Our nine day tour starts in Arica and visits all the best Chile Attractions (link a pagina nueva 'Chile Attractions') including San Pedro de Atacama (link a pagina nueva: San Pedro de Atacama) tours such as Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna) and the stunning Parque Nacional Lauca (link a pagina nueva: Parque Nacional Lauca) with the picturesque Lake Chungara. This Chile Tour will also take you to the ghosttown of Humberstone, various ancient geoglyphs in Chile and the Salt Lake of Surire and various traditional towns and villages in the foothills and antiplano of Chile such as Putre and Parinacota

1st day: Arica – Putre:

The tour starts at 10:30 a.m. with a visit to the Terminal Agropecuario (agrarian market) of Arica where you can experience a typical market atmosphere. Then we enter the Azapa-Valley, view the Geoglyph La Tropilla and visit the archeological Museum San Miguel de Azapa. On our way to the Lluta-Valley you have the opportunity to enjoy the panoramic view over both valleys. After a lunch break in the ecological community Ecotruly, our tour leads us to the Cactus Candelabro and the magnetic zone as well as to a pre-Inca fortress in Copaquilla. We conclude the trip with an one-hour walking-tour to Socoroma, a traditional village in the Precordillera at 3000 m altitude, where we take a rest with coffee and cookies before continuing our trip to Putre. Arrival at Putre at approximately 6:30 p.m. Dinner and accomodation.

2nd day: Putre – National Park Lauca – Putre:

Our second day starts at about 8:30 a.m. Either we have breakfast in Putre or in Bofedal de las Cuevas where we do a 40-minutes walk. During this walk you have the chance to see wild animals like Vicuñas and Vizcachas and get to know bofedales, the basis of the altiplanic ecosystem (viewpoint Bofedal de Parinacota). Furthermore you have the chance to admire a variety of birds like Pitios del Norte, Guallatas and Taguas for example.
Around noon we arrive at the crystalline Lake Chungara (4510 m above sea level) and the lagoons of Cotacotani where we offer an optional 3-hour walking-tour for you to observe both Andean flora and fauna. After visiting the village of Parinacota with its typical 17th century church and a picnic – lunch, we enjoy a relaxing bath in the Jurasi hot springs before returning to Putre at about 6:00 p.m. Dinner and accommodation.

3rd day: Putre – Saltlake Salar de Surire:

After breakfast in Putre we visit Ancuta and Guallatire, two villages located at the foot of the active volcano Guallatire in the altiplano (4000 m altitude). At about noon we arrive at the salt lake Salar de Surire and visit Chilcaya where we give you the opportunity to take pictures of the flora and fauna during an one-hour walking-trip around this natural monument. Afterwards we head for the hot springs of Polloquere at 4270 m altitude where we have a picnic and enjoy a relaxing bath. Accommodation in the Refugio de CONAF. Dinner.

4th day: Salt lake Salar de Surire – National Park Volcano Isluga – Enquelga – Colchane:

Breakfast in front of the Salt lake Salar de Surire at the CONAF Refugio. Afterwards we’re driving through the National Park Volcano Isluga, crossing the Altiplano through pampas and bofedales observing the scarces flora and fauna. Further on we are heading towards the village Isluga with its famous church. You will be able to take some pictures. Aprox. at 5:00 p.m. we arrive at Colchane. Dinner and accommodation.

5th day: Colchane – Cariquima – Salar de Huasco – Pica:

After breakfast at 8:00 a.m. our first stop will be at the legendary and gigantic cacti at the Río Grande. After that we’re going to the village of Cariquima which is famous for its traditional needlework. Further on our journey takes us to Ancuaque with its famous church. We head on to Picavilque, at 5100 m above sea level, and while we are descending we can observe the Salt lake Salar de Huasco. We also pass the hot springs in Lirima and the village Collacagua and reach finally the Salar the Huasco, where we have our lunch. We arrive in Pica at about 5:00 p.m. Dinner and accommodation.

6th day: Pica – Geoglyphs de Pintados – Quillagua – San Pedro de Atacama:

After breakfast in Pica (1325 m) we walk to the Cocha de Resbaladero. It is one of the biggest water sources of the Atacama Desert. The water is famous for its healing abilities. After a relaxing bath we are heading to the Geoglyphs de Pintados. There you get the unique chance to see about 400 figures representing humans, animals, birds and abstract paintings which were made by humans aprox. 800 years ago. We leave this place crossing the National Reserva Pampa del Tamarugal arriving at the small village Quillagua, an oasis next to the river Loa. There we will pass customs. After that we are driving through the desert to get San Pedro the Atacama.

7th day: San Pedro de Atacama – Saltflat Salar de Atacama – Altiplanic Lagoons – San Pedro de Atacama:

Breakfast at the hotel. We leave San Pedro de Atacama at 8:30 a.m. We are heading towards the village of Toconao which is an oasis at the edge of the saltflat of Atacama. From there we are going to Socaire (3218 m) which will lead us to altiplanic lagoons of Miscanti and Meñiques at 4350 m in the Reserva Nacional los Flamencos. After having lunch in Socaire we are descending to the edge of the Atacama saltflat where we finally reach the lagoons of Chaxa which are famous for their flamingo populations. Return to the hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. Dinner and accommodation.

8th day: San Pedro de Atacama – Pukara de Quitor – Tulor – Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna) – San Pedro de Atacama:

Breakfast at the hotel. We leave San Pedro de Atacama at 8:30 a.m. and head towards the Pukara de Quitor, an impressing Atacama fortress of the 12th century. Afterwards we stop at the village of Tulor, the oldest village of the saltflat (800 b.c.). Back in San Pedro we visit the Padre Le Paige museum, one of the most important museums in the northern region. Lunch in San Pedro. In the afternoon we leave San Pedro approximately at 4 p.m. heading for the Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna), situated in the Cordillera de la Sal, where we take a walk in salt canyons. Finally we watch the fascinating colors appearing during sunset from a sand dune of 500 m height before returning to the hotel in San Pedro. Dinner and accommodation.

9th day: San Pedro de Atacama – Calama or Aeropuerto:

We leave San Pedro at 4:00 a.m. to arrive at the Tatio geyser at 7:30 a.m. At this geothermical spot we can admire the sunrise, while having breakfast. Afterwards we drive to Calama, passing the pitoresque villages of Caspana and Chiu-Chiu. We have lunch in Lasana. Transfer to the airport or Calama.

Our tour package includes:

Accommodation:

• 2 nights in hotel/hostel in Putre
• 1 night in the Refugio de CONAF in Surire
• 1 night in a Refugio in Colchane
• 1 night in hotel/hostel in Pica
• 3 nights in hotel/hostel in San Pedro de Atacama

Food:

• 8 x breakfast in Putre, Surire (CONAF), Colchane, Pica, San Pedro
• 9 x lunch (Ecotruly, picnic in Parinacota, Polloquere and Isluga, Huasco, Quillagua, Socaire, San Pedro and Lasana)
• 5 x dinner in restaurant with wine included in Putre, Surire (CONAF), Colchane
• Beverages: table water, juices, soft drinks
• Snacks: fruits, coffee, tea, cookies

Guide:

• Spanish speaking guide/driver with experience

Transportation:

• Minibus (van) with oxygen equipment

Others:

• entrance fees for the Museum San Miguel de Azapa and Padre Le Paige, the hot springs of Jurasi, Cocha de Resbaladero, Moon Valley, Altiplanic Lagoons, Chaxa Lagoons
• walks in Socoroma, Bofedal de las Cuevas, at the Cotacotani Lagoons, Salar the Surire, Chaxa Lagoons, Moon Valley

Minimum of passengers: 01
Maximum of passengers: 06