Chile Attractions

Venue: Lauca National Park    When: Daily

The Lauca National Park is northern Chile's natural treasure, a Global Biosphere Reserve that covers 137,883 hectares of the high plateau of the Tarapaca region.

The park is renowned for its wealth of flora and fauna and is home to more than 130 different bird species, including flamingos, Andean gulls and condors. Other wildlife to look out for includes the distinctive vizcachas (related to the chinchilla), llamas, alpacas, pumas and foxes.

A major attraction of the park is the Chungara Lake, one of the most elevated in the world, located at the foot of the twin Payachata dormant volcanoes, Parinacota at 6342 metres and Pomerape at 6282 metres. The River Lauca springs from Parinacota and crosses the border into Bolivia.

The park also contains the Cotacotani lagoons and Las Cuevas hot springs, as well as places of archaeological and historical interest like Parinacota town with its 17th century, indigenous-colonial church and the Chucuyo village. Hiking the park's nature trails allows visitors to fully experience the area's natural treasures, but at an altitude of 4500 metres, be sure to take things easy. Warm clothes are essential.