I have read lots of posts, but no one mentions the Nazca Lines!
We have five days so far unplanned on our trip in early January starting from Juliaca after visiting MP, Cuzco, Puno etc.
I was thinking of flying from Juliaca to Arequipa, spending a couple of days there,taking in the Canyon, then taking the bus to Nazca, flying over the Lines, and then bus on to Lima.
However, we're not keen on buses and thought of flying from Arequipa to Lima, then on a day flight with Aero Condor from Lima to Nazca. It's time efficient, but quite expensive.
Is it worth the trip to Nazca Lines, or should we spend more time in Arequipa?
Advice would be much appreciated.

Nasca Lines are amazing and well worth the trip. If you get at all air sick..take something beforehand, because you don't want to spoil a pretty short flight by feeling bad....and don't try taking photos out of the window.

Think I would spend the money on the flight...although the drive through the desert is interesting.

Has anyone ever gone from Lima to Nazca with aerocondor? It looks like they stop in Ica, which is near huacachina lagoon. I'd love to see it, but I'm not sure if I'm falling into a tourist trap with their program. Linda613 - how much did you find the flight from Lima to Nazca for? I'm thinking of doing the same thing, but the more I investigate, the more overwhelmed I am.

We did the Nazca lines from Ica and thought it was great - well worth it, however we had 3 weeks in Peru and did the bus option. You can get the overnight bus from Arequipa to Nazca, do the lines and then get a bus from there to Lima - however it is a pretty long trip.

You could, however spend 3 days (2 nights) in Arequipa/Colca and then use the other 2 days for the bus trips to/from Nazca. Otherwise I guess flying from Lima over the lines would be your best option.

check out http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34817889

searching under 'nazca' and 'nasca' gives more info.

Aero Condor quoted USdollars 363 each for the day trip from Lima. It seems cheaper with them than with some travel agents, although the agents seem to include airport transfers.

On the subject of Arequipa: other alternatives are hiring a car and driving from Arequipa to Lima, stopping off in Nazca en route. Could we drive to Colca Canyon ourselves or do we have to go with a tour group? Would we need a 4 wheel drive? Thanks for all replies - we obviously must see the Lines.

I did them some years ago. They use a little plane and to make sure you see everything, the plane does a lot of tight turns, continually dipping to the left or right. One woman was airsick and the rest of us (3) felt a bit queazy too.

On the way I stopped overnight at some little town I can't remember the name of but I got lucky. It had a good sized market, and a parade in the afternoon.

I also saw the Humboldt penguins (they live in warm water) on the way there. Nazca as a town has very little, but plenty of mosquitos.

As to being worth the trip, they are just lines on the ground. It depends on you whether you think it is worth paying a lot of money to see them.

Don't miss out on Lima though. A number of very good museums there.

<As to being worth the trip, they are just lines on the ground.>

For some of us, it is a mind-boggling accomplishment by ancient people, and a privilege to see.