DAY 01: CITY
TOUR &
ARCHAEOLOGICAL.
Reception
and transfer
to the
hotel. Visit
a
fascinating
city with a
colourful
past seen
through its
arquitecture
and national
monuments
such as St.
Mark's
Cathedral
and the ex-Customs
Building,
both
designed and
pre-fabricated
by Gustav
Eiffel. We
contunue our
tour along
the south
coast and
places of
interest
such as the
"ex" Alacran
(Scorpion)
Island and
the southern
beaches
where we can
see
illustrated
in murals, a
concise
history of
Arica and
the Fishmeal
Industry,
driving
force of the
city's
economy,
then on the
Azapa Valley.
The site of
the Cerro
Sombrero
prehispanic
settlement
and its
panels of
Geoglyphs
highlighting
a herd of
camelids.
Cerro
Sagrado (Sacred
Hill)
illustrating
ancestral
beliefs
through its
panels of
geoglyphs.The
Pukara de
San Lorenzo,
a defensive
settlement
constructed
on
artificial
terraces.
Visit the
Arqueological
Museum. Part
of the
University
of and
illustrating
the complete
evolution of
the area
from its
most ancient
inhabitants
up till the
arrival of
the Spanish,
about 10.000
years of
history.
Here in the
museum are
examples of
the most
ancient
mummified
remains in
the world.
Visit the
Artesans
Village and
the
oportunity
to apreciate
some of our
local art
and
handicrafts.
Visit the
Morro of
Arica
another pice
of history ,
where at the
XIX century,
remains the
Pacific War.
Back to the
Hotel.
DAY 02:
ARICA –
CHUNGARA
LAKE - PUTRE
Morning
departure
towards the
altiplano.
During our
ascent we
have the
chance to
enjoy a wide
variety of
landscapes,
flora and
fauna. We
soon pass by
geoglyphs on
the yellow
slopes that
flank the
route, some
depicting
figures of
llamas and
humans.
Other
highlights
along the
way are the
village of
Poconchile
and its XVII
century
church, the
Cardones
Canyon with
it’s up to 4
meters high
cacti,
before we
reach Pukara
de
Copaquilla,
one of the
ancient
fortresses
built by
native
Indians.
Visit at the
Socorromo
village and
its Andean/Colonial
architecture
and its pre-Hispanic
farm
terraces.
Panoramic
view of the
Villages of
Putre. Next
come the
Lauca river
and the
Cotacotani
lagoons,
myriad
interconnected
emerald-green
ponds that
bear
testimony to
the effect
of the
interruption
of water
flow by
volcanic
activity.,
We the
continue to
the Lauca
National
Park, and
its
spectacular
scenery,
exotic flora
surrounded
by show
capped
mountains
and
volcanoes
with their
eternal
fumaroles
such as the
Parinacota,
Pomerape and
Guallatire
and wild
fauna
including
Guanacos,
Vicuñas,
lamas (belonging
to the camel
species) and
Vizcachas.
Our next
stop is the
beautiful
village of
Parinacota,
declared a
national
Monument.
This is one
of the
altiplano`s
most
important
ceremonial
sites,
although
nowadays the
activities
are limited
to religious
festivities.
The houses
are built
from stone,
using clay
as mortar
and have
thatched
roofs. They
are huddled
around the
beautiful
church of
the XVII
century.
Return to
Putre.
Dinner and
accommodation
at the
Hosteria in
Putre.
DAY 03:
PUTRE–
VICUÑAS
NATIONAL
RESERVE AND
SURIRE SALT
LAKE
NATIONAL
PARK VOLCAN
ISLUGA –
ENQUELGA –
COLCHANE
After
breakfast at
the hotel,
we start our
journey
towards Las
Vicuñas
National
Reserve
where the
wide open
spaces,
colors and
overwhelming
silence will
leave you
with a
lasting
memory.
Llamas,
alpacas and
vicuñas are
abundant on
the arid
plains of
this area of
the
altiplano.
Also to be
seen is a
wide variety
of bird life
and the
possibility
to see the
ñandu or
lesser rhea.
On route we
will see a
number of
isolated
shepherds’
settlements
and pass
through the
Andean
village of
Guallatire
with its
XVII Century
church
facing the
active
volcano of
the same
name. Soon
after we
arrive in
one of the
most
stunning
areas of the
altiplano,
the Surire
Salt Flats
and its huge
collection
of pink
flamingos;
the three
species are
present here
in Surire.
On the
southern
side of
Surire is
the
Polloquere
hot springs
where you
can enjoy a
rejuvenating
soak bath.
Box lunch on
the route.
In the
afternoon we
will head to
the Colchane
frontier
control,
while we
visit the
Enquelga and
Isluga
villages,
both built
in rocks,
adobe and
thatched
roof. The
inhabitants
in the
National
Park of
Isluga still
keep their
Aymara
beliefs and
traditions.
Arrive at
Colchane.
Accommodation
in a
residential
only with
the basic
needs.
DAY 04:
COLCHANE -
GIGANTE DE
ATACAMA –
SALITRERAS –
IQUIQUE:
08:00 On a
early
departure we
begin our
descent
towards the
desert and
the nitrate
territory,
so important
to Chile
around the
turn of the
century. We
make a
slight
detour to
visit the
Atacama
Giant, the
largest
geoglyph in
north of
Chile with
an altitude
of 86m. On
route to
Iquique we
pass a
number of
abandoned
nitrate
offices and
visit
Humberstone,
a nitrate
ghost town
where it is
possible
with a
little of
imagination
see the
splendor of
this period
of the
Chile’s
history.
Arrival to
Iquique at
18:00 and
transfer to
Hotel.
DAY 05:
IQUIQUE
Transfer out
to airport.