Nasca Lines
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Why go
- The largest figures on the plateau, about 370 m long, cut into the desert floor
- Shallow trenches, mostly 10 to 15 cm deep, that run more than 1,300 km in all
Opening hours
Today08:00 – 16:00Show all
Don't miss
- HummingbirdA 93 m figure of a hummingbird, among the animal designs on the plateau.On the plateau between Nazca and Palpa, most designs lie in a 10 by 4 km rectangle south of San Miguel de la Pascana.Daily, 08:00–16:00 On the map
- SpiderA 47 m spider design cut into the desert floor.On the plateau between Nazca and Palpa, in the area south of San Miguel de la Pascana.Daily, 08:00–16:00 On the map
Know before you go
- Open every day, Monday to Sunday, from 08:00 until 16:00.
Tips for your visit
- Some shapes are best seen from the air, at about 500 m altitude.
- The largest figures are about 370 m long, so they are best understood from above.
With kids
- The hummingbird, 93 m long, and the condor, 134 m long, are among the large animal designs to look for.
Interesting facts4
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Morning mist hardens the exposed subsoil into a layer that shields the lines from wind erosion.
Nazca lines - Wikipedia -
The lines have stayed largely intact because the site is isolated and the air is dry and still.
Nazca lines - Wikipedia -
Researchers proposed that some figures marked where the sun rose on key dates.
Nazca lines - Wikipedia -
Scholars disagree on the purpose of the designs, but most see a religious meaning in them.
Nazca lines - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
The lines were made between 500 BC and 500 AD by people who cut into the desert floor. Two main phases are named: the Paracas phase and the Nazca phase. Paul Kosok is credited as the first scholar to study the lines in depth. A carbon-dated stake set the age of the design complex.
- 500 BC–500 ADPeople cut the lines into the desert floor, in the Paracas and Nazca phases.
- 1553Spanish conquistador Pedro Cieza de León makes the first published mention of the lines.
- 1927Archaeologist Toribio Mejía Xesspe spots the lines while hiking in the foothills.
- 1940–41A scholar flies over the lines and notices one shaped like a bird.
- 1969Erich von Däniken suggests that ancient astronauts built the figures.
Show all
- 1994The lines are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Early 21st centuryJoe Nickell reproduces the figures with the same tools the Nazca people would have had.
Sources: Nazca lines - Wikipedia · checked 25 Oct 2026
Questions and answers
Where are the Nasca Lines and how far are they from Lima?
The Nasca Lines lie on a high, arid plateau between the towns of Nazca and Palpa in southern Peru. The plateau is about 400 km south of Lima.
What are the opening hours of the Nasca Lines?
The Nasca Lines are open every day, Monday to Sunday, from 08:00 until 16:00.
How do you get to the Nasca Lines from Lima?
The plateau is about 400 km south of Lima. The Panamericana Sur highway runs parallel to it.
Can you see the Nasca Lines from the air?
Some shapes in the Nasca Lines are best seen from the air, at about 500 m altitude. The largest figures are about 370 m long.
How big are the Nasca Lines?
The largest figures are about 370 m long. All the lines combined run more than 1,300 km across the desert floor.
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