How to Get from Lima to Nazca

Nazca has a cachet that stretches well beyond Peru or even South America. One of the most internationally recognizable places in Peru, this is the base from which most travelers choose to visit the famous Nazca Lines, the 300-odd geometric figures, or geoglyphs, mysteriously etching the desert nearby. Travel between Lima and Nazca is straightforward and because of the relative ease with which you can get there is best done by private transfer. The nearest airport in Pisco has no scheduled flights to Lima at the time of writing. 

Nazca is a 2.5-hour drive from Ica, 4.5 from Paracas, and 7-8 hours from Lima. It is about as close a half-way point as you will get on the drive from Lima to Arequipa. See here for an 8-day itinerary including the Nazca Lines and other attractions in the area such as the Paracas Reserve.

By Private Transfer

Duration: 7 hours

This is the quickest way of getting from Lima to Nazca. Nazca's position on the Carretera Panamericana Sur, within an easy weekend trip south from the capital, makes booking a private transfer a good option for many travelers. The road here is also one of the best in Peru. Nazca is commonly factored into a trip with Pisco, the Paracas Reserve, and often Ica. Nazca is slightly too far from Lima to do a day trip here, so if you wish to visit you would need to overnight in Pisco/Paracas or Ica. 

By Bus

Duration: 7-8 hours

Buses run at least hourly throughout the day/week from Lima to Nazca. Bus companies plying the Lima-Nazca route include luxury operator Cruz del Sur, who have around 18 daily departures from their Javier Prado terminal at all times of the day. Most buses are direct; you can also change in Pisco or Ica.