Known by Peruvians as the 'Land of the Sun', the city of Ica serves as the capital of the Department of Ica in southern Peru. It lies within a vast expanse of high plains that border the Andean foothills to the east. With a population of a little over 220 000, Ica is Peru's 'agricultural miracle in the desert', commonly regarded as one of the region's leading producers of fine wines. It serves as the perfect base to explore the surroundings, including the Huacachina Oasis, where visitors can sandboard or dune buggy on the undulating sandscape and end the day by admiring spectacular sunsets over the golden dunes.