Nazca Lines
Good for: mystery
- Address
- N of Nazca
Lonely Planet review for Nazca Lines
Spread over 500 sq km (310 sq mi) of arid, rock-strewn plain in the Pampa Colorada (Red Plain), the Nazca Lines are one of the world's great archaeological mysteries. Comprising over 800 straight lines, 300 geometric figures (geoglyphs) and 70 animal and plant drawings (biomorphs), the lines are almost imperceptible on the ground. From above, they form a striking network of stylized figures and channels, many of which radiate from a central axis.
The figures are mostly etched out in single continuous lines, while the encompassing geoglyphs form perfect triangles, rectangles or straight lines running for several kilometers across the desert.
The lines were made by the simple process of removing the dark sun-baked stones from the surface of the desert and piling them up on either side of the lines, thus exposing the lighter, powdery gypsum-laden soil below. The most elaborate designs represent animals, including a huge lizard, a monkey with an extravagantly curled tail, and a condor with a 130m (426ft) wingspan. There's also a hummingbird, spider and an intriguing owl-headed person on a hillside, popularly referred to as an astronaut because of its goldfish-bowl shaped head - though some believe it's a priest with a mystical owl's head.
Traveller reviews for Nazca Lines (2)
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Great Nazca Tours - small company with incredible service!
aaanni recommends this,
For me the most important part was to understand the background of the lines. As we wanted to save money and only had half a day in Nazca here is a great alternative to the expensive flights:
GREAT NAZCA TOURS is a new and small company that offers great and flexible service. We decided to stop in Nazca on our way to Lima, so I wrote an email to the company to ask weather it´s possible to do a tour the next day as we arrived at 4pm. Whihtout any further communication we were picked up at the bus, went by car buying our bus tickets to lima and to the bank and seraching for a hostel. Finally we saw the lines in the evening and the cementary the next day in the morning for an incredible low price. The guide spoke spanish and english and talked a lot about historical and cultural backgrounds and answered all the questions we had. In total we had a great time, learned a lot about the peruvian culture and were able to make the most out of the few time we had!! So I can highly recommend the company to anobody that is going to Nazca:
Great Nazca Tours
info@greatnazcatours.com
Mobil: 956960737 -
