Chile > Up to 4,600 meters and back

We get up early today. The alarm goes off at half past six. For breakfast, we have coffee, orange juice, and two ham and cheese rolls. By eight o’clock, everyone is ready at the hotel, but the bus is running late. After about fifteen minutes, it finally arrives, and the day trip to Lauca National Park can begin. First, we drive a short distance along the coastal road back toward the border. After a few kilometers, we turn right into the mountains. About fifteen kilometers into the Lluta Valley, we reach the geoglyphs on the hills. Unfortunately, the weather is hazy, so the enormous mountain drawings from the time of the Tiwanaku (around 1000–1400 AD) are difficult to see. Further along the valley, the bus stops in Poconchile, a small village with one of Chile’s oldest churches. The St. Jerome Church is being rebuilt. The impressive façade hints at the work still to be done, as only the outer walls remain standing. Behind the church is a beautiful, colorful cemetery, shrouded in mist and clouds, giving it an atmospheric, fitting appearance.

Chile - A cactus tree

Next, we stop at the “magnetic field.” The driver switches off the engine in a small dip in the road, and the bus seems to roll backward — or so we are told. In reality, the road slopes slightly downhill, though it’s not immediately obvious. Around the magnetic field grow the Candelabres cacti (candelabra cacti), several meters tall but growing only about one centimeter per year. At a small roadside restaurant, we are served coca tea, a good remedy against altitude sickness, brewed from coca leaves. The tea tastes similar to herbal tea. Back on the bus, we continue the ascent. At a viewpoint, we see the village of Putre and the cultivated terraces in the background, with the imposing Parinacota volcano rising over six kilometers high behind them. By now, we have reached 3,500 meters, and the altitude is clearly noticeable. Everything takes more effort due to the thinner air. At the entrance to Lauca National Park, we are greeted by Lama Lollie, who seems quite used to tourists and immediately sticks her snout through the doorway. Outside, Lollie circles happily around us and allows everyone to pet her. In the park, we also see the llareta moss. Though it looks soft, it is actually extremely hard and secretes a sticky substance. Some patches of llareta are hundreds of years old. A little further on, Laguna Cotacotani presents a beautifully shaped landscape of bright blue lakes, ice deposits, and green islands, with two volcanoes standing in the background.

Chile - The highest lake in the world at 4,650 meters, Lake Chungara with Parinacota volcano (6,310 m) in the background

The lakes were formed by melting ice. Finally, we arrive at what Chileans claim is the highest lake in the world: Lago Chungara, at 4,600 meters above sea level. It’s a picturesque scene with llamas and alpacas in the foreground and the Parinacota volcano in the background. The altitude takes its toll — even a small climb for a photo leaves you out of breath within a few steps. Some fellow travelers are already experiencing headaches or nausea. To make matters worse, the bus won’t start at this altitude; the starter motor is blocked. Together, we push the bus, and I am immediately out of breath. On the way back, we visit the old 17th-century adobe church of Parinacota. At half past four, we arrive in Putre for lunch. I feel somewhat nauseous, unsure if it’s the altitude, the bumpy roads, or all the water I’ve drunk. I try to eat some corn soup but don’t have much appetite. After leaving Putre, the sun is already low in the sky. Soon we are driving in the dark toward Arica, arriving back at our hotel around half past eight. In the evening, I have dinner with Dennis, Nancy, and Ronald at a seafood restaurant in the center. Communication is a bit difficult — we don’t speak Spanish, and the waiter speaks no other language. Eventually, we place our order using hand gestures, which turns out to be an excellent choice. Back at the hotel, I take a shower, and we go to sleep around midnight.