59 Best Sights in El Norte Grande, Chile

The amazing Cerros Pintados, the largest group of geoglyphs in the world, within the Reserva Nacional Pampa del Tamarugal are well worth a detour. These figures, which scientists believe helped ancient peoples navigate the desert, date from AD 500 to 1400. They are also quite enormous—some of the figures are decipherable only from the air. Drawings of men wearing ponchos were probably intended to point out the route to the coast to the llama caravans coming from the Andes. More than 400 figures of birds, animals, and geometric patterns adorn this 4-km (3-mile) stretch of desert.

The world's highest geothermal field, the Geysers del Tatio is a breathtaking natural phenomenon. The sight of dozens of geysers throwing columns of steam into the air is unforgettable. A trip to El Tatio usually begins at 4 or 5 am, on a guided tour, when San Pedro is still cold and dark (any of the tour agencies in San Pedro can arrange this trip). After a two-hour bus ride on a relentlessly bumpy road, you reach the high plateau around daybreak. (The entrance fee is covered if you are on a tour, otherwise it is 15,000 pesos.) The jets of steam are already shooting into the air as the sun slowly peeks over the adjacent cordillera. The rays of light illuminate the steam in a kaleidoscope of chartreuses, violets, reds, oranges, and blues. The vapor then silently falls onto the sulfur-stained crust of the geyser field. As the sun heats the cold, barren land, the visibility and force of the geysers gradually diminish, allowing you to explore the mud pots and craters formed by the escaping steam. Be careful, though—the crust is thin in places and people have died falling into the boiling-hot water.

The world's largest anthropomorphic geoglyph, the Gigante de Atacama, measures an incredible 86 meters (282 feet). The Giant of the Atacama is a depiction of a giant man, perhaps an Incan chief or shaman, that with his square head looks a bit like a video game space alien. It is adorned with a walking staff, a cat mask, and a feathered headdress that resembles rays of light bursting from his head. The exact age of the figure is unknown, but it certainly hails from before the arrival of the Spanish, perhaps around AD 900. The geoglyph, which is on a hill, is best viewed just before dusk, when the long shadows make the outline clearer.

One of the last nitrate plants in the region, Humberstone closed in 1960 after operating for nearly 100 years. Now it's a ghost town where ancient machines creak and groan in the wind. You can wander through the central square and along the streets of the company town, where almost all of the original buildings survive. The theater, with its rows of empty seats, is particularly eerie. Take the time to explore beyond the residential area, heading out into the desert where the machines lie rusting in the wind.

A contender for the best viewpoint in Chile, this roadside lake sits on the Bolivian border at an amazing altitude of 4,600 m (15,100 feet) above sea level. Volcán Parinacota, at 6,330 m (20,889 feet), casts its shadow onto the lake's glassy surface. Hundreds of flamingos make their home here. There is a CONAF-run office at Lago Chungará on the highway just before the lake.

About 8 km (5 miles) east of Parinacota is the beautiful Laguna Cotacotani, which means "land of many lakes" in the Quechua language. This string of ponds—surrounded by a desolate moonscape formed by volcanic eruptions—attracts many species of bird, including Andean geese. 

About 60 km (37 miles) southeast of Antofagasta via Ruta 5, this giant hand sculpture rises 36 feet tall from the Atacama Desert like a mirage. It was created in 1992 by famed sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the same artist who created the Monumento al Ahogado hand sculpture in Punta del Este, Uruguay. It's best visited early in the morning or at sunset, when you can see the hand reaching out of the earth into the rays of the Andean sun. You can't miss the Mano from the highway, and a dirt trail leads off the main road toward it. Be sure to park at a respectful distance to ensure other visitors can also enjoy the sculpture.

A visit here is a must for anyone who travels to El Norte Grande. In an 18th-century olive oil refinery, this museum houses an impressive collection of artifacts from the cultures of the Chinchorros (a coastal people) and Tijuanacotas (a group that lived in the antiplano). Of particular interest are the Chinchorro mummies, the oldest in the world, dating to 6000 BC. The incredibly well-preserved mummies are arranged on beds behind thick glass. They have a great presence, and to look into their expressive faces is to glimpse into a history that spans more than 8,000 years. The tour ends at an olive press that functioned until 1956, a reminder of the still thriving industry in the surrounding valley. The museum is a short drive from Arica. You can also make the 20-minute journey by colectivo from Patricio Lynch for about 1,200 pesos.

This museum houses a well-maintained and colorful collection of more than 1,000 seashells and oceanic oddities from around the world. The owner has traveled the globe for more than 30 years to bolster his collection, which includes specimens from Africa, Asia, and you guessed it—Arica.

Within the park, off Ruta 11, is the altiplano village of Parinacota, one of the most beautiful in all of Chile. In the center of the village, among houses made of adobe with thatched roofs, sits the whitewashed Iglesia Parinacota, dating from 1789. Inside are murals depicting sinners and saints and a mysterious "walking table," which parishioners have chained to the wall for fear that it will steal away in the night. An interesting Aymara cultural commentary can be found in the Stations of the Cross, which depict Christ's tormenters not as Roman soldiers, but as Spanish conquistadors. Opposite the church you'll find crafts stalls run by Aymara women in the colorful shawls and bowler hats worn by many altiplano women. Only 18 people live in the village, but many more make a pilgrimage here for annual festivals such as the Fiesta de las Cruces, held on May 3, and the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Canderlaria, a three-day romp that begins on February 2.

On a plateau more than 4,000 meters (13,120 feet) above sea level, the magnificent Parque Nacional Lauca shelters flora and fauna found in few other places in the world, and rivals even Torres del Paine for its beauty. Cacti, grasses, and a brilliant emerald-green moss called llareta dot the landscape. Playful vizcacha—rabbitlike rodents with long tails—laze in the sun, and llamas, graceful vicuñas, and alpacas make their home here as well. About 10 km (6 miles) into the park is a CONAF station with informative brochures.

Just south of the city center on Avenida Balmaceda is Playa Cavancha, a long stretch of white, sandy beach that's great for families and often crowded. You can stroll along the boardwalk and touch the llamas and alpacas at the petting zoo. There's also a walk-through aquarium housing a group of yacares, small crocodiles that inhabit the rivers of Bolivia, Argentina, and Uruguay. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers; surfing; swimming.

Although it attracts far fewer visitors than neighboring Parque Nacional Lauca, Reserva Nacional Las Vicuñas contains some incredible sights—salt flats, high plains, and alpine lakes. And you can enjoy the vistas without running into buses full of tourists. The reserve, which stretches some 100 km (62 miles), has a huge herd of graceful vicuñas. Although quite similar to their larger cousins, llamas and alpacas, vicuñas have not been domesticated. Their incredibly soft wool, among the most prized in the world, led to so much hunting that these creatures were threatened with extinction, and today it is illegal to kill a vicuña. Getting to this reserve, unfortunately, is quite a challenge. There is no public transportation, and the roads are passable only in four-wheel-drive vehicles. Many people choose to take a tour out of Arica.

Many of the most astounding sights in El Norte Grande lie within the boundaries of the protected Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos. This sprawling national reserve to the south and east of San Pedro encompasses a wide variety of geographical features, including alpine lakes, salt flats, and volcanoes. And of course, here is where you will find the most stunning collection of pink flamingos on the planet.

About 10 km (6 miles) south of San Pedro you arrive at the edge of Chile's largest salt flat. The rugged crust measuring 3,000 square km (1,158 square miles) formed when salty water flowing down from the Andes evaporated in the stifling heat of the desert. Unlike other salt flats, which are smooth surfaces of crystalline salt, the Salar de Atacama is a jumble of jagged rocks that look rather like coral. Laguna Chaxa, in the middle of Salar de Atacama, is a very salty lagoon that is home to three of the New World's four species of flamingos. The elegant pink-and-white birds are mirrored by the lake's glassy surface. Near Laguna Chaxa, beautiful plates of salt float on the calm surface of Laguna Salada. Visiting the salar is a half-day excursion from San Pedro and often better at sunset when the sky can paint pretty pink colors, reflected in the mirrorlike lagoons. Arrive early before the crowds scare off the birds, and bring your binoculars.

This surreal landscape of barren ridges, soaring cliffs, sand dunes, and pale valleys could be from a canvas by Salvador Dalí. Originally a small corner of a vast inland sea, the valley rose up with the Andes. The water slowly drained away, leaving deposits of salt and gypsum that were folded by the shifting of the Earth's crust and then worn away by wind and rain. The vastness and grandeur of some of the formations is quite breathtaking, and listening carefully to the cracking of the salt crystals as the sun warms up and cools down the surfaces is awe-inspiring. Visiting the Valle de la Luna is fabulous at sunset, although this is also when truckloads of tourists arrive. So if you want the valley to yourself, visit in the morning when there is barely a soul there. You can visit by car, bike (bring a big hat for shade!), or horseback.

Across from the Parque General Baquedano, the Aduana de Arica, the city's former customs house, is one of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's creations. It currently contains the town's cultural center, where you can find exhibits about northern Chile, old photographs of Arica, and works by local painters and sculptors.

At more than 13,000 feet above sea level, these lakes are in a completely different climate than San Pedro below. The altiplánico has much more moisture in the air and while that means you are likely to experience rain and snow in certain seasons, it also means the area is alive with color and wildlife. The pastel-color backdrop is picture-perfect with the large blue lagoons and volcanoes in the distance. The largest of the lagoons is Miscanti, at 4,350-meter-high (14,270-foot-high), which merits a few moments of contemplation and is one of the prettiest spots in Atacama (on a sunny day). The smaller lake, Miñeques, is equally spectacular and is home to wildlife like vicuña and huge flocks of flamingos. The altiplánico lakes are usually a full-day excursion from San Pedro.

The most popular beach is Balneario Juan López, a small strip of light sand near the center of town. It can get uncomfortably crowded in summer, but the water is warm and tranquil. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Leading out from Plaza Prat is this pedestrian mall with wooden sidewalks. This is a great place for an afternoon stroll past some of Iquique's salitrera-era mansions or for a leisurely cappuccino in one of the many sidewalk cafés. An antique trolley runs the length of the mall.

The gleaming copper roof of this cathedral on Plaza 23 de Marzo, the city's main square, testifies to the importance of mining in this region.

A mysterious dot on the desert landscape, the ghost town of Chacabuco is a decidedly eerie place. More than 7,000 employees and their families lived here when the Oficina Chacabuco (a company mining town that was made a national monument in 1971) was in operation between 1922 and 1944. It was the first nitrate mining office to pay employees, unlike neighboring towns that only remunerated workers and their families with tokens that could be cashed in for food and services on-site. There was little justice, however, for Chacabuco's second wave of inhabitants. 

During the first years of Augusto Pinochet's military regime, Chacabuco was used as a prison camp for political dissidents. In the office, you can still see a photograph of the emaciated men standing on parade. Prisoners were released in 1974, and democracy was restored in Chile in 1990. 

If you are lucky, the encyclopedic guide Iván Pozo will be on shift during your visit. Be sure to ask him about his friendship with the ex-inmates and the tours they would give well into their 80s.

Most people come to Pica not for the town itself but for the incredible hot springs at Cocha Resbaladero. Tropical green foliage surrounds this lagoonlike pool cut out of the rock, and nearby caves beckon to be explored. It is quite a walk, about 2 km (1 mile) north of town, but well worth the effort. You can also drive here or catch a bus from town.

You can get information about the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos at the station run by CONAF, the Chilean forestry service.

Hanging over the town, this fortress is impossible to ignore. This former Peruvian stronghold was the site of one of the key battles in the War of the Pacific. The fortress now houses the Museo de las Armas, which commemorates that battle. As you listen to the proud drum roll of military marches, you can wander among the uniforms and weapons of past wars.

This small museum in El Loa Park has artifacts from Calama's history and pre-Columbian times.

Across from Chiu Chiu's main square is the Iglesia de San Francisco. Built in 1674, it's one of the oldest churches in the altiplano. A cactus-shingle roof tops the squat building's whitewashed adobe walls. No nails were used in its construction—rafters and beams are lashed together with leather straps. On October 4, things get lively when the 500 inhabitants congregate in the nearby central plaza to celebrate the town's patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi. Chiu Chiu is just a turn off the road between Calama and San Pedro, and makes for a nice stopping-off point.

Located on the Plaza Colón, the Iglesia de San Marcos was erected in 1876 and constructed entirely from iron. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, designer of that famed eponymous Parisian tower, had the individual pieces cast in France before bringing them to Arica.

To the west of the square is one of the altiplano's largest churches. It was miraculously constructed in 1744 without the use of a single nail—the builders used cactus sinews to tie the roof beams and door hinges.

On the coast about 13 km (8 miles) south of Juan López lies this offshore volcanic rock that the sea has carved into an arch. It's one of the most photographed natural sights in the country. Many local travel agencies include La Portada as part of area tours.