The Nazca Lines, Peru

The spectacular Nazca Lines amaze and baffle archaeologists in equal measure.

Nazca Lines, Peru © Dmitry Islentyev | Dreamstime

Travelers making their way through Peru from Arequipa or Cuzco to Lima are advised to stop and see the famous Lines, which are located just off the Pan-American highway. Although you could easily miss the lines themselves from the road, the barren desert of southern Peru is suddenly interrupted by signs offering flights over the lines, or the chance to observe them from a tower.

Strips of white crisscross the desert, some of which stretch further than the eye can see. Among the simple geometric designs, there are intricate figures including a spider, a monkey and a hand. Archaeologists are still baffled by the origins of the lines, which can only be properly examined from the air.

Nazca Lines, Peru © Tr3gi | Dreamstime

Their study revealed more than 800 straight lines exist alongside 300 geometric designs and 70 animals or plants. The exact meaning of the lines is subject to debate, but the current prevailing theory is the designs were used to ask the gods for rain in the incredibly arid area.

See the lines for yourself on a 35-minute flight in a small Cessna plane from Maria Reiche Airport, named after the German archaeologist who spent 40 years studying the lines. For those on a tighter budget, take a trip up an observation tower or make your way to the top of a rocky hill, which affords restricted views over the archaeological marvels.