Paracas, Ica and Nazca: Fly over the Nazca Lines

Fly over the Nazca Lines

Mystery surrounds the origins of these endlessly intriguing geoglyphs, created by the Nazca people well over a millennium ago for a purpose we can today only guess at. What is clear is that the stylised forms, many in the shape of animals, people or flowers, can only be appreciated from the air, causing bafflement as to how and why an ancient culture would draw them so precisely and on such a huge scale. You'll also be amazed at how well these seemingly fragile desert markings have withstood the centuries, surviving as a perfect if enigmatic record of their creators' artistry.

Light aircraft flights from Pisco on the coast circle directly over the Nazca Lines for around half an hour. There is live commentary pointing out each of the different shapes in the sand, including the distinctive monkey, spider, condor and hummingbird designs and the much-discussed 'spaceman'.