In the arid Peruvian coastal plain, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Lima, living creatures, stylized plants and imaginary beings as well as geometric figures several kilometers long were scratched into the dry earth like ancient graffiti between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. The ‘Nazca Lines’ are, according to UNESCO, “the most outstanding group of geoglyphs anywhere in the world” and remain among archaeology’s greatest enigmas because of their quantity, nature, size and continuity.

These mysterious desert drawings are believed to have had ritual astronomical functions and were first spotted when Faucett, an early Peruvian airline, began flying from Lima to the southern Peruvian city of Arequipa in the 1920s. Flying over these inexplicable earth drawings remains the best way to appreciate their awe-inspiring beauty.

Please note that pre- and post- Amazon cruise itineraries are not included in the Aqua Expeditions Amazon River cruise rates and are priced separately. We will be happy to recommend our preferred tour operators to arrange this component of your Peru holiday.