About 4km southeast of Nazca are the 30-plus underground Cantalloc Aqueducts, many of which are still in working order and are essential in irrigating the surrounding fields. These impressive stone and wood channels and spiraling access paths were built by the Nazca people between 200 CE and 900 CE, and the site is considered to be one of the finest examples of pre-Hispanic engineering.
Locals say the water here is still good to drink. It was once possible to enter the aqueducts through the ventanas (windows), which local people use to clean the aqueducts each year. Visitors, however, are no longer permitted to go all the way in. Instead, you can wander the site and take note of the Nazca’s exceptional stonework from the outside.
It’s possible, but not necessarily safe, to walk to the aqueducts; if you do, don’t carry any valuables. Alternatively, you can hire a taxi to take you there for S4 to S5. To get a taxi for the return trip, you will probably have to walk for a few minutes to reach the Cooperativa Cantayo.
Admission is via the Boleto Turistica, which also covers entry to the nearby Paredones ruins and El Telar, a geoglyph found in the town of Buena Fe. Tours from Nazca take 2½ hours, cost from S30 per person and are often combined with visits to touristy gold and ceramics workshops.
