FD Lauca National Park

Duration: 1 day

Highlights: Lauca National Park.

Full day excursion to Lauca National Park.

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Itinerary

FULL LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
Get an early morning start on this amazing journey to the magnificent Lauca National Park. Located some 209 kilometres east of Arica along the international road to Bolivia, the journey takes in some unique Altiplanic scenery. The road runs alongside the Taipicahue Stream, with its strip of bofedal tundra, grazing ground for alpacas and llamas. Shy vizcachas (a type of large hare with a fox-like tail) can sometimes be spotted, as well as guayatas geese with their black-tipped wings. The landscape gradually changes to a high altitude steppe, complete with the wet, spongy ground and lush grasses of the Parinacota bofedal. One of the first points of interest is the Lluta Valley, a miracle of contrast with its patchwork of irrigated maize fields flanked by pale, sandy, utterly lifeless desert hills. There are several panels of geoglyphs, particularly around the area of Cerro Sombrero.

Before reaching the National Park, several important archaeological sites can be spotted along the way, including Zapahuira Tambo, an Inca storage area or the Copaquilla Pukara, a pre-Inca defensive settlement. A few kilometres further on the landscape opens up and the wide valley of Putre can be seen beneath the massive, snow-capped Putre Peaks. At 3,500 metres (11,480 feet) above sea level, Putre is the capital of the Parinacota province. Although it dates back to pre-Hispanic times, much of its charm comes from its intriguing traditional colonial style houses featuring carved stone portals and window frames from the 17th century. A little further on are the Cotacotani Lagoons. This myriad of inter-connected, emerald-green lagoons illustrates the effect of water-flow when it is blocked by volcanic eruptions.

Upon entering the Lauca National Park, one is struck by the image of the surrounding volcanoes of Parinacota, Pomerape and Guallatire with their eternal fumaroles, and the unmistakable Altiplanic fauna that includes guanacos, alpacas, vicuñas, llamas and vizcachas. At an altitude of 4,500 meters (14,760 feet) stands the imposing Lake Chungará, set against an impressive backdrop. The lake is home to a wide variety of bird-life such as giant coots, a variety of highland ducks, and pink flamingos.

Close to Lake Chungará is Parinacota, a typical Andean village, with Andean-Colonial architecture and homes built from mud and straw, a VII Century church (now a national monument) and home to the Aymará people, with their beliefs and traditions.

Return directly to the port of Arica to rejoin the ship.
 
SHORT LENGTH TOUR DESCRIPTION
Lauca National Park offers a wealth of flora and fauna, interesting culture and history, and outstanding natural beauty. This full-day journey features the region’s unique Altiplanic scenery, from green agricultural oasis to desert hills, pre-Inca archaeological sites to snow-capped peaks, magnificent volcanoes and one of the highest altitude lakes in the world. Plenty of photo stops are made for capturing these unforgettable scenes.
 
TIMING BREAKDOWN
00:00 - 00:30 Drive from pier to the Geoglyphs in the Lluta Valley (Photo Stop)
00:30 - 00:45 Drive to Poconchile for comfort stop
00:45 - 01:00 Continue into valley
01:00 - 01:30 Quebrada de Cardones
01:30 - 02:00 Pukará de Copaquilla (Photo Stop)
02:00 - 02:20 Tambo de Zapahuira
02:20 - 03:00 Zapahuira (Breakfast)
03:00 - 03:30 Drive through Socorama towards Putre (Photo Stop)
03:30 - 04:00 Putre
04:00 - 04:40 Cotacotani Lagoons (Photo Stop)
04:40 - 05:20 Lake Chungará (Photo Stop)
05:20 - 05:50 Drive to Parinacota
05:50 - 06:20 Parinacota (Photo Stop)
06:20 - 10:00 Return drive to Arica

Approximate duration: 10 hours
 
OPERATIONAL NOTES
- Includes the services of an English-speaking guide
- Abundant bottled mineral water included
- A box lunch is provided during this excursion
- Given the sudden change in altitude and the short acclimatization time, this tour is not recommended for people with heart or respiratory problems
- A support vehicle is highly recommended for this excursion for larger groups, and prices for this service can be provided upon request
- The chronological order of this tour is subject to change
- Activity level is Strenuous

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