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All Peru Ica Huacachina
AO Edited

Huacachina

An unexpected desert oasis in South America.

Ica, Peru

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ser flac
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  Christopher Crouzet/CC BY 2.0
  Jeff Warren/CC BY-SA 2.0
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  breaingram / Atlas Obscura User
  Swisscheesy / Atlas Obscura User
shadows of a sandy waste land   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
sand dune Dna   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
stormy skies as rain began to fall   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
walking on the edge   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
trash collecting int he hills from human infested oasis   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
looking east   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
muddy drips   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
Endless   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
A dune buggy in Huacachina (Ivana Viani, 2015)   Ivana Viani / Atlas Obscura User
Oasis de Huacachina, Perú   Carlos Adampol Galindo/CC BY-SA 2.0
Sand-surfers in Huacachina (Ivana Viani, 2015)   Ivana Viani / Atlas Obscura User
On the way to do sandboarding  
4 wheelers ride the endless scape of curves   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
darkened shadow as night falls and the world goes sideways   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
riding the artwork of the wind   Blindcolour / Atlas Obscura User
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According to legend, a hunter caught a beautiful Incan princess walking in the sand dunes near present day Huacachina. As she walked and admired herself in a mirror she was carrying, her eyes caught his voyeuristic gaze. Shocked, the princess began to flee and dropped her mirror. It exploded into shards and the glass became a tiny pool in the desert, consuming the princess and turning her into a mermaid.

Known as the "Oasis of America" it is one of the only true desert oases in the Americas. A lush island in a sea of sand, its watery pool ripples in shades of blue and green, completely encompassed by the brutal environment around it.

Circled by palm trees, the verdant Peruvian watering hole has served as a tourist attraction for over 70 years. Dotted with restaurants and hotels, the Oasis was formerly a getaway for the upper class, escaping through the desert from nearby Ica. As of late, the small city, with a population of only 115, has become a hub of backpacking, dune buggy rides, and sandboarding, a sport aptly described by its name.

In recent years, Huacachina has unfortunately begun to resemble the fleeing princess of its legendary origin. The water level of the oasis has dropped consistently, and the community has sustained it through pumping water from external sources. As budget concerns and restrictions on pumping have increased, the future of this South American oasis and legendary mermaid home remains unclear.

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Five hours South of Lima, accessible from downtown Ica

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Added By

serflac

Edited By

fernandoespejo29, Ivana Viani, kegroh, Meg...

  • fernandoespejo29
  • Ivana Viani
  • kegroh
  • Meg
  • Blindcolour
  • breaingram
  • Swisscheesy
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

August 10, 2011

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huacachina
  • http://www.peruviantimes.com/01/huacachina-lagoon-level-drops-sharply-due-to-well-pump-failure/845/
  • http://www.wackyarchives.com/offbeat/oasis-in-the-middle-of-nowhere.html
  • http://www.perucheaptours.com/locations/huacachina/
  • http://emotiontourperu.com/tours-ica
  • https://www.huacachinalife.com/
  • https://www.cachilife.com/huacachina-oasis-in-peru-travel-guide/
  • https://www.greatnazcatours.com
Huacachina
Huacachina
Ica
Peru
-14.0875, -75.763333
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