I decided to skip them when I was in Peru too. Didn't see how I'd get much more benefit seeing them from several thousand feet in a plane than I would looking at photos of them.
Same can't be said for Machu Picchu, photos really don't do that place justice.
“Several thousand feet” isn’t quite the right way to describe the Nazca tourist flights. “Dozens of feet” hits a little closer. And always at 60 degrees of bank, so that you get a good look.
It’s really cool for a while. But there comes a point where you really wish the guy would stop circling that monkey at four gees, and how about we just stipulate that that next one is a bird, without the death spiral.
It’s the rare experience where you’re happy to have them cut a few minutes off your hour. Definitely give it a go if you’re passing by!
Having done the Cessna tour over the lines back in 1990, I would say it is worth seeing them by air, just to get an idea of the expanse of the lines and how they sit in the landscape.
Top tip - don't have breakfast if you're going on the morning flights. There was quite a lot of vomitting going on around me.
Same can't be said for Machu Picchu, photos really don't do that place justice.