The hook
Enormous figures, a hummingbird, a monkey, a spider, and straight lines running for kilometres, etched into the desert floor two thousand years ago, so vast they only reveal themselves from the air, and so mysterious no one is certain why they were made.
01Why it's worth it
On the arid coastal plain of southern Peru, the ancient Nazca people created one of the world's most enigmatic wonders: hundreds of geoglyphs, giant designs made by removing the dark surface stones to expose the pale ground beneath, ranging from long, ruler-straight lines and geometric shapes to huge, stylised figures of animals and plants, including a hummingbird, a monkey with a curled tail, a spider, and a whale, some hundreds of metres across. Made around two thousand years ago and preserved by the exceptionally dry, windless climate, they are so large that their forms are only fully legible from high above, which has fuelled endless speculation about their purpose, from astronomical calendars to ritual pathways to water-related ceremonies (the fringe "ancient astronauts" theories are not taken seriously by archaeologists). The standard and best way to see them is a flight in a small plane that banks over the major figures, a bumpy but unforgettable half-hour; a roadside viewing tower shows a couple of figures for those who prefer to stay grounded. The lines are a haunting reminder of a sophisticated culture and an enduring mystery.
02How to experience it
Take a morning small-plane flight (smoother before the winds pick up) over the main figures from the Nazca or Pisco airstrips, and expect some banking and queasiness, so go easy on breakfast. The observation tower and a museum offer a lower-key alternative. Combine it with the nearby Ballestas Islands and Huacachina oasis on the coast.
The honest note
Peru's practical warnings cluster around altitude and distance rather than this site itself, and both shape whether Nazca fits a trip: "most of the main attractions are at high elevation, so get some acetazolamide if you can," and the country is large enough that "most of the travel you will do is via bus, and some of the segments are 10 hours plus." Nazca sits on the coastal desert route south of Lima — cheap to reach by bus, but a long way from the Andean highlights most people come for.