Atacama & Altiplano

Departure from your hotel towards Columbus Square, visiting San Marcos Cathedral designed by Gustave Eiffel et Cie. in the gothic style and inaugurated in 1876, House of the culture a former Customs House. Stamped on each brick of this building is the mark of Gustave Eiffel workshops where it was prefabricated. It was brought from France and raised in brick and metal between 1872 and 1874. We continue to the Morro de Arica with an altitude of 130 m. This bluff is the emblematic landmark of the city. On an esplanade at the top you will see broken cannons, the bust of Colonel Pedro Lagos, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Cristo de la Concordia, a sculpture by the artist Raúl Valdivieso that was cast in Spain .There is also a museum here, built on the ruins of the old fortifications and a lookout point with a spectacular view of the city.

We continue to Azapa Valley. During the trip, tall yellow colored columns with drawings mark the archeological sites. The Geoglyphs are cultural testimonies of the people of the past. These are enormous drawings on the slopes of some hills, executed collectively by ancestral people using the technique of stacked stones or scratching the earth. It is thought that there were created to make the passing of the cattle routes between the hills and coast. Hundreds of small farms will start appearing on the low, dry hills, most of them are dedicated to the production of the famous and tasty Azapa olives. They are watered by the San José River. But its importance is not in agriculture.
Different stages of historical development were stamped on these lands that were a human homesteading very early in history. Its archeological vestiges are mainly of the period of Regional Development, such as the village of Cerro Sombrero and most of the Geoglyphs. But there are also sited of the Tiwanaka period such as the San Lorenzo housing complex, and of Inca influence, such as the housing complex of Alto Ramírez.

Archeological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa. This museum, one of the best in Chile, belongs to the University of Tarapacá. Its rooms recreate 10.000 years of history, from the period of the Chinchorros to the present-day Aymara shepherds. The visit is made with a catalogue in order to identify the objects in the display cabinets and their functions. One room shows the history of the olive tree in the valley. The tour includes museum tickets, mineral water and bilingual tour guide.  Return to your hotel in Arica. (Box-lunch on route)

info@ecotours.cl

Departing from the hotel in Arica through the valley of Lluta, we will observe the Geoglyphs in the hillsides, along with Colcas Incas or silos of storage of agricultural products, arriving to Poconchile in the Lluta Valley. This was a resting place on the Inca way toward the altiplano, although its origin is prior to this empire. Later it became a place of support to the work on the railroad to Bolivia. In the center, you will find the Church of San Geronimo that was the first raised in the mayoralty of Arica in 1605. Nevertheless the one you will visit was build in the XIX century, when it was reconstructed in adobe with two wood bell towers added later. We continue and stop in the Gorge of Cardones to see the giant Cactus Candelabrus. We will see superb examples of this species up to 14 m. height. They only grow at an altitude of 2500 to 2800 m.a.s.l.

We will have a soft walk in Pukara de Copaquilla (old Inca fortress). The Pukara and the rocky gorge on which it is located can be seen from a lookout point. Originally built in the XII century, it was restored by the University of Tarapacá in 1979. A double wall defends it and inside it has 400 enclosures with circular walls, probably houses, corrals or storerooms. We will visit Socoroma (white yucca) an Aymara town with barely 130 inhabitants. The streets of this town have drains down the center for the rainwater and some of them have stone paving. Its origin is pre-columbian, but it was occupied later by the Spaniards in the traffic between Arica and Potosí. Since then its layout has been preserved intact. You will easily recognize where the cattle route from Arica entered the town; the widest road that has a large stone water trough for the droves of llamas. Facing the plaza, you may see the Church of San Francisco, built in 1560. The body of the Church is made of adobe and it has a carved stone doorway and aside door also of stone with signs and names of the evangelists on the frame and upper arch. The inside is 32 m. long, has a stone and adobe altar, four images with silver crowns, paintings from the Cuzco school of art and a curious eagle carved in polychrome wood that is used as a candelabra.

Arrival in Putre at 3.500 m.a.s.l. This is an excellent place to sleep and become acclimatized to the altitude before going up to the Altiplano. Created by highlanders, the town was occupied by the Spaniards, who first lived from the trade with Potosí and after from the gold mine at Choquelimpie, discovered in 1643. Today it is the capital of the province of Parinacota and its 1200 inhabitants work mainly at agriculture and shepherding cattle. If you walk along O’Higgins Street, the oldest in the village, with buildings of the XIX century, many of which have incorporated the XVIII carved stone doorways and window sills. Surrounding the tree filled plaza, there is the building of the Municipality, the Government offices and the Parroquial Church, built in 1670, to replace its predecessor that fell in an earthquake; according to the chronicles, the church was covered in gold an silver. You will be surprised at the abundant and very valuable colonial statuary that is housed in it. Its altar, with an altarpiece of stone panted pale blue is dated 1895. Next door is the parish house, where the padre Carlos Schneider museum is located, with an exhibition of religious art of the villages of the province. Lodging in hotel Qantati.

info@ecotours.cl

Departure from Putre towards the Salting of Surire located 127 km. to the south-east of Putre and 4.245 m.a.s.l. On our way we will visit thousand year old villages of stone, authentic Aymara communities as Ancuta, Guallatire and Viluvio. We will then arrive in Guallatire (place of the guallata) a charming pre-Hispanic town of narrow streets, facing the Guallatire volcano 6.063 m.a.s.l. The XVII century church is oriented toward the volcano and enclosed by a wall. Here, they celebrate St. John on June 24th and the Immaculate Conception on September 22nd. The bell tower, painted white with lime, has pinnacles on the corners. The volcano rises to the west of the bordering range, standing out in the Andean landscape; it is the most active in the high plateau above Arica, with constant emanations of sulfurous gases. Afterwards we will arrive at Surire Salt Lake. 

This patch of salt is 17.500 ha big and it is a protected natural monument. Its name comes from “suri” or “ñandú” (American ostrich) a bird that you will see running on the white sand, surrounded by the snow – covered peaks of the Lliscaya, Arintica and Chiguana. The eastern part of the salt flat of 11.298 ha.was declared a natural monument in 1983 and is administrated by CONAF, the Chilean government park administration office in order to protect its valuable fauna made up of Camelidae “perdiz de la puna” (partridge), caití, juarjua duck, ñandú and three species of flamingo.  We will observe them in the dawn or at sunset, with a warm light that will help you to obtain photographs of unsurpassed excellence. Box-lunch on the route then we return to Putre and will stay at Qantati Hotel over night.

info@ecotours.cl

After breakfast we will depart towards the Lauca National Park (damp grass) with  protected natural landscapes and archeological wealth of outstanding beauty such as Lake Chungará or the town of Parinacota, a an area of 137.883 ha. The number of Camelidae that graze in the marshes will surprise you; as well as majestic vicuñas, flames and alpacas. In small lagoons we will find taguas, gallatas, flamingos and a rich variety of Andean birds, occasionally rheas and condors are seen.

Later we arrive at Parinacota, (lake of parinas) old and dusty and at an altitude of 4.392 m.a.s.l., the whiteness of its buildings contrasts softly with the highland landscape. Its origin is pre Hispanic, but the Spaniards occupied it because it is on the road to Potosí; its large corrals date from that time. Declared a typical zone it remains uninhabited for most of the year with only about 25 inhabitants. This is a town, whose Aymara population lives wherever it is shepherding its animals and only omens home for religious festivals. The houses, that form rows around the church, are of stone stuck together with mud and most of them have a roof made of rough straw. At the four corners that surround the church there are wells – sort of like altars – where the religious processions stop during the fiestas. The church is surrounded by a stone wall, covered with mud and painted white, which has three roofed doors with arches and crowned with pink volcanic stone, the thick bell-tower is apart and stands out in one corner. The church was reconstructed in 1789 and whitened with lime. Its interior walls have XVII century colored frescoes, while in the baptistery the Padre José Vial Subercaseaux Museum has some valuable colonial paintings and objects of religious art, such as a missal printed in Paris in 1699.-

We continue now to the Lake Chungará (moss, on rock) at an altitude of 4.570 m.a.s.l.
This unique lake occupies 2.150 ha. With waters that are completely turquoise colored and reflect the imposing snow-covered peaks of the volcanoes Parinacota, Pomerape and Sajama, all rising above 6.000m.; further south we see the Quimsachatas , with the Guallatire volcano ( the most active in the region) .Enjoying this scenery  we will have a lunch-box on the banks of the lake. As a perfect complement, a large number of birds is enjoying the sun and walking along the edge of its cold waters, it is a scene of great beauty with an active animal live. Return to Arica to your Hotel or airport.

info@ecotours.cl 

FULL DAY AND HALF DAY EXCURSIONS AT SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA & SURROUNDINGS.
You may combine all these programs and make your own trip on regular or private basis. Also tailor made tours for groups and or individuals.  Lodging and transportation from/to airport can also be provided by us.

Reception at Calama airport or central bus station. Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. On the route to San Pedro we will stop at the Cordillera de la Sal (Salt Mountain) at a lookout point. Salt Mountain is a spectacular geological phenomenon. Composed of big salt deposits, gypsum and red clay earth, the Cordillera de la Sal offers rugged scenery rich in natural sculptures. Arrive to San Pedro and check – in at the hotel of your choice.

After picking you up at the hotel around 4.30 pm, we will take the route to Calama to Valle de la Muerte or Valle de Marte (Valley of Mars). Surrounded by red-brown hills of peculiar morphology, it is also a part of the Cordillera de la Sal (Salt Mountains). We will have a short hike walking between attractive geological forms; beautiful dunes appear interrupted by sharpened hills rich in crystallized gypsum. This scenery recreates a planetary image, and during dawn and twilight hours, everything ignites in an orange tone.

Drive to Valle de la Luna situated in the middle of the Cordillera de la Sal  It is a valley of statuesque, rocky formations. Salt emerges to the surface, covering the surface with a dry, whitish layer that gives the place a lunar aspect. 
In the Valle de la Luna, we visit the statues of salt called “Las Tres Marias“ , the salt mine, the salt caves and we will walk up by the sand dunes of the area until we reach the summit of the Big Dune. There you will see the whole valley at the sunset, while a spectacular change of colors happens in front of your eyes. After sundown, you will enjoy a VIP cocktail under the stars. Our guide will explain and show you the star constellations of the southern hemisphere. Transfer back to your hotel.

info@ecotours.cl

We depart from our hotel at 09.00 Hs to visit the Pukará of Quitor 3 km north of San Pedro. This fortified village was constructed during the last stage of San Pedro cultural development, between 1000 and 1500 A.D. It was constructed in order to protect the inhabitants and goods of the area against the constant attacks of neighboring groups. With Pedro de Valdivia’s arrival in 1540, the first battle between the Spanish conquistadors and Atacameños occurred. This battle was famous for the brutality of the conquistadors, who, after knocking down the defenses of Pukará and defeating the Atacameño resistance, took the leaders captive and decapitated them.
The walls of the central part of Pukará have been reconstructed, so that you can imagine what the settlement was originally like.

Following the course of the San Pedro River we continue to Catarpe Valley, where the moisture creates green grassland and fields that surround the river. “Colas de Zorro” (fox tails) and other varieties of flora and wild fauna of the desert are abundant in the area. The hillsides form a canon, and we will walk to the “Quebrada Del Diablo” Devil´s Gorge. We continue and visit the ancient Chapel of San Isidro and the Ruins of Catarpe, an ancient Inca wayside inn.
We continue our archeological tour to the Ruins of Tulor. It was constructed at the beginning of the Christian age .This settlement is a clear example of how the sedentary live arose in this area, with a highly developed level of ceramics, textiles, metallic tools, agriculture and livestock. Return to San Pedro.

info@ecotours.cl

San Pedro de Atacama is located in the middle of the Atacama Desert, 2438 meters above sea level, surrounded by mountain chains and salt fields.
San Pedro de Atacama is one of the first villages founded by the Spanish conquistadors on their arrival in what is today Chile. Its incorporation into the colonial administration occurred not long after the arrival of Don Pedro de Valdivia, the conquistador of Chile who in 1540 defeated the Atacameño resistance in Pukara de Quitor, 3 km north of San Pedro.
The architectural style that characterizes the center of San Pedro de Atacama comes from the Spanish colonial period, combined with local materials and climatic characteristics, causes a peculiar beauty. The streets are rather narrow with connected buildings n either side. We will walk along the streets and notice that the main doors of the houses lead directly to the street, as well as the lime-whiten building, with small, outside windows and entrances.
We walk to the church which is located in the village square. Construction dates back to the 18th century.  In the interior, the colonial altarpieces stand out, among them that of San Pedro patron of the village. On July 29 the feast of San Pedro is celebrated. This holiday is known for the happy Andean music and for the liveliness of the costumes of the brotherhoods.


After the visit of the church, we visit the R.P. Gustav Le Paige museum of archeology. Jesuit priest R.P. Gustav Le Paige originally founded the museum in 1957 on land surrounding the parish residence, but the museum was later moved to San Pedro. The museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of artifacts that detail the evolution of the diverse cultures of the Atacama region, spanning more than eleven thousand years. The collection includes pottery shards, clothing, utensils and even mummies. In fact, the museum is most well-known for the ancient Mummy of Atacama found in the surrounding desert and unofficially baptized as “Miss Chile”.
Of its several wonderful and interesting collections, a few are noteworthy. These include the collection of drugs and hallucinogenic substances, a collection of precious metals including gold and silver, archeological weavings, forensic material such as skeletons, engraved tablets, pottery and artifacts of ancient human settlements. Return to hotel.

info@ecotours.cl

We start early in the morning to visit the town of Toconao, a 600 inhabitants town who make their living through agriculture and handcrafts. We will look at typical handcrafts made of llama wool, cactus wood, volcanic rock and alpaca wool. We will visit the Tower of San Lucas, which is a National Monument and symbol of the town. The houses of Toconao are constructed mostly from liparita, a very white stone extracted from the nearby quarry. We continue the trip to see the Salar de Atacama (salt lake) and enter the National Flamingo Reserve at Chaxa Lagoon sector. This National Reserve is formed by a gigantic depression of more than 3.500km2, located 2.300 m.a.s.l. The Salar is the biggest salt field in Chile and its large quantities of salt make the surface white and rough. The dryness and altitude of the salt field allow an excellent panoramic view of the area. The bottom of the salt field is composed of an enormous lake, which receives water from mountain, rivers and melting snow. As it has no runoff, several small lagoons have formed, where we can observe the three types of flamingos living in the area, the English, the Andean and the Chilean.

We continue in the direction of the Altiplano. We will stop at Socaire village at 3.300 m.a.s.l.  to acclimatize and photograph the small church of San Bartolomé. It is the last village of Lican Antai or Atacameño culture for the travelers on their way to Salta in Argentina, along the Sico Pass international road.
We continue our trip to Miscanti and Meñique lagoons of crystalline water and intense blue color  at 4.350 and 4.100 m.a.s.l. Surrounded by numerous volcanoes and mountains, they are a habitat for a variety of species, such as the Chilean flamingo, the small parina, the playero de Bird and the horned crane , among others. In the surrounding scenery, the hills of Miscanti and Meñiques can be seen, and the area is part of the Flamingo National Reserve. Return to San Pedro de Atacama.

info@ecotours.cl

We leave the hotel at 04.00 am to arrive at 07.00 am. To see the Tatio Geysers at 4.320 m.a.s.l. .The geysers are located 90 km Northwest of San Pedro. They are shaped by a series of fumaroles that erupts water and steam of volcanic origin. We will see this spectacle at dawn in its entire splendor. We have breakfast with boiled eggs directly at the geysers. You may also take a bath at one of the many hot springs around the area.
After Tatio, we visit the old village of Caspana and its church. Caspana lies in a fertile valley in a deep gorge. Caspana has a large cultivated area of approximate 46 ha.in terraced style (inca style) and extensive fields of flowers and vegetables in the riverbeds. All this makes Caspana a mystical Andean village, where we also will have lunch.

We continue to Pukara de Lasana. Managing to shelter about 1.000 persons, this fortress dates from the 12th Century. It as constructed entirely from irregular stones, high up on the edge of a cliff on the Loa River. This fortress is a very narrow conglomerate of alleys that join together approximately 110 buildings with rectangular and circular rooms through small rectangular or square doors and some small windows. On our way to Chiu-Chiu, we will visit the petroglyphs, sculpted in liparita stone panels. In these petroglyphs there are images of camelid herds and shepherds who guide them. There are also geometric drawings in the shape of the sun, animals such as ostriches, lizards, toads, and snakes, and human figures dressed in ritual and/or daily costumes. Our last visit is the town of Chiu-Chiu and its church. It has invaluable historical wealth, evident in its many archaeological artifacts. This trip ends in Calama Airport or San Pedro de Atacama.

info@ecotours.cl