Flight of the Nazca Lines: one of the world's great mysteries

Flight of the Nazca Lines: one of the world's great mysteries

Take a Nazca Lines flight over one of the world's greatest archaeological mysteries. The 1,000-year-old eerie figures are best seen from the sky

Hardly anything sparks my wanderlust as much as a great travel secret. And when it comes to travel secrets, one of the biggest is the mysterious lines of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru.

The network includes over 800 straight lines, 300 geometric figures known as “geoglyphs,” and 70 animal and plant drawings, or “biomorphs.” The lines are largely undetectable from the ground– hFrom the sky above, however, they reveal a captivating network of figures and channels that spreads across the desert below.

We booked our Nazca Lines flight with Peru Nasca Tours, who picked us up from our hotel in the morning for the short taxi ride to the small but cozy Maria Reiche Neuman Airport, named after the German mathematician and archaeologist who dedicated her life's work to researching and preserving the Nazca Lines.

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Upon arrival at the airport we met our co-pilot, a charismatic Frenchman named Christopher who has been flying above the lines for several years. (Needless to say, I kept Kia away from our charming French pilot...)

After completing some formalities and paying the airport tax ($8), we received a map of the flight route and watched a National Geographic documentary in the queues while we waited for our flight. It didn't take long before our plane was ready to take us into the sky.

Kia and I love flying in small planes, having taken lessons and flown over dramatic landscapes in small planes in Tonga. We squeezed into the small Cessna plane with just two other passengers and connected to the plane's intercom system.

“Can everyone hear me?” asked Christopher. "Complete?" "Yes!" we answered in unison. “Then let’s go!”

Two minutes later we were at 900 m (3,000 feet) above sea level, looking down at the desert just 500 meters below (the desert is 500 to 600 meters above sea level).

The lines extend in all directions and are said to have been hand-etched into the desert over decades, perhaps even centuries, beginning in 200 AD. To the untrained eye they appear random and disjointed, but to the Nazca civilization they were of great importance - important enough to devote large parts of their lives to designing and creating these huge lines.

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However, it's not the lines but the animal figures that are really fascinating. The flight path ensures that all passengers, whether seated on the left or right of the plane, have a good view of at least 13 famous people as well as the giant winter and summer solstice lines.

The pilot circles each figure, tilting his wings so that each side has the best view of the geoglyphs beneath the plane's wingtip. The figures range from 40 to 300 meters tall and include a spider, whale, hummingbird, monkey, condor and even an astronaut!

Thirty minutes (literally) passed and before we knew it we were banked for the last time before hurtling onto the tarmac of the runway we had left just half an hour before.

So who were the Nazca Lines made for? How long did it take to make them? What did they mean? Could the ancient Nazca people perhaps fly? Were they offerings to the gods or perhaps even aliens? We'll probably never know the answers to these questions, which is exactly what makes the Nazca Lines such a fascinating travel mystery.

Flight with the Nazca Lines: The most important thing

What: 30-minute Nazca Lines flight over the Nazca Desert on the southern coast of Peru. Information and maps are available for the flight, as well as explanatory comments from the co-pilot on where and when to look during the flight. Each aircraft carries 3-5 passengers, all with window seats.

Where: Nazca is a perfectly accessible city with a wide range of accommodation and restaurants. We stayed at Hospedaje Yemaya, a simple, clean and comfortable hotel with WiFi right on the main road. The friendly owner will be happy to help you organize other excursions in the area and recommend restaurants to suit all budgets.

When: The Nazca Desert is generally hot and sunny year-round with clear blue skies most days. Pilots say visibility is usually best between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and turbulence is less. Booking with Peru Nasca Tours will ensure you fly at the optimal time.

How: Nazca can be reached by bus from Lima in the north or Cusco in the east. Both options require frequently changing overnight buses in Arequipa, but can be relatively comfortable if you book the reclining seat (cama) options. Some bus companies (like Cruz del Sur) offer “VIP” services that are worth the few extra dollars for the added convenience they provide.

Maria Reiche Neuman Airport is intended only for Nazca Lines flights and other charter flights and has no connecting flights to other Peruvian cities. We stayed two nights, which is enough time to ensure you see the lines, but you may want to take advantage of other tours and excursions in the area.

Book in advance with Peru Nasca Tours via their website or contact them directly at info@perunascatours.com. A 30-minute flight with Nazca Lines costs $110 without the $8 airport tax.

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