10D/9N Journey to Chile, Atacama Desert

Arrival in Santiago. We will welcome you at the airport to transfer you to your hotel. From there, we will start tour through the beautiful city of Santiago to visit the main attractions, enjoy some of the best views over the city and get to know historical sites. You will discover the Cerro Santa Lucia, the Plaza de Armas (market place), the Moneda (government palace) and the central market. The tour ends with a spectacular view over the city from the Cerro San Cristobal. Then, we will bring you back to your hotel.

In the morning you take your flight from Santiago to Arica. We will be waiting for you in Arica to start exploring the North. Thanks to its enjoyable climate, the city of Arica is a destination for thousands of tourists every year. We are going to visit one of the most valued National Monuments, the cathedral of San Marcos, which is located at a beautiful terrace facing the ocean. This architectonic opus designed by the Frenchman Gustavo Eiffel was built in the gothic neoclassic style.

Also we are going to visit another architectonical marvel, declared National Monument in 1977, the Ex-customs of Arica. From this historical building that was also constructed by the famous architect Gustavo Eiffel, you have a wonderful panoramic view over the Morro of Arica in all its resplendence. Nowadays, the Ex-customs contains the “House of the Culture of Arica” (Casa de la Cultura de Arica), and it results to be an attractive cultural center full of exhibitions and works of various artists.

Our tour continues to one of the marvels of the south coast of the city, the Ex-Island Alacran at the foot of the Morro. It was converted into a beautiful peninsula and declared National Monument on December 13th of 1985.  Our next stop is the beach Lisera, a lovely bay that is known for its beautiful surroundings and the best sand in the region since the 60s. Another beach we are going to visit and that will surprise you with its black sand is the beach Arenillas Negras, a beach unique in the area and famous for the exceptional dark color of its sand.  After enjoying this beautiful beaches and bays, you will get the opportunity to take in the view over the city from the impressive Morro of Arica. Enjoy historic scenery, full of mystic, majesty and beauty, without doubt it will be an unforgettable experience.

We continue our tour to the Terminal Asoagro. This typical market of Arica was created 19 years ago by its merchants and producers. On a walk through the alleys you can get to know the different kinds of fruits and vegetables that grow in the fertile valleys of the region (like the black olive of Azapa) and also the products that are imported from the neighboring countries. Afterwards, we continue to the prodigious Azapa Valley, which is popular for its enormous archaeological development with more than 10.000 years of history. Here you can find surprising geoglyphs like on the Cerro Sombrero (Hut Mountain) or the Geoglyphos de la Tropilla. The following stop will be the Cerro Sagrado (Holy Mountain), a hill that also presents geoglyphs of mythological figures. The viewing point Las Llosyas is the best place to observe these beautiful geoglyphs.

Afterward, are going to visit the Archaeological Museum of San Miguel of Azapa which contains some of the most relevant patrimonial relicts of the archaeology in Chile: The most ancient mummies in the world that belong to the Chinchorro culture and are more than 10.000 years old.

We will cross the Lluta Valley, natural exit of the highlands to the ocean. Here, we stop in the very first settlement of the valley, Poconchile. This town is surrounded by fields of alfalfa and well known for its church, Iglesia de San Gerónimo, which was declared national monument due to its impressive beauty preserved since the 17th century.  Our way leads us to the Candelabra canyon. It was named after its vegetation, the candelabra cactuses, that are typical for the desert. The branches are usually placed in the upper part of the plant, making it look like a chandelier and giving the cactus its name.

Also, you will get to know one of the most important archaeological complexes in the area, the fort Pukara de Copaquilla, declared national monument and surrounded by an impressive canyon of about 150m of depth.

We will stop at the Tambo Sapahuira to have lunch, are you will get the possibility to try the typical food of the Chilean highlands.  Our excursion through the North then continues to the village of Socoroma, outstanding for its architecture and its beautiful green terraces. The first day of the tour finishes with the arrival in Putre. Dinner and accommodation.

We leave Putre in the morning. Our destination is the National Park Lauca with an expanse of 137.883 hectares, a biosphere reserve that covers the foothills and the highlands in the northeastern region of Arica and Parinacota. We start our day with a short hike through the sector of the caves. In this district, you can get to know the paradisiacal landscapes of the highlands, 4.300m above sea level, and you can observe the so-called Vizcachas. What makes this hike special is the mystical ambience that surrounds the region. It is believed that there are men living in this area who are over 9000 years old, and sometimes they are still seen, walking the paths of the highlands. They are said to be the very first visitors who appreciated the beauty of the landscapes.

Our journey continues to the viewing point of Chucuyo, which is located in the center of the National Park Lauca. Take some time to observe and learn about a unique ecosystem and an extraordinary flora and fauna. From here, we continue to the Lagoons of Cotacotani. This lagoon consists of different lakes and volcanic islands, providing evidence of the high volcanic activity of this zone. The viewing point lies in the middle of the wetlands and is the perfect spot to observe the great variety of plants and animals, such as the parinas, ducks, vicuñas, vizcachas and taguas.

We will be moving on to one of the most beautiful attraction of the National Park Lauca, the Lake Chungara, which is located over 4.500 meters over sea level and is one of the highest lakes in the world. It’s magical beauty and the marvelous reflection of the volcano Parinacota amaze thousands of tourists every year. On the other side of the lake, you can see the famous volcanoes Payachata (twin volcanos), about which many legends are told due to their mystical appearance. For example, people say that they house an old treasure of the Inca, and others say that they are a couple in love.

On our way back, we will visit the village of Parinacota which was declared national monument. Here, you can discover the ancient architecture of the highlands. The old houses are all made of adobe and have a great historical value, for they contain relicts of the time of colonialism and are symbols of the Aymara-culture. At the end of our excursion we enjoy a bath in the thermal springs of Jurasi, located in the middle of a small canyon. They are well known for its medical purposes, for example, they are recommended in case of rheumatism.

After enjoying all these different landscapes and regaining our strength with a warm thermal bath, we will return to Putre, where we started the trip to this wonderful world in the Chilean highlands. Dinner and accommodation.

The tour starts again from the beautiful town of Putre. We leave the village in direction of the National Reserve of the Vicuñas which, as its name implies, was created to preserve the vicuña. The flora and fauna of this place are very attractive as they include a great variety of species. In the National Reserve Las Vicuñas, you can discover majestic sceneries that are typical for the Chilean Highlands. We will explore the towns of Ancuta, consisting of just 5 houses, and Guallatire, located at 83 km of Putre at the foot of the volcano Guallatiri. Here you can enjoy the beautiful view of its peak covered in snow.

The journey continues, reaching the most captivating destination of this tour, the salt lake Surire. It is located at 4,200 m above sea level. Surire was declared national monument and is a truly magical place. The intensely white salt deposits contrast with the pure blue of the water of the lagoons, without doubt a delight to your eyes. The salt lake of Surire also preserves the existence of valuable species such as the ostrich (ñandu), flamingo, vicuña, alpaca and the llama, among others. And also the precious flamingos find their habitat in this extraordinary ecosystem: three out of the six existing flamingo species are regularly seen around the salt lake. Around noon, after enjoying this wonderful place, we will have a delicious picnic at the hot springs of Polloquere. Here you may enjoy a relaxing bath.

We will continue the tour to the Nationl Park Vulcano Isluga, located more than 4.000m above sea level, crossing the paths of the highlands, the desert and the pampa. The diversity is impressive and allows you to appreciate different landscapes within the park, such as the lagoon Arabilla, surrounded by small bofedales (wetlands) and forests of Queñua (typical tree of the highlands).

Afterward, we will be visiting the altiplanic communities of Enquelga and Isluga that are located in the middle of a bofedal where Llamas and Alpacas graze. Also, the churches made out of adobe are very beautiful to see. Finally, we will get to our destination Colchane, a typical Aymara village at the border to Bolivia at an altitude of 3.750m.

We will leave Colchane and continue our fascinating tour southwards, crossing various sand dunes until we finally get to the Atacama Desert. On the way, we will travel through impressive and majestic sceneries in the altitude. Spot the volcano Cariquima, reaching up to 5.390m above sea level. We will arrive at the Salt Lake Huasco, a picturesque place surrounded by volcanoes, an abundant flora and wild animals. While in summer it fills up with rain water, the salt lake in winter receives the melting waters coming down from the mountains.

The Salt Lake Huasco is of extraordinary beauty. Pink flamingos walk along the shore, and Andean ostriches are often observed in the wetlands. Take some time to watch the different bird species and learn more about this unique natural habitat that was declared a bird sanctuary.

After enjoying the scenery, we will continue our trip to the fascinating oasis of Pica. This town is located at 2.400m above sea level and is famous all across Chile for the cultivation of lemons. It’s a pre-Hispanic village located just south of Iquique. It combines diverse landscapes such as the pampa, the highlands and the desert.

Pica is full of oranges, lemons and guayaba fruits. But its not only of culinary value, as the little oasis presents surprising archaeological sites. This includes, for example, the old church of San Andrés de Pica, making the village attractive destination for many visitors.

We will leave Pica to visit one of the most important archaeological heritages, the Pintados Geoglyphs. These unique stone images contain more than 400 figures in 66 panels representing humans, animals, birds and abstract paintings. Without doubt, it is a fascinating representation of the ancient cultures.

The tour takes us further through an impressive forest in the Atacama Desert, the National Reserve of the Pampa Tamarugal. This reserve includes more than 24 thousand hectare of artificial plantations of the Tamarugo tree and is surrounded by a number of salt lakes. If you are lucky, you can spot some reptiles that adapted to the climate and are able to survive the dryness and the heat of the desert.

Later, we will pass the village of Quillagua, a small oasis located at the shore of the river Loa. Here you will find a church, a train station and the old customs building. According to the National Geographic, Quillagua is the most arid place in the world.

Finally, we will cross the desert to get to San Pedro de Atacama, where the fifth day of our tour ends.

Today, our tour starts at 4:00am from the hotel. We will travel into the mountains to experience one of the most fascinating natural spectacles of the Atacama Desert: the Tatio Geysers. This geothermic field stems from volcanic origin and is located at more than 4.000m above sea level. Here, hot water and steam shoot up into the sky, reaching temperatures of about 85 ºC in the morning hours between 6:00 and 7:00am. The field includes more than 40 active geysers that actually represent 8% of all the active geysers in the world. Also, you will find a set of thermal baths and a natural pool. Enjoy your breakfast while watching the geysers erupt over and over again.

Afterward, we are going to visit the small village of Machuca, located at 80km of San Pedro de Atacama. This village consists of about 20 houses. The few inhabitants of the town live off agriculture and cheese production. From here, we will return to San Pedro de Atacama where we arrive at noon.

In the afternoon:

San Pedro de Atacama – Moon Valley – Death Valley – San Pedro de Atacama

In the afternoon, our tour will continue at 4:00pm towards the Cordillera of Salt. This mountain range was formed millions of years ago. Due to a continuous exposure to the rain, the wind and the sun, it has developed into a geological phenomenon full of impressive natural formations. From a viewing point, you can enjoy views over this cliffy and rough landscape made of salt and adobe.

We will move on to one of the most beautiful natural sceneries in the world, the Moon Valley. The valley is located 4km west of San Pedro de Atacama. Discover the enormous sand dunes and the undeniable beauty of this place, surrounded by small mountains and geological formations that have been created by the wind.

After appreciating this exceptional place, we will visit the neighboring Death Valley. This valley is another attraction of the driest desert in the world and its mystical ambience is simply indescribable. We will get to the surprising salt statues known as “Las tres Marias” (“The three Marys”). They were formed out of adobe and salt, and are one of the most symbolic formations of San Pedro. On a short hike of about 30 minutes, we reach the so-called salt caves.

To end the day, we will watch the fascinating desert sunset from the Great Dune in the Moon Valley. The beauty of the rough landscape, the intense colors, the sound of the wind, and the sun setting on the horizon is an unforgettable sight. We will return to San Pedro around 8:30pm.

The next day of our tour again starts in San Pedro de Atacama. Our destination are the altiplanic lagoons Miñiques and Miscanti, natural lakes of an intense blue color. To get there, we will take the route via Toconao, a colonial village with an unique architecture. All its buildings are made out of stone from volcanoes, so called Liparitas, including its old colonial church with its impressive bell tower.

On the horizon, we will get to see the great peaks of the cordillera of the Andes at 4.300m above sea level. Spot the silhouette of volcano Lincancabur, the symbol of San Pedro, and enjoy views over the Jere Valley in the surroundings of the village Toconao. The fresh water that flows through this valley helps to grow an extraordinary flora.

We will reach the biggest treasure of the driest desert in the world, the impressive Salt Lake of the Atacama. Without doubt, this enormous lake covered in salt creates a unique and majestic natural ambience. The intense color contrast and the numerous small canyons in this area create a fascinating setting. The salt lake of the Atacama is one of the biggest in Chile, and is partly protected as part of the Flamingo National Reserve.

Next, we stop in the pre-cordilleran village Socaire, where you can enjoy a great view over the white salt lake. The town is known for its handicrafts mainly made out of llama wool. Here, you will have the possibility to taste the typical food of the region. Afterward, explore the fantastic lagoon Chaxa, a place that is home to ducks, alpacas, vicuñas, foxes and ostriches. Also, pink flamingos can be spotted resting at the shore.

Finally, we will reach our destination, the fabulous lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques. The lagoons were formed about a million years ago through the eruption of the volcano Meñiques. They form part of the Flamingo National Reserve and are beautifully located between impressive volcanos. Their blue color contrasts with the brown mountains, creating a truly unique natural setting. Take your time to contemplate the beauty of nature before we make our way back to San Pedro de Atacama.

We will leave San Pedro around noon to get to the city of Calama, a city surrounded by various touristic attractions. One of them is the biggest copper mine in the world, Chuquicamata. Its name is from Aymara-origin and refers to the indigenous Chucos or Chuquis that worked the copper to fabricate tools and weapons about one hundred years ago.  

We are going to realize a tour of about 2 hours, where you can get to know various techniques and typical works in this enormous mine. You will explore the mining installations and get an overview over the full size of the mine, with more than 6km of length, 4km of width and almost 1km depth. The copper mine Chuquicamata is the most important natural resource and supplies a main raw material of Chile.

After this impressive excursion we will finish the last day of our tour “Salt Lakes of Chile” with the transfer to the airport in Calama, where you take your flight back to Santiago. In Santiago, we will pick you up and bring you to your hotel.

After this impressive tour through the North of Chile we will organize the transfer back to the airport of Santiago. Here, the tour ends.