Huacachina – wow!
I was in absolute awe when we arrived at this desert oasis, I’d had a few friends recommend Huacachina as a ‘must-do’ for my trip but being so far out of Lima for only a two day trip, I was hoping it was going to be worth the journey. OMG yes.
This place is amazing! Full of tourists, hundreds and hundreds of Peruvians mainly, as well as a good few backpackers arrive in bus loads to head out on dune buggies for up and down thrills. Many operators also let you go down the dunes on your stomach on specially made sand boards.
Cue song: “little blue dune buggy! In the saand…”
Josh and I however, took it to the next level.
We decided to try the sand-skiing and sand-boarding tour, where we were fitted with actual ski and snowboard boots, and given actual skis and a snowboard, slightly modified with heavier material on the bottom.
I found it absolutely hilarious watching Josh trapse around the Huacachina lake in the blistering sun, carrying his skis on his shoulder. I find watching the awkwardness of people walking in ski boots amusing as it is. I could not stop giggling to myself.
We were given an hour on the small dunes practising with our expert guide. The dunes were steep, and this was just an easy slope! The hardest part was walking up the dunes in between each run. Small dunes by comparison to what we were about to encounter. It was so hot, and sand was blowing into our sweaty faces. We just had to become at one with the sand. Luckily I had just bought a new head scarf to cover up some skin at least.
After a nail biting dune buggy ride, we were presented with our first slope. Argh it was so daunting. So scary. But once I grew a pair to take the plunge over the edge (excuse the snowboarding pun…) it was so much fun, and so exhilarating.
The sand resulted in a slower-moving ride than carving on the snow, and as long as you didn’t chicken out and stop half way, it was a smooth and easy ride down. Just waaay more steep than any slope you’d ever see me on.
Josh was awesome on his skis, after almost 20 years since he last went on the slopes. We were both oozing with excitement, it was so fun!!
Such an exhilarating adventure day. We were buzzing but completely exhausted afterwards. Also, I had sand accumulations in all my pockets, stuck to every part of my body which had sweated during the afternoon, and in most orifices… but I didn’t care because we had had so much fun.
It was safe to say that although we wanted to stay out and enjoy a few drinks while we were still buzzing from the day’s adventure, an early night was had. We did look awesome in our matching outfits though…
Wowsa. An interesting wake up to the 7.1 magnitude earthquake shifting our beds on the tiled floor! Sleepy and a bit slow to realise what was going on, we got up in a daze to head to the doorway. We could hear loads of others in town shrieking and then all the power went off.
Not much we could do apart from go back to bed, my heart still beating fast. Before I knew it I was asleep and woke to the aircon being back on, a nice breakfast and then a day beside the pool.
Yes of course more pisco and ceviche!
My least favourite souvenir from Huacachina was about 100 mosquito bites. They (or it, which now would be very satisfied) had a banquet munching session during the night while the power/aircon went off.
