, symmetry and creativity.

Quick Tips to enjoy the flight

Have light breakfast or wait until you take the flight, if you can. Try earlier slots in the morning.

Don’t try to take too many photographs from the flight.

Look down only when it is your turn, otherwise stay cool. You will get ample chance to see each geoglyph. As you can see, we cannot emphasize this enough!

The alternative way to see the Nazca lines

There is a less expensive way to have a glimpse of couple of figures – the ‘Tree’ and the ‘Hands’. The arid plains, on which the collection of figures was created, lie on both sides of the highway. A watchtower has been setup right beside this highway, which gives a chance to take a close look at some of the lines. This quick stopover helped us see the depth of the lines and have an understanding how these are made prominent on the blackish soil that is visible from the air. The views from the tower are limited and that’s why the flight tour is still the best way to experience the Nazca lines. But the tower is definitely worth a visit.

Even though we saw these two figures from the flight, we still enjoyed the different perspective while seeing this from the watch tower.

The Aquaducts of Nazca

The aquaducts of Nazca are the other interesting structures towards North of the Nazca city. While these structures are visible from the Nazca flights, it is worth visiting the site to have a closer look at these ancient spiral rock structures that enable water supply to the city and for irrigation, even to this day!

So, what’s our verdict on the Nazca Lines flight?

Yes, definitely. If you can plan it well, you will be witnessing a huge gallery of ancient geoglyphs with the best possible views.

Our concerns aside, the aerial tour was a captivating experience of the wonderful work that survived thousands of years and leaves you wondering about the reasons behind this enormous geoplyphs.

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