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Nothern Chile
offered by supplier M17096 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 11
day(s)
Group Size: 4
- 10
people
Destination(s):
Chile
Specialty Categories:
Cultural Journey
Multi-activity
Season: August
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: No
Minimum Per Person Price: 1390 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1390 US Dollar (USD)
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- Chuquicamata: The largest copper mine in the world.
- San Pedro de Atacama: An oasis at the Atacama Salt Lake. Indigoes culture.
- San Pedro de Atacama: Visit to the museum ‘Le Paige’.
- San Pedro de Atacama: Moon Valley.
- Oasis Toconoa: Indigenous styled church from the colonial time. Fruit gardens.
- Atacama Salt Lake: Observation of 3 flamingo species.
- Geysers ‘El Tatio’ (4300 m). Vicuñas.
- Altiplano: Relaxing, bathing in a natural thermal pool
- Caspana: Indigenous village with preincaic terraces. Cactuses, museum, lamas.
- Aiquina: Indigenous village with Andean styled colonial church.
- Chiu-Chiu: The oldest church in Chile (Andean Style).
- Calama: Far West in Chile.
- Iquique: Oasis in the desert, Pacific coast.
- Iquique: Ghost City ‘Humberstone’.
- Altiplano: National parks Surire, Isluga and Lauca, Chungará Lake with fauna.
The tour starts in Santiago from where we fly directly into the heart of the Atacama desert. There we will visit the largest copper mine of the world: Chuquicamata.
A two-hour bus ride will bring us to the Oasis San Pedro de Atacama, birthplace of a 10000-year old culture, which was influenced by the Tiwanaku culture and the Inca empire, which had its golden period around 1400. The fascination of this culture and the extreme scenery in which it had developed will accompany us during our visit to the Valle de la Luna and the Salt Lake of Atacama with its flamingo colony.
We will see the mix of indigenous and Spanish elements in the characteristic architecture of the Altiplano in a beautiful church, example of the so-called Andes' baroque.
The next day we will start at 4:00 a.m. with a bus ride up 4300 m high to be in time to see the awakening of the El Tatio geysers during sunrise. The Altiplano is the home of the gracious vicuñas, a wild form of the lamas, which belong to the Camel species. With a little bit of luck we might see Ñandus, the American Ostrich. The volcanic activity, which is found everywhere in the South American Andes, enables us to enjoy several warm baths, surrounded by a wonderful scenery.
We will spend the night in a simple hostel, which is run by the locals of Caspana. The house is made of clay and is an example of the simple way of living of the people of Caspana. Caspana lies in a valley at 3400 m, surrounded by terraced mountains where an unexpected variety of vegetables, flowers and fruits grow. After an hour of walk we will see the spectacular sunset.
On our way to Calama, we will visit Aiquina and Chiu-Chiu, almost abandoned indigenous cities with old churches under the ever-blue sky of the Atacama Desert.
The road to Iquique follows the coast and is like driving on the moon but having the Pacific Ocean on the left hand. The name Iquique means 'eternal spring' because of the constant mild climate. The city was born in the time of the Nitrate boom and it is today a tourist city.
The same day we will arrive at 4000 m and will spend the night in the National Park Isluga, at one side of the Surire Salt Lake. The loneliness of the surroundings and the extensive fauna is unique. The next day we will arrive in Parinacota, the last Chilean village before we cross the border to Bolivia. Parinacota belongs to the Chungará Lake, the highest lake of the world (4600 m). The North Chile travel will end the next day in La Paz (Bolivia) or in Arica (Chile).
Hiking and Trekking Possibilities:
- San Pedro – Quitor (2 hours)
- Valley of Caspana (2 hours)
- Parinacota, Lake Chungara (2 hours)
- Isla del Sol (5 hours)
- Pisaq (3 hours)
- Inca trail to Machu Picchu (4 days)
Transportation:
- Flight: Santiago - Calama
- Public bus: Calama - San Pedro, Calama - Iquique, Chungara - La Paz, La Paz - Copacabana, Copacabana - Puno
- Train from Puno to Cusco
- Private minibus from: Iquique to Chungara, San Pedro to hot springs to Caspana to Calama, Cusco to Ollantaytambo to Pisaq to Cusco
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Chile
Cultural Journey
Multi-activity
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, ext: 17096
