Nazca: Getting there & around

People who fly into Nazca normally fly over the Nazca Lines and return the same day. Aero Condor Perú offers overflight tour packages for small groups departing from Ica and Lima.

Nazca is a major destination for buses on the Panamericana and is easy to reach from Lima, Ica or Arequipa. Bus companies cluster at the west end of Lima, near the óvalo (main roundabout). Buses to Arequipa generally originate in Lima, and to get a seat you have to pay the Lima fare. Almost all services to Lima (8hr) and Arequipa (10-12hr), as well as to Chile via Tacna (13-15hr), leave in the late afternoon or evening. Those bound for Arequipa will often stop en route upon request at Chala (3hr) and Camaná (7hr). Cruz del Sur and Ormeño have a few luxury buses daily to Lima. Intermediate points such as Ica and Pisco are more speedily served by smaller económico bus companies, such as Flores. To go direct to Cuzco (14hr), several companies take the paved road east via Abancay. This route climbs over 4km (2.4mi) and gets very cold. The alternative is to go via Arequipa, where you can transfer to a more comfortable Cuzco-bound bus along an entirely paved route.

For Ica, fast colectivo taxis (2hr) and slower minibuses (2.5hr) leave when full from near the gas station on the óvalo . On the south side of the main roundabout, antiquated colectivo taxis wait for enough passengers to make the run across the open desert down to Chala (2.5hr).

A taxi from central Nazca to the aerodrome, located 2km (1.2mi) away, costs about US$1.00 . Sightseeing around the city center is easily done on foot.