//
Wildlife park in northern Chile
Photo: Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Lauca National Park is an 1379 km² protected area in Northern Chile. It's in high Andes and is characterized by volcanic mountains, alpine tundra, and lakes and wetlands. It's also a good place to spot many typically Andean animals, from vicuñas and viscachas to flamingos and – if you're lucky – condors.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
One of the highest lakes in the world (4,520 m). It offers a spectacular view and has plenty of wildlife.
A group of very nice lagoons.
Visit this small village with its nice old church.
Lauca is an especially good place to see high Andean wildlife, with vicuñas, viscachas, and flamingos all being pretty reliable, and quite good birding overall. For more details, including tips on where to see them, see "Flora and fauna" under the "Understand" section above.
There are at least two hot springs with small constructed pools for bathing. One is on the Las Cuevas trail (inside the little shack), and the other, Termas de Jurasi, is just outside the park at the end of Ruta A-151, a small side road leaving the highway near Putre.
By reservation only, 72-hours or more in advance (owner is not always home). Has good reviews.
By bus
All buses heading from Arica to La Paz, which leave from the International Terminal just east of Arica's main bus terminal, pass right through the middle of the park.
By thumb
Because the international Route 11 runs through the park you can also try your luck with hitchhiking.
By tour
You can book a tour from Arica or Putre. This is by far the most practical way to visit the park if you don't have your own car. The tours are from one to three days.
By foot
The park is too big to walk from place to place, unless you're an experience thru-hiker with cold-weather camping equipment.
By thumb
It is possible to hitchhike into and around the park, but not exactly easy, and potentially dangerous if you don't have cold-weather camping equipment: Even much of the main highway is far out of…
By bus
There are no local public buses that run in the park, only tour buses and long-distance Arica-La Paz buses passing through.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Tacna · Regional · TCQ
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Lauca National Park and Chile.
Nature & adventureChile is one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world – no other country is as elongated but narrow as Chile.
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureAs of 2023 the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves is made up of 738 reserves in 134 countries of which 22 are transboundary.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsBecause only Santiago has a good public transport network, and there is only very little of the passenger rail network, driving is a must if you want to see the beauty of Chile.
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureFjords or fiords are long narrow inlets of the ocean often with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. The two countries that are most known for their fjords are Norway and Canada, with New Zealand, Chile,…
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.