Huacachina is a natural desert oasis in Peru - a small lagoon ringed by towering sand dunes. Toggle the dune crest highlight to see the wind-rippled ridge pattern pick out around the oasis, and the palm oasis ring to see the palm trees that circle the lagoon's shoreline.
Published figures: Ica Region, Peru, about 300 km south of Lima; village population commonly cited around 200 residents; surrounding dunes commonly cited up to about 100 m above the oasis floor; nicknamed the "Oasis of America."
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Everything renders on your device with WebGL.
Huacachina Oasis 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows Huacachina in cross-section: a small teal lagoon at the center, ringed by wind-rippled sand dunes rising in every direction, with a set of palm markers circling the shoreline.
Huacachina sits in the Ica Region of Peru, about 300 km south of Lima. The village grew up around a small natural desert lagoon set among towering sand dunes, earning it the nickname the "Oasis of America." The village population is commonly cited around 200 residents, though the oasis draws far more visitors for sandboarding and dune-buggy tours across the surrounding dunes, which are commonly cited at up to about 100 m above the oasis floor. A local legend ties the lagoon to a mermaid or water-spirit story. The lagoon's water level has fluctuated over the decades due to regional groundwater use, and is partially maintained today by pumping - a documented local concern.
- Toggle the dune crest highlight to see the wind-rippled ridge pattern around the oasis
- Toggle the palm oasis ring to see the palm trees that circle the lagoon's shoreline
- Read the location, population, and dune-height figures in the panel
- Drag to orbit, scroll or pinch to zoom
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
| Figure | Published value |
|---|---|
| Location | Ica Region, Peru - about 300 km south of Lima |
| Landform | natural desert lagoon ringed by sand dunes |
| Village population | commonly cited around 200 residents |
| Surrounding dune height | commonly cited up to about 100 m above the oasis floor |
| Nickname | "Oasis of America" |
| Known for | sandboarding, dune-buggy tours |
| Water-level note | historically fluctuated; partially maintained today by pumping |
For another dune-and-desert landform carved by wind and water, see the Grand Canyon 3D Explorer, or stay in South America with the highland Lake Titicaca 3D Explorer.
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached.
This is an educational approximation - the dune ring, ripple pattern, and vertical scale are schematic teaching cues, not survey terrain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Huacachina?
In the Ica Region of Peru, about 300 km south of Lima.
Is Huacachina's lagoon natural?
Yes, it is a natural desert lagoon, though its water level has fluctuated over the decades due to regional groundwater use and is partially maintained today by pumping.
How tall are the dunes around the oasis?
Commonly cited at up to about 100 m above the oasis floor.
How many people live in Huacachina?
The village population is commonly cited around 200 residents.
What is Huacachina known for?
Sandboarding and dune-buggy tours across the surrounding dunes, plus the local legend that ties the lagoon to a mermaid or water-spirit story.
Is this a scientific terrain model?
No. It is an educational explorer using published figures - the dune ring, ripple pattern, and vertical scale are schematic teaching cues, not survey terrain.