As we mentioned in our last entry we did a trip to the Atacama Desert. On Saturday after we arrived we left with 12 others for this promising trip.
First we stopped in Pichidangui, a small village along the coast. It's a beach resort and only busy in summer. We had lunch here and had a look at the church and the small harbour. The next stop was La Serena and this is one of Chile's oldest cities, founded in 1544. La Serena was also our first overnight stop. The hostel was not too bad, but compared with New Zealand standards it looked a bit cheap. The next day we left early for a 500 km drive to Bahia Inglesa. First we stopped at Punta de Choros, a small fishermen's village. From there we took a 2,5 hours guided boat tour to the National Reserve Pinguino de Humboldt, formed by three islands. We had a wonderful tour around one of the islands and spotted a lot of pinguins, sealions and seals. We also saw some dolphins and even a sea otter. The cliffs were covered with bird poo and looked white, compared to the usual dark colour. At one of the islands we got off the boat for a lunch, which we had prepared that morning. After this boat tour we went to Bahia Inglesa, which is also known as English Bay after an English pirate who arrived at the bay in 1687. It's very busy in summer but in winter it's almost deserted. We stayed at a camp site close to the beach, in shared cabins for 5 persons. But we only saw the views the next morning since we arrived in the dark. We stayed at Bahia Inglesa for 2 nights.
On day 3 of the trip we left in the afternoon to have lunch in Caldera at Empanadapolis, a very popular restaurant well known for their empanadas and in the evening we had an absolute brilliant BBQ. We had to buy the drinks and the travelling agency would provide the food. Absolutely great! The next day we headed towards Antofagasta crossing the driest part of the Atacama Desert, where some meteorological stations have never registered any rain for about 50 years! Just before we arrived in Antofagasta we stopped at the old cemetery of Oficina Chile, one of the many abandoned nitrate mining operations that were the main source of income of the country during the second half of the 19th century. This was a very bizarre experience. In the middle of nowhere there is a cemetery with graves half open... We saw a skeleton of a woman with the skin still on the skull and the ear still there. Just bizarre! Further on we stopped at the Mano del Desierto or the hand of the desert, a sculpture made by an artist in 1992. Unfortunately the hand gets graffited from time to time but it was still worth the stop.
Antofagasta was our 3rd overnight stop and is Chile's 5th largest populated city and the main urban centre in the desert. It's one of the primary Chilean ports, linked with Bolivia and Argentina by cargo trains. Established as a Bolivia port for the export of nitrate and silver, it was occupied by Chilean troops in 1879 thus initiating the Pacific War with Peru and Bolivia. After the war the city was annexed by Chile and received waves of European immigrants. We visited the La Portada Cliffs, a rock formation in the sea shaped like a gigantic arch.
Day 5 was said to be the best day of the trip. On our way to Atacama Salt Flat we stopped at an abandoned train cemetery in Baquedano where we had a look at old trains that were left there. We left the highway and took a road paved with compacted salt towards the east along the Tropic of Capricorn. After 150km of desert we got to the Atacama Salt Flat, the largest in Chile. We crossed the southern bit of the Salt Flat over a road made out of the same salt that covers this dry lake, stopping frequently to take pictures and admire the hexagonal shaped salt dry lake. After crossing the Salt Flat we got to the small oasis village of Peine, 2400 meters above sea level. It is an oasis at the base of the Andes, founded by Atacamenos as a defensive position. It used to be one of the most important stops of the Inca Road during the Inca period and one of the stops of the first Spanish conquistadores when they first came to Chile from Peru. There are some rock pools where we went for a dip after the dry road we left behind. At the south part of the oasis there were remnants of the old Atacameno town and the walls that was once, one of the first churches built in Chile. The old town was abandoned in 1650, for unknown reasons.
After the oasis we headed north towards San Pedro de Atacama, but before getting there we stopped at the Natural Reserve Los Flamencos, sector Laguna Chaxa. This reserve was created only in 1992 to protect the habitat of the Pink Flamingos, called Parina by the Atacamenos. This stop was a fabulous experience. From time to time flamingos would fly over us to land in the stream to stay for the night. We also witnessed the sunset here and it was just amazing. So peaceful and serene... At dark we arrived in San Pedro de Atacamawhich is the archaeological capitol of Chile. The town is built mostly in adobe and has always been a cross road, firstly for caravans of Indians trading products from the jungle in Bolivia with the coast in what is now Chile. It was then also a stop along the Inca Road, used as a base for the Spanish conquistadores and as a stopover for the cattle driven from Argentina to Antofagasta and now for "Gringos" all over the world. It is a true unreal world in San Pedro. A touristy place in the middle of the desert with power cuts once in a while and very low water pressure.
On day 6, which was also our last day on the trip, we visited Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) where we went for a walk through some salt caves. Really awesome by the way. At sunset we watched the sunset, together with hundreds of other spectators.
Antofagasta was our 3rd overnight stop and is Chile's 5th largest populated city and the main urban centre in the desert. It's one of the primary Chilean ports, linked with Bolivia and Argentina by cargo trains. Established as a Bolivia port for the export of nitrate and silver, it was occupied by Chilean troops in 1879 thus initiating the Pacific War with Peru and Bolivia. After the war the city was annexed by Chile and received waves of European immigrants. We visited the La Portada Cliffs, a rock formation in the sea shaped like a gigantic arch.
After the oasis we headed north towards San Pedro de Atacama, but before getting there we stopped at the Natural Reserve Los Flamencos, sector Laguna Chaxa. This reserve was created only in 1992 to protect the habitat of the Pink Flamingos, called Parina by the Atacamenos. This stop was a fabulous experience. From time to time flamingos would fly over us to land in the stream to stay for the night. We also witnessed the sunset here and it was just amazing. So peaceful and serene... At dark we arrived in San Pedro de Atacamawhich is the archaeological capitol of Chile. The town is built mostly in adobe and has always been a cross road, firstly for caravans of Indians trading products from the jungle in Bolivia with the coast in what is now Chile. It was then also a stop along the Inca Road, used as a base for the Spanish conquistadores and as a stopover for the cattle driven from Argentina to Antofagasta and now for "Gringos" all over the world. It is a true unreal world in San Pedro. A touristy place in the middle of the desert with power cuts once in a while and very low water pressure.
On day 6, which was also our last day on the trip, we visited Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) where we went for a walk through some salt caves. Really awesome by the way. At sunset we watched the sunset, together with hundreds of other spectators.
What amazed us the most was the vastness of the country. Many, many kilometers and no town or village. Just rocks, rocks and more rocks. Very unreal. And along the road only lots of shrines to mark the spot where someone died because of a road accident. There even was a shrine where some guy as been living at for 10 to 12 years. Travellers once in a while give him food and goods so he can survive. So far the hardcore life... The trip in general was absolutely great and the driver Marco was a true star. Look for our pictures at Facebook! There is not enough space here to show the best ones.
Today the other travellers left for the remaining part of the trip and we stayed in San Pedro. We decided not to do the 4x4 tour to Bolivia (advised by the guide) and take the bus to Argentina instead. We then take the bus to La Quiaca at the border to cross to Bolivia fromwhere we will take the train or the bus to Sucre. This means that we will have another vias stamp in our passport: Argentina! Hopefully we can update you when we get in Salta and if not probably in Sucre.
Take care!
Ray
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