Wildlife Photo Safari Pacific-Andes tour from Arica * 4 DAYS * From USD$680
A short expedition to explore the wildlife of the Atacama Desert; starting and ending in the city of Arica, from the coast to the Andes and back!
If you are traveling alone or more passengers are required, please contact us to design a non-binding custom proposal for you or you can join a tour with a programmed fix departure.
Price
4 to 6 people USD$680 p/p | 3 people USD$775 p/p | 2 people USD$950 p/p.
Group Size
2 to 6 people.
Tour Length
4 Days.
Date
Any date upon reservation.
Meeting Time
09:00 am.
Pick Up from Accomodation
Yes.
Included
Transportation on a private 4×4 vehicle, filtered water all the way, food and accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary and specialized bilingual guide.
Not Included
Travel insurance, accommodation at Arica (available on request), everything not mentioned in the itinerary.
Route
Itinerary
DAY 1
ARICA – LLUTA – PUTRE
We start our tour from your hotel or from the airport and head to “Humedal del río Lluta” (Lluta’ river delta estuarine ecosystem) to watch for sea birds, migratory and non-migratory birds; Lluta river is the only permanent delta of this area of the Atacama Desert and a very delicate ecosystem.
After, we head east following the valley towards the desert; agricultural fields of corn, olives, vegetables and ancient geoglyphs on the empty slopes of the surrounding absolute desert create unique and dramatic views. We start to gain altitude passing from the desert to the foothills of the Andes; today’s route will bring you from a morning close to the Pacific Ocean to sleep on the base of the huge Tarapaca volcano in Putre.
Food: Breakfast, Chilean food restaurant.
Accommodation: La Chakana lodge (or similar if not available) double room with private bathroom.
DAY 2
PUTRE – LAS VICUÑAS NATIONAL RESERVE – SURIRE SALT FLAT NATURAL MONUMENT – PUTRE
A good breakfast and off we go! Let’s take the dirt road across Las Vicuñas National Reserve for a good chance to watch wild Vicuñas (bearers of the best animal fiber in the planet) grazing and running free on the vast plains of the altiplano. Suris (South American Ostridge) might also run waving their wings from side to side. Guayatas, Taguas and some other birds inhabit the “bofedales” (natural grazing areas) and we’ll hide close to watch them.
The dirt road takes us now to the stunning views of the Surire salt flat (National natural monument); flamingos should be feeding on this place!. We’ll surround the west shore of the salt flat to end the day at the Polloquere natural hot springs (you can take a hot bath here if you like).
Back to the little town of Putre is time to rest.
Food: Breakfast, box lunch.
Accommodation: La Chakana lodge (or similar if not available) double room with private bathroom.
DAY 3
PUTRE – LAUCA NATIONAL PARK – PUTRE
About an hour away from Putre and on the base of huge spectacular volcanos, sits the Cotacotani lakes; a set of shallow ponds ideal for bird watching but also to watch some Vicuñas and the elusive Vizcachas, who will quickly detect our presence and move into safer positions on the rocks with unbelievable agility, if we have to describe a Vizcacha in a few words, we should say something like “it looks like a rabbit with a fox tail”.
We’ll hike around these lakes for some hours, the mountain backdrop makes for the best photos, and you won’t want to leave this place!
On the way down to Putre, we’ll stop in the little village of Parinacota to watch some Alpacas and Llamas grazing close to town, also a great place to watch more birds and specially to look for the “Yaca-Yaca” (“Andean flicker”); one of the few ground woodpeckers in the world and the only representative in the Andes.
As yesterday, our day ends at Putre. The possibility of ascending to the reservations of the altiplano (all in a plateau of 4,000 m approx.) and get back to rest at a lower level in Putre, makes the best available to a proper night rest and adaptation to the altitude.
Food: Breakfast, box lunch.
Accommodation: La Chakana lodge (or similar if not available) double room with private bathroom.
DAY 4
PUTRE – AZAPA VALLEY – ARICA
Our final day close to the Andes and is time to get back to the ocean level, on our way, the absolute desert needs to be crossed again and from that barren and inhospitable landscape… poof! The Lluta and Azapa fertile valleys appear again!, this time we’ll drive along the Azapa valley, nationally famous for the production of high quality olives and olive oil.
A local fish & seafood lunch is ready!; we’ll end the tour with a good lunch with ocean views.
Food: Breakfast, lunch.
Accommodation: Not included.
Conditions
Open
Cancellation Policy
If you decide to cancel your tour reservation, for any reason, the following are our terms:
Time frame / You receive:
- 15 days before trip departure / 70& refund of what you have paid minus a US$20 fee for operational expenses.
- 14 to 7 days before trip departure / 30% of your payments
- 1 day before trip departure / 10% of your payments.
The reasons to cancel a booked tour will be due to bad weather conditions, closed roads, government prohibitions or security reasons of any kind. If this is the case you will get a refund of 80% of what we received (please, remember that intermediates, banks, credit cards and transfers might apply commissions to what you’ve originally paid) and will be happy to offer you another options.
Refunds are done exclusively to Chilean bank accounts or to your PayPal/Payoneer account if you’ve paid using one of those methods.
Transfer Policy
If you would like to change to a different tour or departure date after signing up, we will be happy to transfer you on a space available basis up until 7 days prior to your tour. Please provide your transfer request in writing – email is sufficient. Please note, a US$20 transfer fee will be deducted from your previous payments for each transfer, and if you later choose to cancel your tour, the cancellation deadlines will apply to the date of the originally scheduled tour.
Tour Confirmation
Místico Outdoors will confirm your trip 7 days in advance and will be done via email.
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