To the south of the city of Ica, the Pan Americana highway cuts through the desert of sand dunes to km 422, before of Nazca city. There are lines were made by removing the iron oxide coated pebbles which cover the surface of the Nazca desert. When the gravel is removed, they contrast with the light-colored earth underneath. There are several hundred simple lines and geometric patterns on the Nazca plateau, as well as over seventy curvilinear animal, insect, and human figures. The area encompassing the lines is nearly 200 square miles, and the largest figures can be nearly 900 feet long.
The lines persist due to the extremely dry, windless, and constant climate of the Nazca region: the Nazca desert is one of the driest on Earth and maintains a temperature around 25°C (77°F) year round, and the lack of wind has helped keep the lines uncovered to the present day.
The Nazca Lines are gigantic geoglyphs located between Palpa and Nazca desert, there were created by the Nazca culture between 200 BC and 600 AD. There are hundreds of individual figures, ranging in complexity from simple lines to stylized hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, and lizards. The Nazca lines cannot be recognized as coherent figures except from the air.
Since their discovery, various theories have been proposed regarding the methods and motivations behind the lines' construction.
Tour Itinerary:
At 7am transfer to the aerodrome Maria Reiche. AM - Informative video about the Nasca civilization (45 min). Fly over the Nasca lines by light Cessna plane (35min) - The Nasca lines are located in the desert, a high arid plateau that stretches between Nasca and Palpa on the pampa (a large flat area of southern Peru). The Nasca lines are geoglyphs and geometric line clearings in the Peruvian desert.
The Nasca lines are an enigma. Since their discovery, the Nasca lines have inspired fantastic explanations from ancient gods, a landing strip for returning aliens, a celestial calendar created by the ancient civilization, used for rituals probably related to astronomy, or clans who made up the population and to determine through ritual their economic functions held up by reciprocity and redistribution, or a map of underground water supplies. Flying over the area you can marvel looking at the perfect shape of Animal’s, flowers, plants, objects, and anthropomorphic figures of colossal proportions made with well-defined lines. After flight transfer to the hotel or to the bus station and end service.
Price Includes:
- Welcoming reception at the bus station and transfer to the hotel or our local office (we need the name, from where and arrival time of your bus). If you don’t want spend a night in Nasca we have place to keep your luggage
- Transfer from Hotel/Airport/Hotel
- Airport taxes
- Light plane (Cessna 172 - 182 - 206)
- 35min of fly over Nasca lines
- Tour price includes government sales taxes (19%)
Price Excludes:
- Alcoholic drinks
- Breakfast on the first day
- Bus ticket confirmation
- Phone calls
- Food
- Tips for the pilot and camp staff
Rain Season: Some cloudy days, specially in the morning.
Best Time for Picture: All the year, if some morning is cloud we flight after mid day.
Advice for Visitors: Visitors come to see the Nasca lines, we advice to book the trip 2 months in advance and avoid to lose time waiting for a remote possibility to find free seat at the light plane. Take camera to manoeuvre easily in order to photograph each figure. If possible take a 35-85 wide angle lens to capture the full size. Take note of the pilot´s comments, he will indicate the right moment in which to appreciate the figures when to photograph them.
What You Need to Bring/Carry:
- Hat or cap to protect you from the sun
- Sun block (sun protection cream)
- Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries
- Binoculars
- Summer clothes.
Technical News:
1. Each aircraft has room for 3 or 5 passengers, everyone with a window seat, so that these spectacular drawings can be viewed and photographed.
2. Aircraft adapted for filming and aerophotography service.
3. Tourism air transportation and observation operations, with SEM equivalent maintenance system.
4. The pilots are highly qualified and speak English, they will guide you throughout the flight over the desert.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Backpacker service (Join a group):
1 to more participants US$65 each
Private VIP service (private light aircraft):
2 participants US$125 each
3-4 participants US$95 each
5 to more participants US$70 each
Discount 5%: South American Explorers Club Members
Discount 10%: Tour Operators or Travel Agencies Only
Students: US$25 discount only with valid green ISIC card
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Peru
Archeology/History
Flightseeing
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