Choosing an Alto Andino itinerary, Chile, Arica, Lauca, Atacama desert tours.

Northern Chile: Choosing an itinerary while keeping in mind that all tours are customized. If you don't see your ideal route, please inquire.
	macho Homo sapien shares the hot springs with Chilean Flamingos

Best time to come to Lauca by weather and by activity

New: site map

For those with a wide range of interests, route focuses on altiplano parks and some lowland sites
Tour from Arica across altiplano parks, includes one or more nights at about 3,900 m, includes day at fishing village with marine mammal colony, ends Iquique or Arica.

Especially for birders:
Alto Andino's comprehensive birding tour, with time for photography and cultural attractions
Concentrated birding from Arica to Putre to Lauca with little time for photography or cultural attractions
For semi-independent birders who like to ID some birds without a guide, extra acclimatization time
Day birding tour near Arica that does not include high elevations, also good for cruise ship stops in Arica, some Atacama Desert attractions.
Extension to Ramsar site Salar de Surire, focus on flamingos, rheas, Polylepis tarapacana, requires overnight at high elevation of 4,300m. Begins and ends in Putre.

CHILE'S NORTH, IN DEPTH: For those wanting to get to know the most diverse habitats and cultures of northern Chile. 5-7 day private tour guided by Alto Andino owner B. Knapton, sometimes with additional professional Chilean guides. Focus on birds, plants, ecology, geography, watersheds. And culture: Aymará, Chinchorro, pre-Hispanic, Colonial, Nitrate-Baron Epoch, and War of the Pacific selected battle sites and outcomes. We visit a hummingbird refuge, archeological sites, sea lion and fur seal colonies, historic nitrate processing stations, geoglifs, pintados, petroglifs, hotsprings, seabird colonies, locally-famous wine-producing oasis, alpine plant sites, Atacama Desert wildflower and cactus areas, and cushion bogs. This itinerary is highly variable, please inquire for suggested route according to your interests.

Botanizing: Choose a full tour or guide service by the day.

Low elevation Atacama Desert Tours, please inquire about itineraries for travelers who prefer minimum or no exposure to high altitudes.

Tours for families with kids along
Most tours can be adjusted to provide more attractions and learning experiences for the kids. Please inquire if you have young children along, we are used to thinking about the younger travelers. Generally children need more acclimatization time and the tour goes somewhat slower. A "free" non-guided day in Putre is often a good choice for families. We prefer that families with children plan to sleep no higher than the elevation of Putre, where there is a clinic.

About Tours

Nature Pages

Atacama culture, Altiplano wildlife, Coastal marine mammals: 5 days, 4 nights nature tour
Slice of the Andes for the Birds: 5 days for the birds