Peru Day 4 - Overflight Nazca Line

Overflight to see Nasca Line

We left Huacachina around 7 am this morning and we took the Peru Tour bus to the town of Nazca (3 hours ride). In Nazca, we took the dizzying overflight to see the famous Nazca lines, and at 4-6 pm will be checking it out from the ground. 

We booked the Nazca line tour through our hostel Banana Adventure in Huacachina last night. The tour operator had a taxi picked us up at the hotel this morning and was escorted by the cutie front desk Tito to Peru Bus in Ica. In Nazca, we were picked up by the tour operator and took us to his office and also a hostel to drop off our luggage before going to the airport. The process was very confusing not being able to speak Spanish.

The Tour Operator made us wait even after I explained we have a 3 pm schedule for the bus to Arequipa so we want to do the overflight as early as we could but he insisted we are not going to make it for the 12-noon schedule. He sat us down and started hustling us to sign up for a ground tour and promised to help us change our bus schedule for the overnight trip. He will also provide a room for us to rest before our night bus ride. Believing that we don't have enough time to do the Nasca line tour and catch our 3 pm bus to Arequipa, I felt defeated and agreed to the ground tour.

We first went to the bus station to change our schedule. The tour operator said we have to pay extra, not understanding the Spanish language, we actually ended up forfeiting our afternoon tickets and paid for another ticket. I couldn't help to be annoyed but Tina was just agreeing to everything he says so I went along. Once back to the hostel with wifi, I emailed the hotel in Arequipa to notify them of our arrival time hoping not to get penalized for the first night. Luckily we weren't so that made me feel better.

When we got to the airport, we lined up to pay for our tickets and they made us stand on the weighing scale. They cost us about $100 each. We waited for approximately 10-15 minutes before taking us to the tarmac. The NAZCA LINE is are a series of large ancient geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert, in southern Peru. The largest figures are up to 370 m (1,200 ft) long. Its geoglyphs and lines date back to 500 B.C. through A.D. 500. and represent animals, plant life, and other extraordinary figures. Because they are huge, it is best to see them from above.

The flight was short but long enough to feel dizzy. I was seated at the back and there was not enough air that I didn't enjoy the flight. Since it was in the middle of the day, the sun was harsh and it was hard to spot some of the famous lines. I just shoot and shoot hoping to get one. Luckily I did and after that, I started feeling dizzy so I stop looking out anymore. Everyone was quiet in the last minutes before going back. I suspected they are feeling the same way except I couldn't hold off anymore and so I grabbed the puked bag provided and tried to relieve myself quietly.

Since it is my first time to ride in a small plane and having to live to tell the tale of seeing the famous Nasca line from above made it worth it even though the flying experience is not that great.

After the flight, we went back to the hotel and ate lunch prepared by the owner's wife which is included in the package. We watched her cook in a makeshift kitchen at the back garden while we wait. After lunch, we rested in the room before our 4 pm ground tour of the Nazca aqueducts. The NAZCA AQUEDUCTS are large spiraling, rock-lined holes that lead to an underground network of ancient aqueducts. These aqueducts form part of a sophisticated hydraulic system containing trenches, tunnels, and wells - known collectively as puquios - that bring water from underground aquifers up to the surface for domestic and agricultural use.

In retrospect, the hustle of getting forced to change our schedule and spending more than we planned annoyed me at first but when I decided to just let it be, told myself to go with the flow, enjoy the moment, that's when I felt better and turned my experiences into memorable moments. I learned about the Nazca aqueducts for the first time and got to hang out with our new friend Tim Fienitz from Germany who was with us since Ica. Most of all for little time and money, we are contributing to the economy of Peru, or let us say the people who are working hard for the money.

TIP:  You can take a taxi from the bus station and go straight to the airport and buy a ticket there. They have a place to store your luggage. There may be a waiting time and depending on the weather.