Huacachina Oasis

Huacachina Oasis is a natural desert lagoon surrounded by 100-meter sand dunes in the Ica Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and the only such oasis in South America, inhabited since 1700 BC by the Paracas culture for ceremonial purposes. Its dunes now host sandboarding and dune buggy racing, making it the most visited inland attraction in Peru after Machu Picchu, with the green lagoon and Art Deco villas creating one of South America's most photographed landscapes. While Colca Canyon (#7) provides deep canyon vistas, Huacachina offers adrenaline activities at 50% less physical exertion, drawing 20% more visitors annually than the average desert attraction in Peru.