Huacachina – an oasis in the middle of the Peruvian desert

Huacachina

About 300 km from the Peruvian capital and only five kilometers from the city of Ica, is the only true oasis of the two Americas: Huacachina. Surrounded by sand dunes up to 100 meters high, this lagoon offers a welcome respite and is one of the most popular destinations in the region.

Numerous legends surround the oasis. The best known is, without doubt, the story of the beautiful princess, who looked in the mirror in the desert. But suddenly he saw a pursuer in the mirror behind him and dropped the mirror to the ground in terror, where it shattered into a thousand pieces. These fragments became a lake and devoured the princess, who according to legend still lives as a mermaid in the lagoon. However, the reality is that the lagoon is fed by an underground river that carries water extremely rich in minerals. In the past, many visitors came here to cure physical conditions such as rheumatism or arthritis.

Current weather

Swimming, rowing, shutting down

Huacachina is small, you only need a few minutes from one end to the other, but here you do not get bored. Borrow a rowboat and paddle in the lake or even dare to jump into the water. However, it is not very clean and there is not much left of the old healing powers, because now the water is “filled” by a pumping system from another source to prevent dehydration.

The water does not seem reliable, but if you still yearn to cool off: do not worry, most hotels and resorts have their own pool, so do not forget about the swimming equipment.

Do not miss the spectacle of the sunset, preferably from one of the dunes. From the highest dune to the north of the lagoon, you can enjoy the breathtaking view of the oasis while the sun bathes you in the most adventurous colors. The ascent to the dune takes around 25 minutes, but there is no paved road. Sturdy shoes are absolutely recommended.

Excursions around Huacachina

In addition to the oasis, of course, there are the imposing sand dunes that attract visitors. Because here is the opportunity for extreme experiences in the desert:

Sandboarding: the “variant of the desert” of snowboarding. Place a board under your feet and slide down the dunes. However, sandboarding is much slower than driving on snow, so many sand players turn their board into a sled and slide down.
Dunes Buggy Driving: Probably the fastest fun and one of the main reasons for the popularity of Huacachina. With the sand buggies, you run up and down the dunes and that does not guarantee anything for the faint of heart or a nervous stomach. A great fun that you can book in almost all hotels for less than 50 soles. By the way, the best time for a tour is around 4:00 p.m. – 4:30 pm. in the afternoon, when the sun is low and the approaching sunset bathes the desert landscape in an almost magical light.
Flights on the Nazca Lines: to the south of Huacachina are the legendary Nazca Lines, whose importance is not yet fully known. The flights, which allow you to see at least a small portion of the hundreds of kilometers of lines, leave Ica, which is 10 minutes away, and take around 70 minutes, costing between $ 250 and $ 300.

Photos Huacachina

Tours and activities

A tour of the Huacachina desert is best booked at a reasonable price on the site. One hour of buggy-tour incl. Sandboarding costs between 20 and 30 soles per person (between 5 and 9 euros). You can book the tour in almost every hotel.

Eat and buy in Huacachina

At the entrance to the Huacachina promenade there are numerous small shops where you can buy souvenirs, jewelry, handmade jams or, of course, pisco and wine. In general, however, everything, even the refreshments in the small grocery stores, cost much more than in neighboring Ica.

Also in terms of food, you have to take into account a little more in Huacachina, you pay for the wonderful view of the oasis. From crunchy pizzas to abundant Peruvian food, an English breakfast with bacon and sausages, the right restaurant for all tastes. Just walk along the boardwalk and choose one of your favorites!

Most hotels have their own bar, and cocktails usually cost between $ 3 and $ 5. Take the opportunity to visit one of the many wineries around Ica or one of the typical Pisco wineries.

How to get to Huacachina

Huacachina is located about 300 km south of the capital Lima, there are no direct connections. However, with almost all bus operators, including Cruz del Sur and Soyuz, you can reach Ica, which is only 5 km away from Huacachina. From here it is only a short taxi ride and should not cost more than 5 to 10 soles (depending on where you board, the bus terminal is always a little more expensive than other places in Ica).

Map Huacachina