The Nazca Lines are a group of geoglyphs in the soil of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru and are considered a World Heritage Site. The geoglyphs were made (between 100 BC and 300 AD) by excavating shallow trenches in the ground, and exposing the light-colored clay and lime earth, contrasting against the surrounding reddish-brown desert land surface. These massive etchings reveal distinct patterns only visible from the air.
Award booking flights from the US to Lima
AAdvantage miles offer frequent business class ticket sales to Lima.
LATAM flights are easy to book with the Alaska Mileage Plan.
If you don’t have Alaska miles, Qantas miles can also be used (American Express, Citi, and Capital One transfer partners).
Lima Accommodations
Hyatt
Hyatt Centric Lima offers low priced accommodation for Hyatt lovers.
Hilton
If you have Hilton points, I highly recommend staying at Hilton Lima Miraflores, which is within a walkable distance from the oceanfront mall in Miraflores.
IHG
Larcomar: Ocean-front shopping in Lima
Lima Rental Cars
Rental cars are reasonably priced in Lima (Kayak) and I recommend driving to Paracas to stay at The Legend Paracas Resort by Hyatt and arranging for the Nazca Lines Flight from FAP airport.
Nazca Lines Scenic Flight Options
From Lima, it takes around 3 hours to drive to Pisco, 5 hours to Ica and 7 hours to Nazca (see image below) and scenic flights are available from all these locations.
The Legend Paracas Resort (Hyatt)
Hyatt has a new luxury resort on Paracas Bay (link) that can be used as a base to explore Peru’s Nazca lines.
Nazca Scenic Flights
Flying over the Nazca Lines from Pisco airport is the most popular option for US-based visitors landing in Lima. Most Nazca Lines scenic flights (http://www.nazcaflights.com/nazca-lines-flights/nazcalinesflights.htm) leave from Capitán FAP Renán Elías Olivera Commercial Airport in Pisco in the Ica Region of Peru.
If you have a rental car and are willing to drive to Nazca, you can book scenic flights for <$100 USD. From Ica and Pisco the flight price is $250-300 USD. If you want the company to arrange for private transportation from Lima to Pisco the charge will be around $400 USD for two people (Nazca Lines Private Tour).
Nazca Lines Pictures
During the Nazca Lines flight you are going to see figures like the hummingbird, dog, hands, astronaut, tree, spider, whale, lizard, shark, monkey, and condor.
Conclusion
A day trip to see the Nazca Lines in Peru requires careful planning and one should be prepared to drive for several hours to catch the scenic flights. It is important to book the flights when it is a clear sunny day with good visibility. If you are traveling with more than two people, I recommend driving a rental car to Nazca for cheaper flight prices.