Our tour through Alegra Travel put us on a reputable airline
After 2 days of shopping and research, Neil and I stepped into a small 6-seater airplane that seemed to be the same size as my Mazda Protégé at home. Two captains shimmied in as well and welcomed us to the Nazca Lines, a series of mysterious desert etchings in the Peruvian sand. The men were very professional and explained how the flight would proceed. Over a timeframe of 30 minutes, we’d visit 14 sand etches. The craft would circle around, allowing each side of the plane to have its turn and view the lines.
Just under the wing of a small aircraft, the Nazca Lines stretch for miles
While the pilots executed their checks and communicated with air traffic control, Neil and I strapped into our seats and even managed to snap some happy photos in the belly of the plane. I was confident that we’d be ok, even after hearing horror stories of motion sickness. We’d popped half a tablet of Dramamine each and settled back for an unforgettable flight.
Buckle up! It's time for the ride of your life over the Nazca Desert
Nausea on the Runway at Nazca
The first sign of our overconfidence came during take off. As the wheels spun and the wings took flight, the first gust of air swung us to the left. Head bobbling, I locked my knees against a sideswipe that felt like an invisible giant had donkey-kicked the side of the plane. I looked at Neil who stared back, eyes blinking. “Ah…It’s probably nothing.”
The wind screaming past the windows, the co-pilot began to speak through our headsets. With a finger on a map, he drew a simple course through the Nazca Desert and named some of the etchings we’d see: the astronaut, monkey, whale, condor, and hummingbird. With every ounce of will power, I tried to concentrate and steady the camera. But the nausea gnawed and my forehead began to sweat icicles.
On the red-brown rocks of Naca, the Astronaut waves
The View Over the Nazca Lines
Once up in the air and stubbornly ignoring the cold sweat, I gazed out the window and over the desert sands. White sands stretched for miles, bisected by the Pan-American Highway. While my eyes adjusted, the co-pilot gave specific instructions on how to find each illustration. “Follow the wing. Next to the second tier of rocks. There! The Astronaut.”
The Nazca Lines sprouted out of the ground: the hummingbird in mid-flight, the astronaut gazing into the galaxy, and the whale leaping over waves. It’s amazing to think that a society of ancient peoples etched these into the sands and that experts like Maria Reiches protected it over the decades. Many of our travel buddies said that they
Love the Hummingbird Lines. So beautiful and insane to think how they made those wings!
were skipping Nazca because they had heard the cost was too high. Others went to the lookout tower for a cheap birdseye view. But to be honest, if you want to see the lines, you will have to fork over the cash and pop the Dramamine to get it. During high season, you will pay exorbitant prices. But when we arrived in Nazca in December, we were able to shop around for the best prices at the most reputable vendors. Some tour companies wanted over US$200 for the 30-minute flight. We bargained one place down and received the student discount for US$85. Happy flights!
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