h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi everybody !!!

Dou you know about the Nazca Lines? Here is a nice tour description, I hope you like it and come to Nazca Peru one day.

The eighth wonder of our planet

The Nazca Lines
In the Nazca region, scattered over 500 square kilometres of an arid plateau between the Nazca River and Ingenio River, exist huge representations of geometric patterns, animals, humans figures and thousands of perfectly straight lines that go on for kilometres.
The images on the ground are so huge, that the only way to fully observe them is only from the sky. Its real purpose is unknown, nobody actually knows who made them or why?
Flying over the Nazca desert you can marvel looking at the perfect shape of a monkey, a spider, a while, a lizard and various types of birds, including humming birds, sea birds, and the mighty Andean Condor. These strange figures are more than 2000 years old, and they are known as The Nazca Lines

Flight over the Nazca Lines

Description:

At the designated time, our staff will pick you up from your hotel and afterwards you will be transferred to the local airport of Nazca, located just 4 kilometres (2,49 miles) away from downtown. Upon your arrival at the airport, our staff will show you a video film about The Nazca Lines. This interesting documentary lasts about 40 minutes and involves serious information about the Nazca Culture, as well as the figures you will see from the air. For this aerial tour, you will board a small Cessna single-engine aircraft (Stationair, Skyhawk or Skyline type), which has spacious room for 5 people, each person with a window seat. After the video, our English speaking pilot will proceed to give you a briefing about this air tour and also will give each participant a map of the archaeological zone, which shows all the figures you will see from the air, after some basic information about the Lines and safety instructions, you will board the airplane and will take off. In a matter of just 2 minutes you will be flying over the Nazca Lines zone, and the first figure you will see from the air it will be the whale. This beautiful marine deity is located on the eastern part of the archaeological complex, and was drawn over a big rectangular figure (see Nazca Lines map). As soon as we get close to the whale our pilot will let you know and then will fly in circles over it. The next figure you will see is a triangle, which appears over a small hill featuring 3 points. On the other side you will also see the famous trapezoids that, according to Erick von Daniken were ancient runways for visitors from another planet. These trapezoids are about 2 kilometres long and their perfection is stunning. Some kilometres further west we will find one of the strangest creatures on the Nazca desert “The Astronaut”. Unlike the other drawings, the astronaut was etched on the slope of a small hill, and not on the desert surface. His body is facing to the south and according to Maria Reiche it does not represent an astronaut, but a shaman or ancient Nazca priest, someone with magic powers who could predict the weather.
Later on we will fly over the monkey figure, an enormous drawing that measures about 90 metres in length, and shows at one hand five fingers and on the other just four, symbolizing the 9 month of drought the Nazca people suffered every year. The monkey figure was discovered in 1954 by Maria Reiche, and according to her point of view it is associated to the big deeper constellation. After the monkey, we will fly over the dog figure, a small drawing that according to some scholars it represents a divinity worshipped by the Nazca people. Then it comes one of the most preserve figures of the whole area “The hummingbird”, a gorgeous design perfectly made on a dark plateau located at one corner of the archaeological complex. According to Maria Reiche this figure is associated with the summer solstice, as one of the lines connected to its beak, points towards the place where the sun rises every year during our summer solstice. Not very far from the hummingbird, you will find the spider, a figure that according the local knowledge, represents the fertility and water, as this insect used to appear when it is going to rain or the water in the rivers is about to come. Some metres away we will find the huge condor figure, featuring a straight line that crosses its wings and points towards the place where the sun sets every year on summer solstice. Our next figure will be the flamingo, which is the longest figure on the desert, with over 300 metres. According to Maria Reiche the beak of this bird points towards the place where the sun rises every year on winter solstice. Then we will fly over the parrot figure, a huge bird with about 230 metres in length. In addition to the parrot you will also see several geometric designs around, and the beautiful valley of Ingenio. Finally we will fly over the Pan-American Highway, where you will see 2 figures; the hands and the Huarango tree. If you look carefully, you will find next to the tree, another figure representing a big lizard. Unfortunately when the people built the highway in 1937, they had no idea that ancient figures were drawn there, so the cut the lizard figure in two, destroying mainly the central part of its body, leaving the tail on one side of the road and on the other side part of its back, and its complete head with its two hands. After flying over these figures, we will return to the airport and during the way back you still can enjoy other straight lines that run for kilometres and a stunning panoramic view of the Nazca desert.


Flight duration: 35 minutes

See map

Included:

Private transportation to the airport.
Professional guide assistance.
Airport taxes

Important information:

The airplanes used for this aerial tour are of highest standard available.
All the planes are equipped with cloth-seats and safety belts.
All the planes have a capacity of 5 people plus pilot.
Our Pilot will be able to speak to you through the intercom.
Manoeuvres like loops and rolls are not allowed.
All flights are subject to weather and air traffic control.
This tour is operated in English unless otherwise stated.
You must send all your personal information, if booking this tour.
This tour departs from the Maria Reiche airport, located in Nazca.
Daily departures available all the year.
This tour should be booked al least 2 weeks in advance during the months of July, August and September (high season).


Source: Enrique Levano from Mystery Peru. Visit us at www.mysteryperu.com


MYSTERY PERU
Adventure Tour Operator
Telefax: +51-56-522-379
Mobile: + 51-56-969-155
Address: Ignacio Morsesky 126- Nazca/Perú
E-mail: [email protected]
MSN: [email protected]
Website: www.mysteryperu.com