You’ll get only a sketchy idea of the Lines at this lookout on the Panamericana Sur 20km north of Nazca, which has an oblique view of three figures: the lizard, the tree and the hands (or frog, depending on your point of view). It’s also a lesson in the damage to which the Lines are vulnerable. The Panamericana Sur runs smack through the tail of the lizard, which from nearby seems all but obliterated.
Signs nearby warn that walking on the Lines is strictly forbidden. It irreparably damages them, and besides, you can’t see anything at ground level. To get to the observation tower from Nazca, catch any bus or colectivo northbound along the Panamericana Sur (S2, 30 minutes). Some tours (from S50 per person) also combine a trip to the mirador with visits to another natural viewpoint and the Maria Reiche Museum. About 1km south of the constructed mirador there is a Mirador Natural (free) on a small knoll-like hill with a close-up view of one of the geometric lines made by removing reddish pebbles from the gray earth.
