Geoglyphs etched into the desert floor of the Ingenio Valley by the Nazca culture between 500 BC and 500 AD. The lines were made by removing the dark surface stones to reveal the lighter ground beneath. They depict animals — hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, condors — and abstract geometric patterns, some several kilometres long. Because the designs are visible only from altitude, they were unknown to the outside world until commercial aviation made overflights possible. Small planes carrying four to ten passengers depart from Nazca aerodrome; flights last 30 to 45 minutes. Those susceptible to motion sickness should take precautions — the planes bank steeply to give both sides of the aircraft a view.
Nazca Lines
Ancient geoglyphs visible only from the air
A story
Maria Reiche, a German mathematician, spent over 50 years measuring and mapping the Nazca Lines, sleeping on the desert plain to protect them from vehicle damage. She proved that many of the lines align with solar and stellar events, though the purpose of the figures remains disputed.