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Northern Chile

Arica     Iquique     San Pedro de Atacama    

To see an itinerary that starts from, or includes, one of the places mentioned above, just click on the name.

What follows below is a brief introduction to the places we include within our Northern Chile itineraries. Scroll down or Click on the section below to get directly to the information.

Climate

The northern sector of the country begins north of a Serena (474 kms north of Santiago) and runs right up to Arica (2,062 kms north of Santiago). Arica is very close to the border with Peru and the area that run southwards to La Serena at 30° S is one of the driest regions in the world within which is the Atacama Desert. There is a small difference of temperature from summer to winter and the weather is remarkably constant from one day to another. The zone is a typical 'cold-water coast to hot-dry desert' combination where, in spite of being virtually rainless, the weather at the coast is often cloudy and relatively cool for the latitude. The coastal strip has much fog and frequent light drizzle with rather low amounts of sunshine, however in the summer the coastal cloud usually breaks up by midday and inland temperatures are high with plenty of sun, but near and in the mountains it is common to get rain and snow during summer months!

Within the Atacama Desert are fascinating archaeological sites where artefacts and well-preserved mummified bodies of ancient indigenous cultures have been found. There are also petroglyphs and geoglyphs, amazing rock formations, hot springs and an environment like no other on Earth.

Arica

Arica (2,062 kms north from Santiago by road) is a costal city located close to the borders with Peru and Bolivia. It is not a particularly interesting city. It has a casino and is a base from where you can go to La Paz in Bolivia and/or drive up to one of the highest lakes in the world: Lake Chungara, located at the uncomfortable altitude of 4,570 mts, where breathing can be difficult and altitude sickness a potential hazard, but it is set within the beautiful Lauca National Park, declared a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, which is home to wildlife such as vicunas, vizcachas, foxes, rheas, condors, giant coots and flamingos among others as well as containing some stunning geographic sites such as the snow-covered cone of Parinacota Volcano. The route from Arica to Lake Chungara, which is scenically poor, passes by the excellent San Miguel de Azapa archaeological museum (14 kms from Arica) containing artefacts and mummified bodies dating back thousands of years. The museum is open in January and February, from Monday to Friday 09:00hrs to 20:00hrs and the rest of the year 10:00hrs to 18:00hrs.

Located a further 131 kms form Arica, also en route to Lake Chungara is the Andean village of Putre, set at an altitude of 3,500 mts, a tidy village from where there are bird-spotting excursions and prehispanic hiking trails.

A further 44 kms past Putre is the tiny village of Parinacota (population 25), altitude 4,392 mts, with its simple white-coloured church (1789).

In a robust off-road 4 x 4 vehicle you can drive from Arica, up to and through the Lauca National Park and then south along the Andes but this should not be attempted without a guide and back-up emergency equipment.

NOTE: Excursions to the high altitude "Alti Plano" (Putre, Parinacota and Lake Chungara) should not be attempted by those with weak hearts and, ideally should be done in stages i.e. not in one day.

Iquique

Iquique (1,853 kms north from Santiago by road and 316 kms south from Arica by road), is a costal city that grew into an important port and base for miners during the nitrate mining boom between 1880 - 1920. Until the War of the Pacific (Chile - Peru Naval War in 1879) the city was under Peruvian control. Many of the houses were built by the English who came to work the mines and one or two reflect the opulence of the nitrate good times. Unfortunately for the citizens of Iquique demand for nitrate fell when artificial fertilisers replaced nitrate and the city turned to fishing as a means to generate income. Today it is positioning itself as a tourist spot offering sandy beaches, tours to old mining "ghost" towns such as Humberstone (47 kms east from the city), trips to La Tirana (66 kms south east from the city) where each year there is an impressive religious festival during July/August; to Mamina (125 kms east of the city) a hot spring village; to Pica (108 kms south east from the city, known for the plentiful plantations of Pica Lemons - used in Pisco Sour as well as other citrus fruits and hot springs in which to bathe.

San Pedro de Atacama

Nearest Airport: Calama

This IS the place to visit. Located in the heart of the Atacama Desert is San Pedro de Atacama, 1,667 kms north of Santiago 2,438mts above sea level. It is a tiny, dusty, oasis village with unpaved streets, that serves as a base from where to explore the outstanding natural geographic beauty of the area. It is impossible to describe the mind-blowing spectacle of a desert plain dwarfed by a conical, snow-covered volcanoes; the beauty of shades of red and orange; the heat that rises from the vast white expanse of the salt plains - home to pink flamingos; the moon-like landscape of the Valley of the Moon or the amazing blue and green colours of the high-altitude lakes, the silence of which is only broken by the chirping of birds.

The village is a simple place with buildings constructed from adobe and other natural materials but at night it comes alive as the many bohemian-style bars and innovative restaurants open up.

If you rent a car and do your own thing beware, take extra water, warm clothes and check that the car does have a spare wheel, jack and that you know how to use it. People do break down, run out of water and get cold. You are in a desert a long way from help.

The main areas to explore from San Pedro are:

El Tatio Geysers
Located at 4,321 mts above sea level, in the heart of the Andes Mountains 210 kms from San Pedro. The drive from San Pedro takes about three hours and departure is usually at 04:00 hrs, in order to arrive for the dawn spectacle of the geysers bubbling into the air. The incredibly clear night sky, the natural phenomena hot water that can boil an egg and the opportunity to bathe in natural thermal springs is what coming to the geysers is all about. WARNING: people have fallen through the hard crust that surrounds the geysers and consequently been scalded. In some cases people have died. Although most people wander all over the site, you would be well advised to not get too close to even the smallest pools of water.

Caba
A truly remarkable Andean village known for its simplicity, Inca architecture and terraced farming methods. Located in a canyon, the people and way of life appear to be as it was thousands of years ago. For some, a visit to this village feels intrusive. Great care should be taken to respect the inhabitants and their way of life.

Miscanti and Menique Lagoons
Located 290 kms from San Pedro and at 4,500 mts above sea level in the heart of the Andes Mountains. These two lagoons are adjacent to each other and radiate a vivid blue colour. Dwarfed by two volcanoes, they offer a haven for birds.

Tocanao Village and Salt Flat
Tocanao village is located 45 kms south of San Pedro and sits on the edge of a vast salt flat which is home to pink flamingos. The geographic landscape that surrounds the village is formidable. The village itself has a charming central plaza but not much else. The salt flat is impressive in terms of its size and the heat which constantly evaporates any moisture in the ground.

Archaeological Tours and Museum
San Pedro is home to a fine museum that houses artefacts and mummies dating back thousands of years and is well worth a visit. If you are interested in the archaeology of the area the villages of Quitor and Tulor should also be of interest.

Valley of the Moon
A popular tour for practically all visitors to San Pedro is the "Valle de La Luna", called so because of its resemblance to the surface of the moon. It is about 15 kms from San Pedro.

Other Activities
There are many other places to see and things to do such as horse riding and a visit to the world's largest open-cast copper mine "Chuquicamata" just outside Calama.