Nazca Lines tour
I joined a small group tour which included the Nazca Lines and more of Peru – but this Paracas and Nazca Lines tour is a round-trip from Lima. You can also see these places as part of a tailor-made, independent itinerary we can design for you.
My tour included some adrenalin activities en route, and it’s safe to say these next two days were the highlight of my time in Peru!
Huacachina – an active adventure in the dunes
Our first stop was the town of Huacachina, built around a small Oasis. It’s a town encircled by some of the tallest dunes in South America, so it’s perfect for trying out a dune buggy and to sandboard down the massive slopes.
If you’re here with a tour, your guide will supply the boards, and then you set off in the dune buggies. I don’t remember if I was laughing or crying (probably both!) as I screamed my way around the dunes in the buggy. Being a wimp, I couldn’t believe how instantly I got hooked on the thrill of bouncing over the dunes at crazy speeds! You will get thrown all around as you whirl up, down and around at great speed, so hold on tight.
Having only just met the rest of my group, when it came to trying out the sand boards, I had to save face and throw myself into it face first (literally!). As you lay on that board face first at the top of a dune and wait for them to push you off, you’ll scream all kinds of words your mother should not hear, but it’s an incredible sensation, and you’ll leave Huacachina with the biggest smile on your face!
After lunch, it’s back onto the road for a two and a half hour drive over to Nazca, your base for visiting the lines.
An aerial view of the Nazca Lines
There are many myths and theories as to how and why the Nazca lines were created, yet there’s no confirmed theory. It’s believed they have been around since 500BC, but the most recent depictions were discovered as recently as 2011.
A flight over the Nazca Lines needs to be thought through carefully because you need to choose a reputable company. Previously, many operators did not comply with health and safety standards resulting in some crashes over the years. Thankfully now, the tours run like a well-oiled machine.
Most aircraft are a propeller planes seating 6 (including the two pilots). You wear headsets with microphones so that everyone can communicate. The pilots will talk you through the theories about their formation and no doubt you will come up with some of your own.
It’s a magical flight as you soar above the lines which depict a hummingbird, condor, monkey, whale, human, spider, dog, tree and some hands staring up at you. However the formations appear to you, they are certainly breath-taking and unique flight experience.
Getting back to Lima
The Nazca flight is in the morning, so after lunch, you will come back to Paracas. If you’re heading straight back to Lima from Nazca, it’s a 6-hour drive. I would recommend spending a few more days in Paracas, before visiting the Pisco wineries on the route. You could spend a few days relaxing or venture further up to the highlands for a longer adventure in Peru.