15 Nazca Lines Facts You Might Not Know

Nazca Lines & Paracas, Travel Tips, Travel To Peru

Located south of Lima in the Peruvian coastal desert is the small town of Nazca. The city is a great place to spend a few days relaxing in one of the many hotels with a pool. Throughout the year, the weather is perfect and there is almost no rainfall to speak of the entire year. What most people come to Nazca to see are the mysterious Nazca Lines that lie just outside the city. For this reason, together with the experts of Cusco Peru Travel, we have prepared a small article about the many Nazca Lines facts that you should know. Here we are going to give you some information about the Nazca Lines that perhaps you did not know.

The most important Nazca Lines facts to know about

Nazca Lines facts and information
Make the most of your journey
Excursions to the Ballestas Islands
A Geoglyph out of Nazca
Beaches around to enjoy

NAZCA LINES FACTS AND INFORMATION

What are the Nazca lines? This question is one of many that will be answered on your luxury tour. The Nazca lines are one of the most mysterious tourist destinations and attractions. Despite there is still so much to discover, certain data is known with certainty. Among the different Nazca lines facts you can find:

There are more than 800 straight lines, 300 geometric figures, and 70 animal and plant designs.
The largest figure found in Nazca stretches about 200 meters wide.
The longest figure found at Nazca is 9 miles long.
According to archaeologists, these mysterious lines and drawings were created by the Nazca people between the 1st and 8th centuries.
The lines were formed by careful removal of the reddish pebbles that make up the desert’s surface.
The Nazca desert in southern Peru is one of the driest places on earth, with little wind and mild throughout the year, perfect conditions for the preservation of lines.
The total area of the Nazca Lines is around 500 square km.
Most lines are a shallow trench 10-15cm deep.
Many people believe that the lines can only be seen from the air, but can also be seen from the surrounding hills.
The most famous drawings of Nazca are the hummingbird, the condor, the heron, the astronaut, the spider, the pelican, the dog, the hands, and the monkey.
The rapid change in weather conditions around the world could cause extreme damage to the Nazca Lines, as only a small amount of water is needed for the Nazca lines to disappear.
According to research by a University in the United States, the lines have an electrical conductivity 8,000 times higher than that of the neighboring desert.
The region around the lines is a mineral-rich environment where nitrates have been found in abundant quantities.
The researchers say that the Spider is an anamorphic diagram of the constellation Orion. Being able to come to appreciate this figure is one of the best things to do in Nazca.
In a publicity stunt from December 2014, Greenpeace places a series of large fabric letters visible from the air that say “Time to change! The future is renewable GREENPEACE ”in the area next to the Hummingbird leaving footprints on the ground, they have since apologized.

Despite the different Nazca lines facts that we know for sure, the Nazca Lines mystery continues today. Since no one knows the purpose of the lines and who built them.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR JOURNEY

To make your trip unique, it is a good idea to take advantage of nearby destinations. North of Nazca is the Paracas National Reserve and the city of Paracas. This small seaside town has many charming resort-style hotels for you to spend a few days relaxing. Some of which are the Aranwa Paracas, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, and the Paracas Luxury Collection resort. These are some of the wonderful five-star hotels to stay. If the budget doesn’t stretch to five stars, consider some of the other hotels on offer.

EXCURSIONS TO THE BALLESTAS ISLANDS

If you are traveling near Paracas, you can choose to visit the coastal town of Pisco. This small town was devastated by an earthquake a few years ago and does not seem to recover. From the port, in Pisco, you can take a speedboat tour to the Ballestas Islands. Grandly nicknamed the “Poor Man’s Galapagos,” the Ballestas Islands are a memorable excursion. The only way to get here is by boat tour, offered by many travel agencies and hotels. The different luxury Peru tours depart at 8 am, 10 am and noon from Pisco. The 8 am tour generally has the calmest seas and the best wildlife viewing. While the two-hour tours do not land on the islands, they do bring you surprisingly close to an impressive array of wildlife.

A GEOGLYPH OUT OF NAZCA

On your tour of the Ballestas Islands, you will see a giant three-pointed figure etched into the sandy hills. This figure is called Candelabra and is over 150 m high and 50 m wide. No one knows exactly who made the glyph or when or what it means, but theories abound. Some usually connect it with the famous Nazca Lines. While others propose it, it served as a navigational guide for sailors and was based on the constellation of the Southern Cross. Some even believe that it was inspired by a local cactus species with hallucinogenic properties.

BEACHES AROUND TO ENJOY

Nearby Paracas is the vast desert reserve that occupies most of the Paracas peninsula and is home to remote beaches backed by spectacular arid landscapes and an abundance of wonderful wildlife. In front of the Interpretation Center, near the park entrance, there is a viewpoint from which it is possible to see Chilean flamingos in the bay. Further south, La Mina is the best beach in the reserve with soft waters perfect for swimming. To the west of La Mina, you can find Punta Arquillo, home to an important colony of sea lions. Being able to enjoy the different beaches is one of the many reasons to visit Peru.

“SOME BEAUTIFUL PATHS CAN’T BE DISCOVERED WITHOUT GETTING LOST.”

As you can see, the Nazca lines are one of the many treasures that Peru has to offer. We hope together with the experts from Cusco Peru Travel to have been helpful. Remember that the different routes of Nazca can be enjoyed whenever you like. If you wish, you can consult with our qualified advisors. They will be happy to help you fulfill the trip of your dreams.

Peru has many wonders waiting for you to be discovered. Here in Cusco Peru Travel, our speciality is to make your trip an outstanding experience, fill-in this form and let your tailor-made luxury Peru vacation begin.