Huacachina: oasis in the middle of the desert

Huacachina is a village built around a small oasis and surrounded by sand dunes in southwestern Peru. It is about five kilometers from the city of Ica in the Ica District of Ica Province.The oasis was introduced as a feature on the back of the 50 nuevo sol note in 1991. Huacachina has a permanent population of around 100 people, although it hosts many tens of thousands of tourists each year.

The name comes from Quechua: wakachina, lit. 'guard, conceal',possibly shortened from wakachina qucha lit. 'hidden lagoon.

Oasis and lake

Huacachina is built around a small natural desert lake, commonly referred to as the "oasis of America". According to local legends, the water and mud of the area are therapeutic. Both locals and tourists often bathe in the waters or cover themselves with the mud in an attempt to cure ailments such as arthritis, rheumatism, asthma, and bronchitis.

Legend holds that the lagoon was created by a beautiful native princess, she removed her clothes to bathe, but after looking in a mirror she saw a male hunter approaching her from behind, startled at the intrusion, she fled the area, leaving behind her mirror, which turned into a lake.Other versions hold that 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. The woman herself is rumoured to still live in the oasis as a mermaid.

The lake was created by natural seepage from underground aquifers, but the increase in well-drilling started to threaten that supply in the early 2000s.To compensate for the loss, and preserve the oasis as a destination for tourists, local business groups began pumping water into the lake in 2015.

It was announced in 2016 that the Peruvian scientist Marino Morikawa, who created a nanobubble system to decontaminate lake El Cascajo, would lead a project to restore the Huacachina lagoon. As of 2020, no further news of the proposal has been forthcoming.

Legend

Along Huacachina’s main walkway you’ll find a statue of mermaid, which is a depiction of a well-known legend about the lake’s origins. One version of the story goes that a young Inca princess was walking in the desert, brushing her hair while looking at her reflection in a mirror when she spotted a hunter watching her.

Frightened by the man, she dropped the mirror which then shattered and transformed into the lagoon. The princess then dove into the water to hide, but when she later emerged she found that she had been transformed into a mermaid and that the tunic she had left behind was now transformed into the dunes around the lake. According to the legend, she can be heard singing at night when there is a full moon.

Activities

Huacachina is a resort geared to local families from the nearby city of Ica, but is increasingly an attraction for tourists drawn by the sports of sandboarding on the sand dunes that reach heights of up to 500 metres (1,600 ft). Another popular activity is dune buggy rides on vehicles known locally as areneros. Huacachina has been a favourite family destination for decades and in the 60s was a popular summer resort for tourists around the world.

Best Time to Visit

Weather in Huacachina is consistently warm and sunny, with very little rain occurring in this dry desert climate. Because of this consistently pleasant weather, Huacachina can be visited all year round. If planning a trip to Peru, it’s a good idea to learna bout the best time to visit Peru since other destinations and regions tend to have less predictable weather.

How to Get There

The Huacachina Oasis is located just 10 minutes from the city of Ica, a major hub about 5 hours south of Lima. If visiting Peru on a guided tour package, you can easily add a stop in Huacachina to your Paracas tour or Nazca tour.

If traveling independently, the best way to get to Huacachina is by taking a bus from Lima to the city of Ica. Once in Ica you can hire a taxi to take you the short 10 minute ride to the oasis town of Huacachina. If you are traveling by rental car, the Huacachina Oasis is connected to Ica by a paved road and is easy to find in any GPS system.

What to Bring

Make sure to take the following essential items with you on your trip to the Huacachina Oasis:

-Cash in Peruvian soles

-Hat or sun cap for protection

-Sunglasses

-Sunblock so you don’t get burned

-Plenty of water to drink

-Lightweight clothing

-Sandals or flip flops

-Tennis shoes/sneakers (mandatory for sandboarding)

-Sweater or jacket if spending the night

Ref: Huacachina: oasis in the middle of the desert (theculturetrip, tripadvisor)