NAZCA

Altitude: 520 m
Climate: 20–32 °C | Dry desert, intense sun year-round, almost no rain
Distance from Lima: 450 km (7 hours by car)

The Nazca Lines are wild. They’re giant geoglyphs made over 2,000 years ago in the desert, and the only way to see them well is from the air. You board a small plane, buckle in, and begin circling the desert while the pilot points out: “there’s the monkey,” “that’s the spider,” “look, the hummingbird.”

The thing is, the plane moves quite a bit because it makes turns so you see the figures from both sides. If you get motion sick easily, take something beforehand. But the experience is worth every second of nerves.

What’s insane is that no one knows for sure why they were made. There are all kinds of theories: that they were an astronomical calendar, offerings to water gods, ceremonial paths. María Reiche, a German mathematician, devoted her life to them. There’s a viewing tower in her name where you can see a few figures from the ground.

Practical tip: Book your overflight ahead of time, especially in high season. Flights depart better in the morning when there’s less turbulence. And yes, it’s expensive, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.