Nazca and Cerro Blanco
I think most people have heard about the Nazca Lines, even if they’ve forgotten about them. In the desert of southern Peru, there are hundreds of long, straight lines and more than 70 glyphs resembling animals and plants. They were created a couple of thousand years ago by the Nazca people that lived in the area. And there is still much debate about why the lines exist and how they were created. Obviously, aliens are a favored hypothesis, at least according to the History Channel.
One thing that seems to be true about these lines and glyphs is that they are meant to be seen from the sky. They really aren’t observable from ground level (I tried!). Flights are the common way to see them. The instant I arrived in town people swarmed me on the sidewalk trying to sell me a plane tour. I heard there have been a lot of plane crashes in the area, some which have damaged the lines and glyphs, and from what I saw going on in the sky above, that isn’t surprising. It looks like chaos up there. I saw a couple of planes flying way too close to each other. Flights aside, I just wasn’t that interested. I’ve seen photos. I decided to put it off for a day or two and think about it.
There are other things to see and do in Nazca. I’d heard about sand dune buggy tours, sandboarding, and paragliding. And there are also some Nazca ruins in the area. I saw that there were some ruins within walking distance of my hotel, so that’s where I went first – to Los Paredones. The ruins were different in appearance from ones I’ve seen so far – built with sand and mud.
I also went to the aqueducts. It looks like a series of circular, stone pits with water at the bottom, but the pits are really only meant to allow access to the aqueduct that runs underground, kind of like a pipe. The aqueducts in the area can bring water from tens of kilometers away, if I understand correctly.
I also discovered there was an observation tower where you could see some of the Nazca lines for a fraction of the price of a flight, so that’s what I did next. I had heard there were busses that would stop at the tower, so I looked for one. It wasn’t easy to find, and I wasted nearly an hour wandering around, but I found a bus that took me to the tower for just 5 soles (less than $2).
From the tower I could see 3 glyphs very nicely, and it was enough for me.
From the tower I could see 3 glyphs very nicely, and it was enough for me.
Getting back to town was more difficult than I’d hoped. I tried to wave down a couple of colectivos (taxis that take multiple passengers) and a bus, but they didn’t stop. I was starting to eye the private vehicles in the lot, thinking maybe I could hitch a ride, when a bus appeared on the horizon. I waved at it frantically, but it seemed to keep going. When I looked away one of the ice cream vendors yelled at me and pointed down the highway – the bus was pulling over! I finally got a ride back to town.
But the thing I really wanted to do in Nazca was try sandboarding, but not on little dunes – I wanted to go to the highest peak: Cerro Blanco. I could see it in the distance. That was where I wanted to go.
But the thing I really wanted to do in Nazca was try sandboarding, but not on little dunes – I wanted to go to the highest peak: Cerro Blanco. I could see it in the distance. That was where I wanted to go.
Not a single tour agency in town would take me, at least not as a single person. Maybe if I’d offered to pay 4 times the price they would have agreed, but nobody even seemed interested. Then I found a phone number for a tour agency online. I sent a WhatsApp message and they replied instantly! It did cost me double because I was alone, but I wanted to do it and I was happy with the quick correspondence.
A driver picked me up at my hotel at 4 AM. Not only does the desert sun make climbing difficult, as the sand heats up it makes the boards not slide. An early start is key. We drove for about 45 minutes, going up a winding highway around the side of the mountain. I was glad we were able to gain as much elevation as we did on the highway, it made the hike a little easier. We started hiking at 5 AM. We were lucky to have a full moon and clear skies and we didn’t require any additional light. We hiked up a rocky path on a mountain adjacent to Cerro Blanco. We climbed a lot in the first hour, then followed a trail along the mountain ridge for another hour. The sunrise was spectacular.
A driver picked me up at my hotel at 4 AM. Not only does the desert sun make climbing difficult, as the sand heats up it makes the boards not slide. An early start is key. We drove for about 45 minutes, going up a winding highway around the side of the mountain. I was glad we were able to gain as much elevation as we did on the highway, it made the hike a little easier. We started hiking at 5 AM. We were lucky to have a full moon and clear skies and we didn’t require any additional light. We hiked up a rocky path on a mountain adjacent to Cerro Blanco. We climbed a lot in the first hour, then followed a trail along the mountain ridge for another hour. The sunrise was spectacular.
We didn’t see much in the way of animals – just some road runners. But there were lots of tracks from insects, snakes, and foxes.
The last hour of the hike was the most difficult. It was a steady climb on sand. I followed my guide and walked in his footprints, the slightly compacted sand making my climb a little easier. But sometimes I had to scramble on all fours and try to be quick to climb faster than gravity pulled me back down. The last 10 minutes was a real slog. It took 3 hours total to climb to the top. But the view was incredible. I didn’t realize until I was up there that Cerro Blanco is the highest peak in the area.
The last hour of the hike was the most difficult. It was a steady climb on sand. I followed my guide and walked in his footprints, the slightly compacted sand making my climb a little easier. But sometimes I had to scramble on all fours and try to be quick to climb faster than gravity pulled me back down. The last 10 minutes was a real slog. It took 3 hours total to climb to the top. But the view was incredible. I didn’t realize until I was up there that Cerro Blanco is the highest peak in the area.
And then it was time to descend. Sadly, the sandboarding part didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. The bindings were just floppy Velcro straps that I couldn’t get very tight, and the bindings were set at a weird angle. The board is fat and doesn’t really have edges. I found that turning in the sand was extremely difficult. One of my knees would inevitably and bizarrely lock up and I’d fall. I ended up sliding more than carving. It was frustrating. But I did try!
The board also needed a lot of wax. Like, every 30 seconds it needed more. It didn’t last long in the sand and once the wax was gone, the board would just stop moving. So, for the last half of the mountain I just sat on the board and used my feet to steer and brake. It was a lot of fun and easier to rewax without having to fight with the bindings.
It’s too bad that the gear didn’t work out better. But I really enjoyed the hike and the mountain and sliding down on my butt anyway.
I think I’ve still got sand in my nostrils. I definitely still have sand in my boots. It worked its way into the lining on the inside. I can’t get it out. But… the boots really only have to last 2 more weeks, because I’ll be flying home soon…
The board also needed a lot of wax. Like, every 30 seconds it needed more. It didn’t last long in the sand and once the wax was gone, the board would just stop moving. So, for the last half of the mountain I just sat on the board and used my feet to steer and brake. It was a lot of fun and easier to rewax without having to fight with the bindings.
It’s too bad that the gear didn’t work out better. But I really enjoyed the hike and the mountain and sliding down on my butt anyway.
I think I’ve still got sand in my nostrils. I definitely still have sand in my boots. It worked its way into the lining on the inside. I can’t get it out. But… the boots really only have to last 2 more weeks, because I’ll be flying home soon…