In the southern deserts of Peru, Nazca invites visitors to look beyond the horizon. This small city is world-famous for the mysterious Nazca Lines, enormous geoglyphs etched into the desert floor more than 1,500 years ago. From the air, shapes like hummingbirds, monkeys, and even a stylized astronaut come into view, some stretching over 300 meters. Their exact purpose remains a mystery, fueling decades of theories, from agricultural calendars to ceremonial pathways and even astronomical observatories.

Flights over the Nazca Lines take off daily from the Maria Reiche Airport, named after the German-Peruvian scientist who dedicated her life to studying and preserving these ancient designs. While the aerial perspective is most popular, visitors can also climb the metal observation tower along the Pan-American Highway to view several figures up close, including the tree and hands. The experience is both humbling and surreal, especially when considering that these lines have survived centuries with barely any erosion, thanks to Nazca’s hyper-arid climate.