The Pan-Americano highway stretches along the length of the south coast of Peru from Lima to Tacna near the Chilean border, some 1,300 kilometres of desert road, most of which hugs the coast. The southern coastal region has been inhabited for thousands of years by ancient civilisations such as the Paracas, Nasca and Ica peoples. THE most popular tourist attraction on the south coast is the Nazca Lines, over 500 square kilometres of enormous geometric shapes and animal-like figures, but there’s still much more to see besides. Just 200 kilometres south of Lima beyond the city of Pisco is the Reserva Nacional de Paracas and the Ballestas islands, a superb marine bird reserve and an old Paracas settlement. And inland from Pisco are the Inca ruins of Tambo Colorado.

From here the road heads east through the Ica Valley where the grape vines produce the small grapes used to make the white spirit Pisco, the essential ingredient of the national cocktail pisco sour. Farther along the Pan-Americano are the Nazca lines which sprawl across the desert and which can only really be appreciated from an aerial view. Nearby is the Pampa Galeras, a reserve for the camelid, the fine-featured vicuna and farther south on the coast is Puerto Inca, a charming fishing harbour and old Inca port. Well before reaching the border town of Tacna, close to Chile, is the attractive colonial town of Moquegua surrounded by olive groves and grape vines.