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Huacachina, Peru's Stunning Desert Oasis, Could Soon Disappear | The Weather Channel
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Huacachina, Peru's Stunning Desert Oasis, Could Soon Disappear

Amidst wind-swept sand dunes in the deserts of southern Peru you'll find Huacachina, a tiny blue-green lagoon ringed by palm trees and a small village. Huacachina is actually one of the few natural oases in the Americas, but conservationists warn it may not last forever.

Built around a small natural lake in the middle of the Ica Desert in southwest Peru, the “Oasis of America” is home to fewer than 100 permanent residents and has the feel of a remote Saharan outpost. But despite the fact that it looks secluded, the village is actually only about five miles from the region’s capital city of Ica (pop. 222,000) and has long been a tourist destination for wealthy Peruvians.

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In its heyday (the 20s to the 50s), the village flourished as an elite resort getaway for wealthy people from all over Peru, who once flocked the waters of the lagoon because it was thought to have medicinal properties. The resort became so popular it is even featured on the back of the 50 Nuevo Sol note (Peru’s official currency)

These days, the surrounding landscape has become as much of a tourist draw as the lagoon itself. Year-round sunshine, warm weather and towering dunes have made the village a popular destination for backpacking, sandboarding and dune-buggy rides. For less ambitious visitors who just want to relax and take in the sights, numerous restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels give way to some much needed R & R.

But conservationists warn this paradise is in trouble

According a 2008 article in the peruviantimes.com, private landowners in the region have installed wells to access the groundwater, drastically reducing the level of water in the oasis in recent years. When water levels dropped, the city's Municipal Potable Water Company was forced to artificially refill the lagoon. But in May 2013, peruthisweek.com reported that ongoing budget issues have made it necessary to find another way to refill the lagoon, possibly by using a nearby natural spring.  

Although it's unclear if a permanent solution will be pursued, for now, Huacachina remains a stunning natural attraction. For information on how to plan a visit, click here.

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MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Huacachina, Peru

Aerial  view of the Huacachina Oasis in Ica, Peru, some 186 miles south of Lima on December 11, 2014, one of Ica's main attractions.  (Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images)
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Aerial view of the Huacachina Oasis in Ica, Peru, some 186 miles south of Lima on December 11, 2014, one of Ica's main attractions. (Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images)

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