Nazca and Ica - Sand, Sand, and Sand

We took the last night bus of our trip from Arequipa to Nazca. The main attraction here are the Nazca Lines. These are over 1,500 geoglyphs covering an area of 500 km². They were created between 800 BC and 600 AD. A flight was not an option for us, it was simply too expensive and the view from a tower was more than enough. As it got dark, we visited the planetarium. Here, the connection between the lines and their possible relationship with the stars was explained. But also the great work of Maria Reiche. She was a young student from Dresden who came to Nazca in 1926 where she dedicated her life to the lines. Cartography, deciphering, and protection were part of her daily tasks. Maria Reiche passed away about 20 years ago and is highly respected in this country for her sensational achievement.

We continued the next morning to Ica, more precisely to Huacachina - a small oasis in the desert. Complete mayhem when we arrived. Countless cars, buggies, and tourists flocked to the oasis. Luckily, we had already booked our hostel. Behind a small gate, protected from the hustle and bustle, we set up our white tent. Equipped with two large beds and a fan (hallelujah!). A pool with a bar and sand dunes and sunshine all around - time to relax!

The actual oasis surrounded by restaurants, a promenade, and small hotels was beautiful, but it looked more like a big puddle.

In the late afternoon, we raced through the desert on a buggy, zoomed down the dunes with sandboards, and enjoyed the sunset as well as the view of the oasis at dusk.

The breakfast buffet by the pool was delicious and the view of the huge dunes was simply breathtaking. After sunbathing, we headed to the bus that would take us to Paracas. Finally, the sea, we were really looking forward to it.