The Huacachina oasis, Peru

Tourism in lima the oasis of Huacachina.

Tourism in lima the oasis of Huacachina, also known as the "Oasis of Huacachina".Oasis of America"One of the few of its kind on the continent, it is a beautiful lagoon of green waters surrounded by huge sand dunes, palm trees, eucalyptus and huarangos (a type of carob tree).

The lagoon was created by the upwelling of underground streams, rich in minerals, which made it a very attractive destination for the Peruvians, who came here for its health properties. Unfortunately, to this day, it is maintained artificially and to prevent it from drying out, the inhabitants refill it with water from time to time.

The landscape of the Huacachina oasis is one of the most unique in the Andean country and, although it is true that it has become an eminently touristy place, the scenery of the lagoon, the surrounding vegetation and the high golden sand dunes is spectacular. For this reason, we have no hesitation in including it on our list of places to visit in Peru.

In addition, the possibility of travelling through the dunes at full speed in a buggy or "tubular" makes the visit all the more attractive. Whether you are travelling alone, as a couple, with your family or friends, we can assure you that visit the oasis of HuacachinaIt is an experience that is as interesting as it is fun.

The legend of Huacachina

Huacca China in an expression that, in Quechua, means "the woman who cries And, according to legend, there was a beautiful princess by this name. Wanted by many men, she bathed in a lonely and secret place by a tree. As she began to run, the mirror she was carrying broke, turning her into the lagoon, where she was trapped and became a mermaid. Her clothes, entangled in the tree, were transformed into the dunes we can see today.

The locals say that every night she cries for bad luck and lures men to drown in the lagoon next to her. During your visit you will rarely see the "real" mermaid, but you will find a statue of her on its shore.

How to get to the Huacachina oasis

For reach the oasis of Huacachina first you will have to go to Icawhich is the starting point. The oasis is 5 kilometres from the city and, for reference, about 350 kilometres from the capital, Lima.

From Ica, you can take a taxi or tuk tuk to Huacachina for about 8-10 soles. The trip will take about 10 minutes. If you want to forget about everything, the best thing to do is to hire an excursion from Ica like this one, the most popular and the one we'll tell you more about later. Visiting the Huacachina oasis

Here we tell you how to get to Huacachina from the main points of Peru.