Here's Why The Nazca Lines Are At Risk Of Destruction

One of Peru’s most well known and mysterious attractions, the Nazca Lines draw thousands of tourists each year who fly over the enigmatic images to view them from thousands of meters above. However, now is the time to book your ticket to Peru before more damages ruin these magnificent drawings, which are in danger of being destroyed.

One of the stops along Peru’s Gringo Trail are the inscrutable Nazca Lines. These images, found in the middle of the Peruvian desert (one of the world’s driest deserts), are believed to have been made by the Nazca culture, a pre-Incan population that occupied the harsh desert region. While the meaning of their drawings remain a mystery, their destruction will not.

In January of this year, a truck driver heading down the highway that runs through the Lines ignored UNESCO World Heritage Site warning signs and drove his truck off the road into one of the Nazca images, causing significant damage and leading many to wonder about the future of these remarkable lines—an important conversation to have.

One of the perennial concerns around preserving the Nazca Lines is that a major highway runs right through the heart of some of the geoglyphs, raising concerns over smog damage and, of course, reckless drivers. Damaging the nearly 2,000-year-old Lines is as easy as veering off the road and running over the images or claiming a “mechanical emergency”, as the truck driver who plowed into one of the images did. The road that runs through the area is not equipped with railings or barriers to protect the lines from careening cars.

This is not the first tragedy to befall the ancient lines. In 2014, a misguided demonstration by Green Peace activists aimed at drawing attention to climate change significantly damaged the geoglyphs. The activists trekked through the maze of lines to unfurl a banner, a stunt that garnered serious attention for the wrong reasons.

The site lies in a stretch of land in the desert that is vulnerable to just about everything: climate change, cars and vandalism. With no restrictions or precautions taken thus far, the vulnerability of the site remains the same, just waiting for another unfortunate incident.

The ruins are estimated to be approximately 2,000 years old and are described by UNECSO as being “the most outstanding group of geoglyphs anywhere in the world.” As more attention is drawn to the site and its unique and outstanding features, there is hope that significant measures can be taken towards preserving the famous images. Until those steps are taken, the site will remain in danger, vulnerable to modern problems and unable to defend itself. The time to visit the Lines is now.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.