Strange oasis in the heart of the desert: It doesn't rain all year round, but the temperature is only 25-30 degrees Celsius, there is a 'panacea' lake

The loneliest oasis in the world

In the province of Ica, Peru, there is a magical town located in one of the driest regions in the world. The oasis town of Huacachina is nestled in the depths of the Atacama desert, 300 km south of the Peruvian capital, Lima.

The oasis town of Huacachina is nestled in the depths of the Atacama Desert.

The center is a natural lake, on the lakeside there are many palm trees, eucalyptus and architectural works. This town surrounded by sand dunes tens of meters high has only 96 households living around the central lake. Although located in the middle of the desert, the temperature here is only 25-30 degrees all year round.

News of this green oasis in the middle of the desert began to spread as far back as the 1940s, when a wealthy spa claimed the water in its lagoon could cure diseases. However, by the 1950s, Huacachina suddenly faded and was abandoned for decades later.

The town is surrounded by sand dunes tens of meters high.

The Atacama Desert, located in the central region of the west coast of South America, is one of the driest regions in the world and the closest natural environment to Mars on Earth. Water in the desert is scarce, there is no rain all year round, from the top of the dunes looking around, there are no water sources, rivers and streams, so where does the water in Huacachina town come from?

The water in the lake is flowed by a river in Ica province.

This oasis was formed by an underground water current, creating the growth of plants and trees in the middle of the desert. However, the wall of sand surrounding this town is lowering and also makes it more hot during the day. Currently, the authorities are making efforts to preserve the oasis, and to help preserve the vegetation made up of palm, eucalyptus and carob trees.

It turned out that the water in the lake was flowed by a river in Ica province. Rivers exist as underground flows, forming freshwater lakes in the desert.

A natural oasis, Huacachina has been one of the favorite tourist attractions of Peruvians and expats for decades. In the 1960s, it was a popular summer resort frequented by Peru's elite with houses, hotels, a lagoon boardwalk, and even a therapeutic spa.

It was not until the 90s that curious tourists flocked to explore this beautiful oasis. Tour companies began to organize off-road driving, sandboarding. to attract adventurers to experience.

Today, Huacachina is visited by hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy trolley dune tours, try out sandboarding, and experience Huacachina's famous wild nightlife.

This place is also a favorite resort of the Peruvian elite.

The Peruvian government decided to print an oasis on the back of the 50 Nuevo Sol coin first issued in 1991.

Tourist paradise in the heart of the desert

The mysterious town of Huacachina is surrounded by a desert with harsh habitats, extreme heat, dryness and little rain. In contrast, in May and August every year, the temperature suddenly drops sharply. However, this is still a place of entertainment and desert tourism that attracts many tourists.

Huacachina town is about 5 hours by bus from the capital Lima and only 45 minutes from Paracas. Although there's no public transport to Huacachina, you can hire a taxi to get from Ica. Hop-on / Hop-off bus service in Peru is the easiest and best form of transportation. The peak tourist season in this oasis is from June to August.

The beauty of the desert oasis Huacachina

The view of the whole oasis from the top of the sand hill

Today, visitors to Huacachina can participate in activities such as boating on the lake in the middle of the oasis, riding an off-road vehicle to explore the surrounding sand dunes for 50 USD per hour, playing sandboarding, or watching the sunset. brilliant from the desert. If you want to rest, you can rent a room in the village or camp in the adventure discovery areas.

In addition to boating on the lake, you can go sandboarding and buggy driving on the dunes. When tired, you can also bathe in Huacachina Lake, which is said to have a 'healing' effect. The lake water and sediments here are good for arthritis, rheumatism, asthma and bronchitis. It can be said that this is a tourist and resort paradise not only because of the mysterious existence of this oasis but also by the rich and rich life of the town.

 Lake water and sediment here are very good for arthritis, rheumatism.

Today, the lake is shrinking, the mysterious beauty, the charm of this lonely oasis is no longer intact. In order to protect Huacachina, the National Institute of Culture of Peru has recognized it as a national cultural heritage in the hope that Huacachina will not turn into an 'illusion' in the middle of the desert.

 It has a fresh climate, friendly people.

Huacachina is a very small place but it has an undeniably great spirit. It has a fresh climate, friendly people, dreamy sunsets and also very unique experiences in the middle of the desert next to a beautiful oasis. Only to visit for a few short days, but coming to this spectacular green oasis you will have the full range of exciting experiences.