With this tour from Putre, you'll travel through the mountainous region of northern Chile for 5 days, where the Parinacota and Taapacá volcanoes are located – a unique experience not to be missed!
5-day Parinacota and Taapacá Trip
Day 1
On day 1 we'll start the tour off with a bang! At the indicated time, we'll pick you up at your hotel in Putre and head to the viewpoint of the Taapacá volcano: a colossal Andean mountain that reaches 19,225 feet (5,860 meters) high. Next to this great peak, we'll also see the landscapes of the altiplano that extend toward the nearby Chilean border with Bolivia and Peru.
Our route will then continue to the small village of Colpita and, from there, we'll continue to the famous colorful mountains of Suriplaza. Depending on your preference, you can admire these peaks from their base or through a trekking route divided into 3 stages, in which we'll ascend up to 17,388 feet (5,300 meters) of altitude.
We'll conclude this day in a rural lodging in Parinacota.
Day 2
After breakfast in Parinacota, we'll dedicate the morning to enjoying a trekking route through the Cotacotani Lagoons and Chungará Lake. These bodies of water are located in the Lauca National Park, one of the most outstanding natural areas in northern Chile.
We'll make another stop next to the Chiriguaya hot springs and head to a rural house in Chimvatambo. In this establishment, you'll learn about the process of "charqui" or meat dehydration, have dinner, and rest until the next day.
Day 3
We'll start the day heading to the vicuña reserve, where we'll see the natural habitat of these Andean mammals. We'll then follow the route along the Chinchillani hill, the Salar Salt Flats, and the Chilcaya plain.
At one end of the salt flats, we'll also find the famous Polloquere hot springs. After a relaxing swim in these natural pools, we'll head towards the picturesque villages of Isluga and Cariquima. We'll have dinner and lodge in Cariquima.
Day 4
On the fourth day, we'll first visit the colossal Coipasa Salt Flats, located on the border between Chile and Bolivia. This area of South America is also known for its large cacti, whose height is sure to catch your attention.
We'll then return to Cariquima to visit its church and the Community Museum. The route will continue in Tarapacá, where we'll admire the San Lorenzo sanctuary and see the Atacama Giant: the largest geoglyph in Latin America.
We'll stop for lunch in the town of Huara and, after lunch, we'll conclude this day's tour by heading to a rural lodge in Nama.
Day 5
On this last day, in the morning we'll take a tour of the Red Lagoon and the Rainbow waterfall: two natural jewels located on the outskirts of Nama.
We'll then return to the area of Nama and Camiña to have lunch and, finally, in the late afternoon, we'll return to your hotel in Putre.
Accommodation and meals
All stays are in shared rooms in rural houses, where dinner and breakfast are included. Lodging places may vary according to availability or weather conditions.
Lunches are also included and will consist of a picnic lunch that will take place during one of the midday breaks during the tours.
The tour includes 4 nights of accommodation in the following places:
- Parinacota: Uta Kala Hostel
- Chivatambo: Lauca Cruzani Inn
- Cariquima: Tata Inti Hostel or Inka Thaki Hostel
- Nama: Camiña Rural House
