Huacachina

Huacachina, Peru

A low-angle view of the wind-sculpted sand dunes of Huacachina at sunset, with the village and lagoon visible far below.

A desert oasis village of about 115 residents, built around a small lagoon among towering dunes near the city of Ica.

The place

Huacachina is a village of about 100 permanent residents, though it draws many more visitors than that each year. It lies in a hollow of Peru's coastal desert about five kilometres from the city of Ica, at around 403 metres above sea level. The settlement is less a town than a ring of hostels, hotels, bars and small restaurants around a green-edged lagoon, with palms along the water and dunes rising on every side.

The lagoon is the reason the village exists. Water seeping up from underground aquifers filled the hollow and kept a patch of greenery alive in one of the driest landscapes on the coast. That balance has shifted. Wells drilled nearby for farming reduced the supply considerably, and since 2015 local business groups have pumped water into the lake, partly to keep the oasis intact and probably, mainly, to keep the tourists coming. The dunes are the other half of the picture. The dunes can reach as high as 500 metres (1,600 ft). Visitors can climb them on foot, slide down their slopes, or drive across them in dune buggies.

Visitors arrive for the sport as much as the scenery. The village remains a favourite weekend resort for families from Ica, but younger travellers now make up much of the crowd, drawn by sandboarding and buggy rides. Accommodation ranges from backpacker hostels with pools to more comfortable hotels. Shade matters, because the midday sun and the heat off the sand can be punishing, which is why the palm-shaded edges of the lagoon and the dune summits at dusk are where most people spend their time.

Its story

Huacachina takes its name from Quechua, and the most common reading is wakachina, roughly 'guard' or 'conceal', possibly shortened from a longer phrase meaning hidden lagoon. Whatever the exact derivation, the name suits a pool that sits unseen until the dunes part around it.

Local legend holds that a mermaid living in the lagoon claims one man each year. Most accounts are less mythic. Many Peruvians cannot swim, which seems a far likelier reason for the yearly drownings. Some observers add a physical explanation, that swimmers cramp where warm surface water meets cooler water below. Whatever the cause, the drownings have shaped how the lake is talked about.

The oasis is older than its tourist trade. Water seeps up from underground aquifers, and for generations the lagoon sustained palms and a small settlement among the sand. The oasis even appeared on the back of Peru's 50 nuevo sol banknote in 1991, which gave it a national profile. In earlier decades it became a favourite family resort, and later, as sandboarding and dune buggies drew visitors from further afield, it grew into the place it is now.

Modern problems came with success. Wells drilled nearby for farming reduced the flow into the lagoon, and the water level fell. Since 2015, local business groups have pumped water in, partly to keep the lake alive and partly, probably mainly, to protect the village as a destination. The result is an oasis sustained by pumps as well as by the aquifer.

What to see

Culture

Huacachina is a village that runs on tourism, and its daily rhythm follows the visitors. Many of the people who work here come from the nearby city of Ica, and the oasis has been a favourite family destination for decades. More recently it has drawn younger travellers chasing sandboarding and dune buggy rides, so the atmosphere is relaxed, sociable and often loud after dark. Spanish is the everyday language, and English is common at the tour desks and hostel counters. Weekends bring local families back to the lagoon, so the shoreline is busiest then.

The lagoon is shared space, and people use it in different ways, from families paddling in shallow water to young travellers swimming past the shade structures. Tipping guides and drivers is common and well received, so carry small notes for the taxis that run at night. Photographs of people at work or at play should be asked for first, and the village's water supply, kept up by pumping, is worth treating with care. Ask before photographing local families at the lakeside, and keep the noise down once the hostels settle for the night.

What to wear

Huacachina has no dress of its own, so the textiles that matter here come from wider Peruvian weaving. Cotton and alpaca wool are the main fibres, and bright woven shawls, ponchos and belts are associated more with the Andes than with the desert coast. Ica's older textile heritage is tied to the Paracas culture, whose woven cloths are a major part of the region's history. Knitted hats, woven belts and embroidered bags are the textiles most visitors meet in the markets.

Day to day, people in the village dress for the heat: T-shirts, shorts, sandals and sun hats, with hostel staff and tour guides often in branded tops. Sunglasses are common, and nobody wears heavy layers in the afternoon.

For a visitor, light cotton or linen that covers the shoulders and arms works best against the sun and the blowing sand. Closed shoes or trainers make dune climbs far easier, while sandals suit the lagoon edge. Swimwear is fine at the water, but cover up when walking through the village or heading into Ica, and carry something to cover the shoulders for churches or town visits.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. The coastal desert is dry and sunny for much of the year, so the main concern is heat in the middle of the day. Early morning and late afternoon are kinder for walking, boating and dune climbs. Check a seasonal forecast before fixing dates.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Lima is the usual starting point. Buses run from Lima to Ica, and routes from Cusco also reach Ica. From Ica's bus station, a registered taxi covers the last few kilometres to the oasis.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources