An Insider's Guide to the Best Season and Time of Day to Fly over the World-famous Nazca Lines

When should I fly?

The Best Months of the Year to fly over the Nazca Lines

We offer flights over the Nazca Lines every day of the year – all 12 months of the year. There is no bad or wrong month to fly over the Nazca Lines, but some months are more challenging.

During Peru’s winter months (especially July and August), a layer of early morning fog often blankets the coast of the Peru and the desert where the Nazca Lines are located.

In order to assure the safety of the travelers and the pilots, the flight departures must wait until visibility improves. This means that early morning departures can be delayed for an hour or two until mid-morning, and people who have a reservation later in the day will also be affected.

Another problem that occurs mainly in August, with dramatic results, is the desert sandstorm. These storms are called “Paracas” which means a “rain of sand” in the ancient language of Quechua. Paracas sandstorms are rare, but when they do strike — mainly in late July and August — they can halt flights for hours and send everyone indoors to escape the dust.

For travelers who want the smoothest experience, September through May tends to offer the most predictable weather. That said, even in the foggy season, the skies always clear eventually — it’s simply a matter of knowing how to plan around it.

The Best Time of Day to fly over the Nazca Lines

The best time of day to fly over the Nazca Lines is definitely the early morning, for several reasons:

1) The air is calm, so there is less turbulence.

2) Between 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM, the angle of the sun casts a slight shadow over the edge of the Nazca Lines. This is a good thing. The presence of the shadow makes it easier to detect the edges of each geoglyph, meaning it is easier to see during the flight.

However, travelers are often unable to fly over the Nazca Lines during this time of day for several reasons. First, the control tower at the Nazca airport usually doesn’t authorize flights to take off so early. The earliest flights of the day are often around 9:15 AM or 9:30 AM.

And travelers who are flying from Pisco need to be especially flexible because the airline doesn’t allow us to reserve a specific flight time. They will assign a flight time to all of our clients, and sometimes the early morning flights are already full or otherwise unavailable.

Why Book With NAZCA FLIGHTS ?

We’ve been helping travelers experience the Nazca Lines for years, and one of the biggest advantages we offer is local knowledge and timing strategy. We work directly with the airlines and monitor daily conditions, so whether you’re booking in fog season or during windy afternoons, we’ll make sure you’re on the flight with the highest chance of a smooth, unforgettable experience.

Did you know? Travelers in Nazca can pay extra to fly very early !?

If a traveler or an airline pays an extra fee of $150 USD to the airport, then the airport will authorize early morning departures, as early as 7:30 AM. This is an ideal time of day to fly over the Nazca Lines.

Most travelers don’t know about this option. Airlines will only pay this fee on days where they have a large number of clients and they are short on time.

Occasionally we have travelers who are visiting Peru especially for the Nazca Lines, and they may consider it a worthwhile investment in order to experience the Nazca Lines at their absolute best.

For most travelers, it isn’t a necessary expense — flights later in the morning or early afternoon are still spectacular. But for those who want the absolute best conditions, this insider option exists.

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