The Nazca lines are geoglyphs made by the Nazca culture who lived in the area from about 1-700 CE. There are many straight lines as well as 300 geometric figures and 70 animal and plant designs called biomorphs. They so well known that even Peru’s marketing symbol was designed in the Nazca style.

The best way to see the Nazca lines is from the air. Many tour agencies offer flights over the Nazca lines. If you decide to go fly over the Nazca lines, be prepared for potential turbulence over the desert.

Here’s a great National Geographic article about the Nazca lines with more information than I could fit in an app.

The San Fernando reserve (below) is on the coast a 3 hour drive from Nazca going by Marcona on a road. You can also rent dune buggies and drive through the desert from Nazca straight to the coast. Agencies that rent dune buggies also sell tours that include sand boarding and other activities.

Transport

The town of Nazca is a 7 hour drive south of Lima or 10 hours north of Arequipa. Despite the town’s tourism being based on flying over the lines, it does not have an airport that links it to larger cities in Peru.