5. Overflight of the Nazca Lines
We will pick you up from the bus terminal or hotel in the center of Nazca to take you to the Nazca aerodrome. Upon arrival, we will first go through the necessary procedure, which takes about 45 minutes, and prepare ourselves to soar over these fantastic figures. The Nazca Lines are located in the desert plains between Nazca and Palpa, 447 kilometers from the city of Lima, in one of the driest deserts in the world. The first references to the existence of the lines date back to the year 1547. However, they were discovered by the Peruvian archaeologist Toribio Mejía Xesspe in 1927. The German archaeologist Maria Reiche dedicated her life to the study and preservation of the Nazca Lines from 1946. According to her theory, the lines represent a giant solar and lunar calendar, used by ancient astronomers. There are many theories about the purpose of these drawings. One of them is the possible connection with extraterrestrials, or that the inhabitants created these giant works to be seen by their gods from the sky. To this day, there is no certain information about their purpose. If you chose the 30-minute flight, you will see 13 figures such as the whale, trapezoids, the dog, the astronaut, the monkey, the condor, the compass, the spider, the hummingbird, the parrot, the tree, the hand, and the albatross. If you chose the 1-hour flight (minimum 4 people are required), you will be able to appreciate 21 figures over the beautiful Nazca and Palpa plains. First, you will see the 13 figures mentioned above, and then you will fly over the Palpa plains with new and fantastic lines discovered, like the heron, the crane, the pelican, the seagull, the parrot, the snail, llamas, iguana, lizard, snakes, and various birds. The Nazca culture developed between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, excelling in their polychrome ceramics, textiles, and metalwork. Their ceremonial center is located in Cahuachi, situated in the Nazca River valley. With a network of aqueducts, they managed to fertilize their lands and engage in agriculture. The Nazca Lines are remarkable works of this culture, and theories range from fantastical events to scientific perspectives. After the flight, you will be transferred to your hotel in the city of Nazca or the bus station, according to your itinerary.