Day 1 in Paracas - Nazca Lines

Welcome to the Paracas - Nazca Lines! Upon arrival at the airport, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and get out to explore the city! There is so much for you to see and do!

We recommend you get acquainted the region, take a walk around the main square, the Plaza de Armas, which is within walking distance from most of the hotels where many of the local shops and restaurants are located. Enjoy a nice lunch while taking in the ambiance of the town, then check out the shops and pick up some unique souvenirs that are local to the area.

After lunch, take a journey out to the Maria Reiche Observation Tower of Nazca situated on a small knoll-like hill which gives you a great perspective over some of the magnificent geometric lines in the desert including `The Tree and The Hands`.

Visit the Didactic Museum Antonini for a glimpse into the mysterious culture of Nazca with over 600 ancient items on display. The museum features the discoveries of Giuseppe Orefici the Italian archaeologist with relics recovered from excavation sites including ceramics, musical instruments, textiles, and a well-preserved mummy.

Next, take a trip to the fascinating Cantalloc Aqueduct system which is an ancient subterranean aqueduct system with 36 extensive underground channels. There `puquios` (natural springs) were developed by the pre-Inca Nazca people to irrigate the dry land that lacked surface water and is still utilized today.

As evening time approaches make your way into town for a lovely dinner at one of the local restaurants around Plaza de Armas. Then visit the Nazca Planetarium and expand your understanding of how the Nazca lines relate to the constellations.

Day 2 in Paracas - Nazca Lines

Start your day with an unbelievable flight over the iconic Nazca lines. This is the best way to really appreciate the 2,000-year-old lines etched all over the desert and see all the mysterious geoglyphs with unbeatable views. There are plenty of tour guides in Nazca that offer this popular tour. The lines extend over thousands of acres in the desert with some of the geoglyphs measuring 98 feet wide and stretching for over 6 miles, see figures such as the monkey, the hummingbird, the condor, the spider and the human with a giant head.

Visit the Maria Reiche Museum situated 2 miles from the Nazca Lines Observation Tower where the German mathematician dedicated her life to the study of the Nazca Lines. The museum is housed in her former home and features collections of preserved maps, diagrams, photograms and a scale model of the Nazca lines. Reiche was the unofficial guardian of the lines and would go out to the desert to sweep off the dust from the furrows, her work led to the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1994.

Head up the coast to Paracas, enjoy a stroll along the beachfront boardwalk brimming with restaurants, grab some lunch and take in the beautiful seaside scenery and the port area where lots of colorful boats are anchored.

Then head to Paracas National Reserve, the region covers 1,290 square miles and includes the Paracas Peninsula, Paracas Bay, Independencia Bay, Ballestas Island, and San Gallen Island. The area is known for its wealth of marine wildlife and dramatic shoreline featuring wind and wave sculpted rock formations. Take a boat tour to see the Ballestas Island nicknamed `the poor man`s Galapagos` and although they are off limits to humans, boats can get up close giving passengers views of the abundance of marine life that live there including seals, sea lions, Humboldt penguins, blue-footed booby birds, guanay guano birds and more.

After a long day relax on the beach and enjoy the sunset or splurge and take a luxury sunset cruise on a yacht, sip on a cocktail and take in the sun melting on the horizon. Enjoy dinner around the promenade and take an evening stroll under the moonlight.

Additional Days in Paracas - Nazca Lines

If you are able to spend additional days in Paracas - Nazca Lines visit Tambo Colorado an archeological site near the Pisco River Valley, the complex is also known as `Puka Tampu` (red resting place), `Pukallagta` (red place`) and `Pukawasi` (red house) named after the red paint that once covered the walls. The site dates back to the 15th century with a large central plaza surrounded by several structures including the Temple of the Sun and the Inca Palace.

Visit the Peruvian vineyards in the Ica region where you can spend the day visiting a handful of colorful vineyards and enjoying some wine tasting with the spectacular surrounding scenery.

Spend the day sand surfing down the epic sand dunes at Cerro Blanco, which stands 6,820 feet high and is the worlds tallest sand dune. Take a trip on board a 4x4 dune buggies then climb 3 hours to the summit where you are rewarded with a mile long descent and stunning views.

Your Last Day in Paracas - Nazca Lines

Depart from your hotel to the airport for your return flight home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer to the airport if so the representative will meet you at your hotel with plenty of time to get you to the airport for your flight out.