ICA, PERU – Huacachina Oasis – Hidden between two mountainous dunes sits a sprawling oasis of trees, dogs, ducks, and sandboaders. Yes, sandboarders. Tourists from around the world flock to this small town to experience the desert in the most unique way possible – riding down the tallest dunes and traveling through the desert via buggy. Leading these tourists are professional sandboarders, who live for the sand. Who are these riders? What is this sport they call their life?
Jhayr and Johnny Ecos are two brothers who discovered sandboarding as kids. They were offered free classes from Martin Guerra, the founder of Sandsquad, a sandboarding company in the area. They spend their days giving tours of the desert to tourists, as well as continuing to teach the next generation of sandboarders. In their free time, the two, along with their friends, train to become better sandboarders. They use their skills to compete in sandboarding competitions around the world.
“I see the reaction of people when they try sandboarding for the first time,” said Johnny Ecos. “They really fall in love with it and are very impressed by the connection with the environment as well.”
“Look, sandboarding has become so important in my life because it is everything, right? It’s my home, my job, my routines. I can train, I can enjoy it with people,” said Jeferzon Cespedes. “When riding, I can enjoy it with people, I can feel that joy that a child can feel when holding a toy. It has become so important to me that it’s simply a part of me, so it’s something I could never leave, right?”