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Flying Over Nazca in a Death Plane

November 12, 2012 by Arianwen Morris 18 Comments

Ok, perhaps that headline was a little melodramatic, but I heard a lot of stories about Nazca plane crashes before I decided to put my life in the hands of a local pilot. I’d also like to ‘thank’ many of my friends for putting the fear of God into me by quoting the vast percentage of aircraft that failed their security checks in the not-too-distant past.

Flying over Nazca -  the tiny plane

I’d booked the night before through my hostel, Inti Wasi, which is under new ownership and soon to change its name. Micky, the man in charge, had assured me everything was safe and sound, then plied me with rum cocktails to take my mind off it!

At about half past midnight, Micky banged on my door to tell me that a car race was taking place in the city the next day so we would have to leave at 6:30 instead of 9, for our 10 am flight.

Flying over Nazca -  lots of waiting planes

Most of you probably know by now that I’m not a morning person, and despite the early morning, we still only got airborne at 11:30! I don’t think I’ve ever waited that long in an international airport, let alone a tiny one like Nazca!

I passed the time watching a video with information about the lines.

The Nazca civilisation had survived for nearly a millennium, but by 700AD, only the lines remained. Researchers had spent the past 20 years trying to piece together the mystery of the geoglyphs.

Flying over Nazca -  the 'astronaut'

They found snail shells buried in the earth, which indicated that the area had once been much more fertile. This suggested that, over time, conditions had become harder as the area dried out and water was harder to come by.

Headless skeletons had also been discovered, and two theories for this had been proposed. Either rival tribes had fought each other for precious commodities, or the Nazca civilisation had believed that human sacrifice would appease the Gods and bring them what they needed.

Flying over Nazca -  the 'hands'

Being on the edge of survival tends to push cultures into forming stronger relationships with the deities. Chemical tests on the bones of the decapitated skeletons showed that these people had been residents of Nazca.

In addition, they were found buried with treasures such as intricate pottery depicting new life. All of the evidence pointed towards this being a ritual in which humans and other gifts were offered to the Gods.

Flying over Nazca -  the 'tree'

At the heart of the ancient civilisation was a place called Cahuachi. Here, a temple had been constructed, and many tombs have been unearthed nearby. It is thought that pilgrims came here to bury the dead and celebrate the Gods. Dozens of heads have been found here, leading researchers to believe that this was the main place for sacrificial ceremonies.

Just a few kilometres from this central location lie the greatest concentration of geoglyphs. Rock piles among the lines turned out not to be tombs, but smashed offerings and ornaments like those found in Cahuachi. This meant that perhaps the geoglyphs were open-air temples…

Flying over Nazca -  the 'spider'

As we walked towards the plane, the three Spaniards I was flying with were in high spirits, imitating aeroplanes with their arms out wide (despite also being 29 years old!). The guy even hummed Apocalypse Now just before take-off in an attempt to show his macho side.

Flying over Nazca - imitating planes

10 minutes later, as he spewed up in a plastic bag, I felt a sense of smugness mixed in with sympathy.

We buzzed noisily over each of the geoglyphs, wearing massive headphones to protect our ears. The ‘spare’ pilot shifted around in his seat so he could point out the different shapes to each of us in turn.

Flying over Nazca - pilots concentrating

Although it was great to see one of the world’s greatest mysteries, they weren’t as clear and easy to spot as I had imagined. To facilitate viewing, the tiny plane would fly in spirals, first clockwise and then anticlockwise so that everyone could get a good view. We were almost sideways in the air.

I spent 35 minutes wondering why on earth, given my history of aeroplane fear, I’d thought this was a good idea. But once we landed and I could relax again, I was very glad I’d gone.

Flying over Nazca -  this was actually taken 'before' the flight

It’s important to do your own research on the history of the Nazca planes before deciding if you’d like to do it yourself. There have been a few accidents and, as far as I could tell from questioning some locals, there are still no enforced procedures in place for checking the planes are all good to fly. Some have a better reputation than others, and there are many flights every day that make it back to earth without a glitch, but, in my opinion, it’s still a gamble that shouldn’t be taken lightly – even if the odds are good.

On the plus side, if you freak out, there’s always a massage from ‘magic hands’ to help you relax and collect your nerves…

Flying over Nazca -  massages

My verdict: The white horse near where I grew up in Yorkshire has a greater impact, but the Nazca lines win in terms of mystery. Some think they represent an ancient sacrificial site. Others throw about theories of alien landings. I think the Nazca people were just stuck for something to do in the desert (they didn’t have TOWIE back in 500AD). What’s your theory?

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Comments

  1. Lucy Dodsworth says

    November 12, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    Such a weird place, not sure you’d get me in one of those planes though!
    Lucy Dodsworth recently posted..Travel future: My Jordan itineraryMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 13, 2012 at 12:56 am

      Yeah, I was very relieved to get back down to the runway unscathed!

      Reply
  2. Kim says

    November 13, 2012 at 1:24 am

    Hahaha, I love that he barfed on the plane!

    We didn’t do this and, now that I read your post, I’m glad we didn’t spend the money! I just couldn’t get myself excited enough to go up in a tiny plane just too look at some lines (Brian was more enthused, but I won in the end). Where are you now? We’re headed to Chile on Wednesday.
    Kim recently posted..Our Incredible Weekend With MonkeysMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 13, 2012 at 8:01 pm

      Yeah. It was good, but definitely not a must see, and quite pricey. You probably made the right decision. I’m in Potosi and heading to Uyuni tomorrow so will reach San Pedro in Chile on Saturday if all goes to plan. Maybe see you there!!

      Reply
  3. Les Petits Pas de Juls says

    November 13, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I got sick too in that plane but it was such wonder to see the lines from above and still not have any clue about how on earth they’re still so clear and well-drawn after so many years in the wind and rain (not that it rains a lot there, but still)… the mystery won over the fear of flight in such small machines…

    Keep adventuring well!
    Cheers!
    Les Petits Pas de Juls recently posted..Relish in an all-inclusive resort on the Riviera MayaMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 13, 2012 at 8:02 pm

      Yeah, I told myself it was worth the scary plane to see something I’d heard about when I was a kid and always wanted to see. It wasn’t the highlight of South America by a long way, but I’m glad I went.

      Reply
  4. Scott - Quirky Travel Guy says

    November 15, 2012 at 3:53 am

    I did my first small plane ride this summer in Alaska and was scared until we got in the air. And they have a perfect safety record going back a few decades. I’d be terrified to fly where you were!
    Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..I need some slow travel in my lifeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 18, 2012 at 3:27 pm

      Yeah, I started questioning the sense of flying in a plane with such a bad safety record as soon as I signed the receipt! It was a massive relief to land again, which is a shame because it kind of spoils the experience of viewing the lines.

      Reply
  5. NomadTravels says

    November 18, 2012 at 8:03 am

    I find that really the best thing to do in these situations is just to Jump in and do it. Once you start reading statistics and all that, the fear starts to creep in. Beside for a traveler the most dangerous place is on the road, not in a plane. :)
    NomadTravels recently posted..NomadTravels +1My Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 18, 2012 at 3:29 pm

      That’s so true. I remember coming back from holiday with my parents when I was really young and looking out of the plane window at the cars thinking ‘I wish I was in one of those’. And then we had a car crash on the way back from the airport! – everyone was fine though, thank God!

      Reply
  6. Rebecca says

    November 18, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    Knowing what you are like as a flyer, I am very impressed that you got in that plane!! You didn’t have me to distract you with my (very helpful) chatting either. Well done. xx
    Rebecca recently posted..Keralan village cuisine: You can find it here!My Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      November 18, 2012 at 3:30 pm

      Haha. Your scary plane chat is the best. I wish I had it on tape for all cases of anxiety…!

      Reply
  7. Andy says

    November 29, 2012 at 10:22 pm

    OMG, I am SO jealous! I’ve always wanted a massage by Magic Hands! … oh, and also to see the Nazca lines, that too ;)
    Andy recently posted..The State of Our PhotographyMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      December 1, 2012 at 4:46 pm

      Haha. I didn’t actually get the massage. Really missed out I guess!

      Reply
  8. Jym says

    June 22, 2015 at 11:13 am

    Option 2, but as I like to call it, option 1. There’s a tower just out of the city on the roadside. It costs 0.25/s to climb up it and you can see 2 1/2 of the drawings. Very safe, very cheap and makes for a good selfie with a drawing in the background.

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      June 29, 2015 at 9:11 am

      Yes, I heard a lot of people mention it, but there were mixed reviews. You definitely get a better view and see more of them if you go up in a plane. Perhaps the safety regulations have become more strict since I wrote this!

      Reply

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