Cantalloc Aqueduct
Cantalloc Aqueduct
4.5
About
An ingenious system of stone aqueducts built by the people of Nasca in ancients times is still functioning and used by local farmers for irrigation.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Plan your visit
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
38 within 3 miles
Attractions
11 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
538 reviews
Excellent
263
Very good
211
Average
61
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Jonathan Z
Zurich, Switzerland34 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
This site is highly underrated in my opinion. As many people, we only went to Nazca to take a flight over the lines. However, as we had a few more hours until our bus, we looked for other things to do in Nazca. We did not expect much but found the aqueduct (and the Chauchilla Cemetery, which are usually done together in tours) fascinating and were surprised to be almost the only tourists there, in high season. A similar site in Europe would probably be filled with tourists.
The aqueduct itself takes less than an hour to visit and is not far away from the Nazca city center by car. It is recommended to take a tour as there won't be any taxi there to bring you back. It takes less than an hour to visit (the aqueduct goes over many more kilometers, but the key part consists of a dozen of spiral-shaped wells).
The airline arranged our tour with a local guide, but it is really easy to find a guide in Nazca. They initially asked for 80 soles per person for a 3-4 hours tour for four persons (incl. the Aqueduct, the cemetery and a few other sights on the way) but we negotiated the price down to 50 soles per person. The tours usually don't include the entry tickets of the Aqueduct (10 soles per person) and of the cemetery (8 soles per person) that you can buy at the entrance.
The aqueduct itself takes less than an hour to visit and is not far away from the Nazca city center by car. It is recommended to take a tour as there won't be any taxi there to bring you back. It takes less than an hour to visit (the aqueduct goes over many more kilometers, but the key part consists of a dozen of spiral-shaped wells).
The airline arranged our tour with a local guide, but it is really easy to find a guide in Nazca. They initially asked for 80 soles per person for a 3-4 hours tour for four persons (incl. the Aqueduct, the cemetery and a few other sights on the way) but we negotiated the price down to 50 soles per person. The tours usually don't include the entry tickets of the Aqueduct (10 soles per person) and of the cemetery (8 soles per person) that you can buy at the entrance.
Written July 21, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alina
Guelph, Canada52 contributions
Mar 2015 • Friends
"In order to survive the arid desert climate of Nazca, people have had to find a way to have access to water. In the 3rd to 6th century CE, aqueducts were built to provide for year-round access to water essential for permanent inhabitation and irrigation of the area. Water running in aquifers was channelled to where it was needed using man-made underground channels. Concentrical paths leading down to these underground channels provided for direct access to the water and the underground channel for maintenance - it is claimed that the shape was based on shells.
When we arrived from Nazca, we saw several large water tanks that were being fed by the ancient aqueducts, as the proud taxi driver pointed out. Farmers still use the water and partly depend on the clever work done by the ancient Nazcans, even though modern pumps now provide for most of the water in the area. The channels, either underground or in the open air, are S-shaped to slow down the water flow and prevent it from running too fast in times of floodings. The Nazcans also constructed access points, which still now give direct access to clean and chrystal-clear water which is surprisinly warm.
Man has always been smart to adapt to seemingly impossible conditions to live; the Cantalloc aqueducts prove once more that humans can survive in an area that certainly is not the easiest to live in. They knew that water coming down from the Andes was flowing not only in rivers, but also in aquifers, and intelligently tapped into these essential resources. Some even argue that the famous Nazca lines actually point to underground sources of water and that the symbols are hints of what can be found in the arid soil."
When we arrived from Nazca, we saw several large water tanks that were being fed by the ancient aqueducts, as the proud taxi driver pointed out. Farmers still use the water and partly depend on the clever work done by the ancient Nazcans, even though modern pumps now provide for most of the water in the area. The channels, either underground or in the open air, are S-shaped to slow down the water flow and prevent it from running too fast in times of floodings. The Nazcans also constructed access points, which still now give direct access to clean and chrystal-clear water which is surprisinly warm.
Man has always been smart to adapt to seemingly impossible conditions to live; the Cantalloc aqueducts prove once more that humans can survive in an area that certainly is not the easiest to live in. They knew that water coming down from the Andes was flowing not only in rivers, but also in aquifers, and intelligently tapped into these essential resources. Some even argue that the famous Nazca lines actually point to underground sources of water and that the symbols are hints of what can be found in the arid soil."
Written June 24, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katrien S
Ghent, Belgium1,982 contributions
Sep 2014 • Solo
If you have time, this is certainly worth a visit if in Nasca. The aqueducts were build by the Nasca as their region dried out, bringing water from the mountains for irrigation. It is quite a nice piece of engineering, with several subterranean waterways combined to form finally one, still functioning, waterway. You visit the place just after the different ways are combined, and which are partially open so that excess water to rise and probably also for cleaning purposes. As they are open, you can easily see the design, which are pretty and very functional, and as all pre-Columbian structures earthquake proof.
Written January 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mat_ldn
London, UK156 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
The site itself is cool and make you wonder how this was build and how exactly it was used. But that's the part you will miss. There is no explanation signs, no one to tell you a short introduction. Bit of missed opportunity.
This place has joint ticket with three other nazca attractions: El Telar, Los Paredones and one more aqueduct. Price in total is 10S (bit over $3).
This place has joint ticket with three other nazca attractions: El Telar, Los Paredones and one more aqueduct. Price in total is 10S (bit over $3).
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ari T
Seattle, WA67 contributions
Feb 2020
went as part of a multi-stop tour and it was coo to see for a bit and get some background. the areas only green is at the aqueducts and along the canals that connect them which is cool to see!
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roaming Jode
wiltshire564 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
combine a trip here with the two other sites in Nasca to get the best out of your time. It was very interesting and pretty here but would only need maximum 20 minutes.
most hotels and hostels offer to combine this with more nasca lines and an inca ruin which made the time much more enjoyable for us. We paid s/ 35 each for a 2 hour trip. This may seem expensive but we went in a private car with an english speaking guide and felt like we had value for money.
most hotels and hostels offer to combine this with more nasca lines and an inca ruin which made the time much more enjoyable for us. We paid s/ 35 each for a 2 hour trip. This may seem expensive but we went in a private car with an english speaking guide and felt like we had value for money.
Written March 19, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fat O
Naknek, AK211 contributions
Dec 2015 • Friends
We scheduled our tour through Great Nazca Tours and were offered outstanding, personal service throughout the early part of the day. Allow a couple hours to do both a flight over the lines and the personal tour of the aqueducts. Both are amazing and the service unequaled anywhere.
Written January 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MARiner22
Popayan, Colombia118 contributions
Jun 2015
I used a taxi to visit these aqueducts. I did not have a guide though I had read a lot about the area and seen the Ocongalla Aqueduct with a guide.
The area is close to town - I paid a taxi driver S./ 10 for a ride from the Paradones to the Cantayo (alternate spelling, same place) Aqueducts, 30 minutes waiting, and a ride back to Plaza de Armas. You could probably negotiate this down. I didn't bother.
There ~20 spiral holes (ojos) you can easily walk down and peer into the underground aqueducts. Different spirals have slightly different forms - some smoother and more elegant, some steeper with stone stairs. I walked down 4-5 with different forms. They are all pretty similar though. If you go all the way to the end of the site (<10 minute walk) there are spirals that are connected along the sides.
Without a guide, I didn't understand much about the site. I read beforehand that the spiral access points served as points to access the water and for inspection and maintenance of the aqueduct. This seems hard to believe because it doesn't explain why the spirals are spaced so close together. It seems as though 2-3 would do. Remember this is a long aqueduct bringing water from the mountains. Perhaps a guide would help but just as likely not.
I think the site is worth a visit because the spirals are very pretty, it leads one to wonder about the ancient people who built these and why and finally I found the whole system to be quite impressive technically.
My rating would vary depending on the amount of time you have and competing demands. I loved relating the other Nascan sites to the culture that made the lines and I think allowing a couple days to see more enriched my appreciation of the lines. Therefore I think this is a very good attraction. But if readers are trying to discern between multiple "very good" sites I'll include the following details that may help.
But if you have limited time I recommend the Nasca sites in the following order of priority:
1) Flight over lines ($200 for 1 hour Nasca & Palpa Lines, $100 for 30 minute only Nasca Lines)
tie
2) Museo Antonini (S./ 10-20, I forgot, 1-2 hours, open until 7pm)
2) Cahuachi Pyraminds/Ceremonial site (S./ 80 tour 4.5-5 hours)
4) Chauchilla Cemetary tour (S./60 tour 3-4 hours)
5) Cantayo Aqueducts (part of 4 or 5 sites you can see with one S./ 10 ticket, 30-60 minutes plus taxi ride or 4km walk each way)
6) Paradones Incan ruins (also part of the S./ 10 ticket above, 30 minutes)
Note these are the only sites I experienced. I went on a dune buggy trip in Ica. I only saw Cerro Blanco from a distance. And I did not attend the Planetarium show. So I can't say how those experiences would stack up.
I talked to people who arranged a private taxi to see Cahuachi and Chauchilla. I think the price is comparable for two people on a tour and offers greater flexibility but doesn't include a guide. If you have limited time and a tight schedule The Cantayo Aqueducts and Paradones ruins are more accessible and schedule is more flexible.
Hope this helps and happy travels!
The area is close to town - I paid a taxi driver S./ 10 for a ride from the Paradones to the Cantayo (alternate spelling, same place) Aqueducts, 30 minutes waiting, and a ride back to Plaza de Armas. You could probably negotiate this down. I didn't bother.
There ~20 spiral holes (ojos) you can easily walk down and peer into the underground aqueducts. Different spirals have slightly different forms - some smoother and more elegant, some steeper with stone stairs. I walked down 4-5 with different forms. They are all pretty similar though. If you go all the way to the end of the site (<10 minute walk) there are spirals that are connected along the sides.
Without a guide, I didn't understand much about the site. I read beforehand that the spiral access points served as points to access the water and for inspection and maintenance of the aqueduct. This seems hard to believe because it doesn't explain why the spirals are spaced so close together. It seems as though 2-3 would do. Remember this is a long aqueduct bringing water from the mountains. Perhaps a guide would help but just as likely not.
I think the site is worth a visit because the spirals are very pretty, it leads one to wonder about the ancient people who built these and why and finally I found the whole system to be quite impressive technically.
My rating would vary depending on the amount of time you have and competing demands. I loved relating the other Nascan sites to the culture that made the lines and I think allowing a couple days to see more enriched my appreciation of the lines. Therefore I think this is a very good attraction. But if readers are trying to discern between multiple "very good" sites I'll include the following details that may help.
But if you have limited time I recommend the Nasca sites in the following order of priority:
1) Flight over lines ($200 for 1 hour Nasca & Palpa Lines, $100 for 30 minute only Nasca Lines)
tie
2) Museo Antonini (S./ 10-20, I forgot, 1-2 hours, open until 7pm)
2) Cahuachi Pyraminds/Ceremonial site (S./ 80 tour 4.5-5 hours)
4) Chauchilla Cemetary tour (S./60 tour 3-4 hours)
5) Cantayo Aqueducts (part of 4 or 5 sites you can see with one S./ 10 ticket, 30-60 minutes plus taxi ride or 4km walk each way)
6) Paradones Incan ruins (also part of the S./ 10 ticket above, 30 minutes)
Note these are the only sites I experienced. I went on a dune buggy trip in Ica. I only saw Cerro Blanco from a distance. And I did not attend the Planetarium show. So I can't say how those experiences would stack up.
I talked to people who arranged a private taxi to see Cahuachi and Chauchilla. I think the price is comparable for two people on a tour and offers greater flexibility but doesn't include a guide. If you have limited time and a tight schedule The Cantayo Aqueducts and Paradones ruins are more accessible and schedule is more flexible.
Hope this helps and happy travels!
Written July 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JustinWheeler
Lima, Peru14 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
I walked here from Nasca. Was about 2.5 hours including visiting a couple of other sites along the way. Found a taxi back though.
This is one of 5 spots you can see for your ticket of 10 soles. The others were another set of aqueducts quite a distance away, a set of lines about 1 km before, another .5km after and also the ruins of the Inca administration center.
For me this was my favourite of the four I saw. I missed the other aqueducts. It was fascinating I thought and rather unexpected.
This is one of 5 spots you can see for your ticket of 10 soles. The others were another set of aqueducts quite a distance away, a set of lines about 1 km before, another .5km after and also the ruins of the Inca administration center.
For me this was my favourite of the four I saw. I missed the other aqueducts. It was fascinating I thought and rather unexpected.
Written May 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lcastill3
Panama City, Panama275 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
This was an incredible discovery of my trip to Nasca. I was expecting to see the marvel of the Nasca lines, but I was also astonished by this incredible inca engineering. Remember that the town of Nasca is in the middle of the desert, nevertheless agriculture is one of the main economic activities of Nasca. And it's hard to believe that this is possible thanks to the incan engineering and its legacy of aqueducts that have been working for more than 500 hundreds years! It is a must see in your visit to Nasca.
Written December 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandra D
Porto Alegre, RS304 contributions
Qual horario da visita? Fica longe do centro de Nazca?
Sandra D
Porto Alegre, RS304 contributions
Na realidade poderia alugar até umbtaxi, mas acho mais interessante com um guia credenciado. Explicam melhor e normalmente tem carros mais confortáveis. Acho melhor visitar no turno da manhã, pois é um passeio de no máximo 40 minutos e aà pode ver mais outros sÃtios. Se for fazer o vôo das linhas de Nazca, provavelmente vai ver do alto também.
Sandra D
Porto Alegre, RS304 contributions
Gostaria de saber quantos dias aconselha ficar na região para ver as atraçoes próximas. Quanto tempo para chegar nessa atração.?
xxxCeciliaLion
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
Dois dias são mais que suficientes.
raquelsbborges
Niteroi, RJ8 contributions
Você fechou o passeio lá mesmo?
xxxCeciliaLion
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil
Ola fechei la mesmo no hotel. Tem varias agencias de turismo que fazem esse passeio. É bem interessante,vale a pena ver como eles aproveitavam bem o que recebiam da natureza e como se preocupavam em preservá-la. O Peru tem maravilhas espalhadas por todo pais, aproveite.
Cantalloc Aqueduct, Nazca
Frequently Asked Questions about Cantalloc Aqueduct
- We recommend booking Cantalloc Aqueduct tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 8 Cantalloc Aqueduct tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Cantalloc Aqueduct:
- (1.38 mi) B&B El Jardin
- (1.84 mi) Casa Andina Standard Nasca
- (1.75 mi) Nazca House
- (1.91 mi) Hospedaje Yemaya
- (1.28 mi) Nanasqa Hostel
- Restaurants near Cantalloc Aqueduct:
- (1.48 mi) La Kasa Rustika
- (1.91 mi) D'Gula Restaurant
- (2.05 mi) Rico Pollo
- (1.90 mi) La Encantada
- (1.90 mi) Mamashana Cafe Restaurante