Ocucaje District is one of fourteen districts of the province Ica in Peru .
20-524: This Ica Region geography article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 14°20′50″S 75°40′18″W / 14.3471°S 75.6718°W / -14.3471; -75.6718 Ica Region Ica ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈika] ; Quechua : Ika ) is a department and region of Peru . It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on
40-505: A nanobubble system to decontaminate lake El Cascajo, would lead a project to restore the Huacachina lagoon. As of 2020 , no further news of the proposal has been forthcoming. Huacachina is a resort geared to local families from the nearby city of Ica, but is increasingly an attraction for tourists drawn by the sports of sandboarding on the sand dunes that reach heights of up to 500 metres (1,600 ft). Another popular activity
60-408: A mirror she saw a male hunter approaching her from behind, startled at the intrusion, she fled the area, leaving behind her mirror, which turned into a lake. Other versions hold that she fled, leaving the pool of water she had been bathing in to become the lagoon. The folds of her mantle , streaming behind her as she ran, became the surrounding sand dunes. The woman herself is rumoured to still live in
80-529: A museum and historic colonial churches. The climate is generally sunny and dry due to its elevation above coastal fog and mist. As of 2020, the Peruvian desert , around the Huacachina Oasis , has gotten significantly popular among tourists for sandboarding and sand buggy tours. There is also a Regional Museum, which exhibits prehistoric artefacts as well as paintings and furniture that date back to
100-552: A rich history. The first settlers are from 10,000 years ago, from which the Wari , Chincha , Nazca , Ica and Paracas cultures developed, the latter being the most important. The Paracas culture developed from the seventh through the 2nd century BC. It is distinguished by its matchless textile skills, trephinations, and the art of mummifying their dead. The Nazca culture, on the contrary, well known for its artistic pottery , in which colorful designs and representations excel over
120-657: A unique set of creations known as the Nazca Lines , which are geoglyphs and geometric line clearings in the Atacama desert, in the district of Nazca . On a large, rock-strewn plain, the Nazca made huge drawings by scraping away stones to reveal the lighter soil underneath. The drawings depict various plants and animals, including humans, a monkey, birds, and other creatures, as well as lines and geometric shapes. These drawings are so huge, however, that they can be seen only from
140-554: Is about five kilometers from the city of Ica in the Ica District of Ica Province . The oasis was introduced as a feature on the back of the 50 nuevo sol note in 1991. Huacachina has a permanent population of around 100 people, although it hosts many tens of thousands of tourists each year. The name comes from Quechua : wakachina , lit. 'guard, conceal', possibly shortened from wakachina qucha lit. ' hidden lagoon ' . Huacachina
160-468: Is built around a small natural desert lake, commonly referred to as the "oasis of America". According to local legends, the water and mud of the area are therapeutic. Both locals and tourists often bathe in the waters or cover themselves with the mud in an attempt to cure ailments such as arthritis, rheumatism, asthma, and bronchitis. Legend holds that the lagoon was created by a beautiful native princess, she removed her clothes to bathe, but after looking in
180-483: Is divided into five provinces ( Spanish : provincias , singular: provincia ), which are composed of 43 districts ( distritos , singular: distrito ). The provinces, with their capitals in parentheses, are: Capital of the Ica Department. A very modern clean city that has Peruvian street markets, many old churches and landmarks, modern malls, hotels, coffee shops, theatres, and hotels as well. Located on
200-743: The Paracas National Reserve . Pisco was home of an ancient pre-Hispanic culture, Paracas , who are known for their exquisite textiles. Paracas (a municipality within the Paracas District ) is a small town catering to tourism. It serves as the jumping point for tours to Islas Ballestas and to Paracas National Reservation . Paracas Bay , protected by Paracas Peninsula , gives these shallow, warmer waters break from ocean waves permitting life to flourish, particularly near its south western edge encompassed within Paracas National Reserve . The Paracas Museum , also found just near
220-522: The Spanish Colonial era. Moreover, in the museum, mummies with typical Paracas culture skulls can be found. 14°04′S 75°44′W / 14.07°S 75.73°W / -14.07; -75.73 Huacachina 14°5′15″S 75°45′48″W / 14.08750°S 75.76333°W / -14.08750; -75.76333 Huacachina is a village built around a small oasis and surrounded by sand dunes in southwestern Peru . It
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#1732775266689240-449: The form, the same as their lines and figures that have undergone implausible interpretations. This culture expanded from the 2nd century BC through the 7th century AD. They have left us their wonderful aqueducts that made good use of underground water, of rivers and rain, showing a great knowledge of hydraulic engineering. In the 15th century, during the Inca empire , Pachacuti incorporated
260-595: The north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica . The Department of Ica has a remarkable geography. It is the only region of the southern coast formed by plains, also called coast plains, since the Andean Cordillera rise up inland. Some geological folds have determined the formation of dunes moving toward
280-473: The oasis as a mermaid . The lake was created by natural seepage from underground aquifers, but the increase in well-drilling started to threaten that supply in the early 2000s. To compensate for the loss, and preserve the oasis as a destination for tourists, local business groups began pumping water into the lake in 2015. It was announced in 2016 that the Peruvian scientist Marino Morikawa , who created
300-612: The ocean. Some waters are diverted for irrigation and agriculture in the provinces of Palpa , Nazca and Ingenio; the Rio Grande's final riverbed is dry since sand and dried lands absorb its limited resources. There are extensive deserts in Ica, such as the Lancha Pampas . Pozo Santo and Villacuri pampas are extremely hot areas. Strong and persistent winds called paracas are present and stir up large sandstorms. Ica has
320-692: The sea, which form much of the Paracas Peninsula . Some isolated formations located at the southern part created the Marcona complex, with the biggest deposits of iron in the Pacific coast. Ica's configuration is due to the geomorphology of its two big and unique fluvial watersheds: the Pasco and Ica rivers. Also, it has a waterway called the Rio Grande , although its waters do not reach
340-611: The sky. Scientists believe that the Nazca made these drawings for their gods. The area of the Nazca lines is called the Pampa Colorada (red plain). A small village near Ica, Cachiche is well known for its history of witches. Doña Julia, Cachiche's first witch, was known to practice "good magic," curing and helping villagers with her spells. Near the entrance to the town, a carving from a single huarango tree depicts this first "bruja de Cachiche" (witch of Cachiche). Ica has significant wine and pisco industries, annual fiestas,
360-558: The south western edge of Paracas Bay , provides excellent information about Paracas culture and the many unique species, in particular, the birds of Paracas . The Ica-Nazca culture flourished along the southern coast of Peru from around 200 BC to 600 AD. This area is extremely dry. The Nazca developed extensive irrigation systems, including underground canals, that allowed them to farm the land. The Nazca are known for their textiles and pottery which feature images of animals and mythological beings. They are even better known, however, for
380-701: The territories of Ica, Nazca and the Chincha valley. Years later, in 1563, with the arrival of the Spanish , Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera founded the Villa de Valverde del Valle de Ica. Since then, the area became an important vineyard and cotton center. During the independence war, General José de San Martín landed in Paracas and fixed his headquarters in Pisco, to start the fight for the independence of Peru. The region
400-444: The west side of the city of Ica, capital of the Ica Department. One of the most popular places to visit in Ica is La Huacachina . The desert oasis is located 5 km (3.1 mi) from Ica. It is a small lake with medicinal water, lying in the middle of a spectacular sand desert. Pisco is the most important port in Ica and a litoral province. The most important attractions within this province are likely Paracas , Paracas Bay and
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