Huacachina is a village in the
Ica RegionIca is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.- Geography :...
, in southwestern
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
. It is located in the
Ica ProvinceThe Ica Province is the largest of five provinces of the Ica Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ica.Huacachina is a small town, oasis and resort in this region.-Political division:...
, near the city of
IcaThe city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. It was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856, however, the city suffered extensive damage and loss of life during the 2007 Peru earthquake.-...
in the
Ica DistrictIca District is one of fourteen districts of the province Ica in Peru....
. Huacachina has a population of 115 (1999). The oasis features on the back of the 50 Nuevo Sol note.
Huacachina is built around a small natural lake in the desert. Called the "oasis of America," it serves as a resort for local families from the nearby city of
IcaThe city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. It was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856, however, the city suffered extensive damage and loss of life during the 2007 Peru earthquake.-...
, and increasingly as an attraction for tourists drawn by the sports of
sandboardingSandboarding is a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered hills. For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings...
and taking dune buggy rides on
sand duneIn physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by aeolian processes. Dunes are subject to different forms and sizes based on their interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dune are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune, and a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the...
s that stretch several hundred feet high.
Legend holds that the lagoon was created when a beautiful native princess was apprehended at her bath by a young hunter.
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Huacachina is a village in the
Ica RegionIca is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.- Geography :...
, in southwestern
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
. It is located in the
Ica ProvinceThe Ica Province is the largest of five provinces of the Ica Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ica.Huacachina is a small town, oasis and resort in this region.-Political division:...
, near the city of
IcaThe city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. It was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856, however, the city suffered extensive damage and loss of life during the 2007 Peru earthquake.-...
in the
Ica DistrictIca District is one of fourteen districts of the province Ica in Peru....
. Huacachina has a population of 115 (1999). The oasis features on the back of the 50 Nuevo Sol note.
Huacachina is built around a small natural lake in the desert. Called the "oasis of America," it serves as a resort for local families from the nearby city of
IcaThe city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. It was founded in 1563 by Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856, however, the city suffered extensive damage and loss of life during the 2007 Peru earthquake.-...
, and increasingly as an attraction for tourists drawn by the sports of
sandboardingSandboarding is a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered hills. For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings...
and taking dune buggy rides on
sand duneIn physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by aeolian processes. Dunes are subject to different forms and sizes based on their interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dune are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune, and a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the...
s that stretch several hundred feet high.
Legend holds that the lagoon was created when a beautiful native princess was apprehended at her bath by a young hunter. She fled, leaving the pool of water she had been bathing in to become the lagoon. The folds of her mantle, streaming behind her as she ran, became the surrounding sand dunes. And the woman herself is rumored to still live in the oasis as a
mermaidA mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a human head and torso and the tail of an aquatic animal such as a fish.-Overview and etymology:...
.
Currently, private landowners near the oasis have installed wells, in order to access the groundwater. This has had the effect of drastically reducing the level of water in the oasis. To compensate for this water loss, and preserve the oasis as an aesthetically pleasing destination for tourists, the city began a process of artificially pumping water into the oasis.
The area is popular for both dune buggying and
sandboardingSandboarding is a recreational activity similar to snowboarding that takes place on sand dunes rather than snow-covered hills. For some, it involves riding across or down a dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board, while others use a board with no bindings...
; exhilarating and unusual sports which are popular with visitors and locals alike. However, injuries are not uncommon, and several people have been killed in recent years sand boarding into the buildings surrounding the oasis.
Sadly the dunes around the town have been overtaken by crime. Many tourists have been mugged in broad daylight. It is not recommended that tourists climb the dunes alone or at night.