Ica

V!VA User‘s Description

Ica, population 152,000, is a beautiful city located in the southern part of Peru, in the middle of a green valley surrounded by the desert. This pleasant, palm-tree filled oasis of a city adjacent to the Ica Desert. The desert is known for adventure travel: popular activities are sandboarding, dune buggy trips and fossil hunting. It is also possible to get flights from Ica to see the famous Nasca Lines, although flights from the town of Nasca are cheaper.

This wonderful city stands out, thanks to its warm climate, gorgeous white sand dunes and to a mysterious lagoon, known by the locals as Huacachina, just a few kilometers outside of town. Huacachina Lake is a popular visitor spot with a variety of hotels and restaurants.

The nearby Paracas National Reserve has excellent birdwatching; it is a shorebird sanctuary and home to Andean condors.

This city also has one of the best museums of our country, “The Regional Museum,” which displays stunning relics and mummies bundles from the various cultures that flourished in the south of Peru, including the Paracas, Nasca, Wari and Inca Culture.

In addition, visitors may spend a great time at one of the traditional vineyards located in the countryside and learn how Peruvians prepare Pisco, which is a sort of grape brandy slightly reminiscent of tequila. It is used to make the Pisco sour, Peru's national drink. The grape-harvest season runs from February to April. Early Spanish settlers planted grapes, which thrived in the arid conditions. Today, the Ica region is known as Peru's premier winemaking region, and there are more than 80 wineries in the area, many of which accept visitors.