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LAUCA
NATIONAL PARK - CHILE
UNESCO WORLD BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Lauca is the most accessible
park in the Chilean Altiplano. Here you'll find Lago Chungara, one of
the world's highest lakes, and wetlands habitat which home to a singular
community of wildlife, including wild and domesticated american camels
and over a hundred bird species.
In the heart of the
Chilean Altiplano, The Lauca National Park (created in 1970) treasures
a collection of flora and fauna unique in the world, in a setting of lakes,
volcanoes and salty lakes.
Situated in the Putre Comune, 160 km from Arica, in the I Region, the
park is breathtaking. And not only because it is situated at 3200 meters
height, with peaks climbing to over 6300 meters, but because of the imposing
landscape. You begin to notice that as soon as you arrive to the emerald
coloured Chungara lake, the highest non navigable lake in the world, at
4500 meters above sea level, surrounded by extinguished snow covered volcanoes,
like a postcard. Trustful flamingos roam around and a variety of ducks,
Andean goose and hundred of bird species fly over the place. These share
the rest of the park with guanacos, vicuñas, foxes, llamas and
alpacas, among others.
As in summer it rains
and in winter it snows, it is recommended to visit the park from September
to December, a period characterized by pleasant temperature and no rainfalls,
or between March and May, after the rain associated with the altipanic
winter.
In Arica the Carretera
Internacional CH 11 can be taken, which goes from this northern city to
the Bolivian La Paz, and goes right through the middle of the park by
two paved roads, that are practicable all year. Halfway, before reaching
the town of Putre a sign announces we are about to experience something
special. The sign at the beginning of a short but steep slope reads: "You
are entering a magnetic zone". Your car will climb without impulse
as if going downwards.
Putre can be a good operations center to visit the park. It is recommended
to spend a night here to get used to the height to help fully enjoy the
following day. There is a hotel and two inns and some restaurants and
travel agency services for those who prefer to go around with the help
of a guide.
One of these agencies,
Aima-Ruta (Phone 56-58-245986), is managed by direct descendants of the
native Aymara Indians. At present they are take the tourists along two
routes: one that goes around the Lauca National Park, including the Chungara
lake and the volcanoes, and the other going around Putre visiting the
famous "Nevados" and the Salar de Surire.
Socoroma and Belen are
towns that still keep the treasures inherited from the ancient traffic
between Arica and Potosi, and invite to be visited at leisure. Fossils
found in the Las Cuevas sector, give signs of rests of bonfires around
which the hunters and hoarders gathered during their seven millenniums
long passing in this area.
The most important archeological
sites are the Tambo de Chungara, and the caves
Chacus Incaico. The town and the church of Parinacota are historical sites
worth of interest, as an architectural group with Indian and colonial
traces from the XVII century, built with volcanic materials, and the village
of Chucuyo, with houses with mud and hay roofs.
Starting from Putre
also other altiplanic attractions like the Salar de Surire, the thermal
waters of Polloreque or the pictographies of Vilacaurani can be reached.
HOW
TO VISIT THE PARK
The Lauca Nacional Park
has a little over 135 thousand hectares, which is smaller than the Torres
del Paine National Park, but larger than the Puyehue National Park, in
the X Region.
There are three trails that you may follow on your own. The Parinacota
demands an hour and a half, with stations and lookouts that permit stops
to watch the altiplanic landscape.
From the Cotacotani trail, that takes about four hours, you can see the
town of Parinacota, the Lauca valley and the queñoa woods, among
others, while the Chungara trail, only one kilometer long, offers a superb
panorama from lookouts at the lakeside of the same name.
The landscape is completed with a variety of bird fauna and the volcanoes
Sajam, Quisiquisine and Quimsachatas.
For the more daring
and only for those with the necessary security equipment, it is possible
to climb the imposing volcanoes inside the park such as the Parinacota,
Pomerape and Guallatire. But it is indispensable to have the permit of
the Parinacota Government, at Putre.
For campers there are
camping areas in the Chungara sector, with parking lots, restrooms,
kitchen and drinking water, while the Guardería of the Parinacota
sector counts with drinking water, restrooms and kitchen.
For more information
about attention times inside the park, services, and transportation, you
may visit www.conaf.cl
WHAT
TO BRING
Essential in the travelers
backpacks are warm clothes, caps, gloves, sunglasses and sun protection,
as the park is cold and windy. And if you travel by car, it is advisable
to carry an extra gas supply before arriving to Putre. It should also
be kept in mind that due to the height the consumption of gas is higher.
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