Trip of Northern Chile and Argentina

22 days – from €4,975 per person

driving – active – Andes Mountains – nature – ancient civilisations

Day 3 | Santiago – Arica

Today you’ll take a domestic flight to Arica. You will be collected from your hotel and taken to Santiago Airport, where you will board your flight. On arrival at Arica Airport, you will collect your rental car and drive to your hotel (approx. 18 km | 30-minute drive). Arica is situated in northern Chile, very close to the border with neighbouring Peru, and is also known as ‘the city of eternal spring’.
Overnight stay: Hotel Apacheta | bed and breakfast

Day 5 | Arica – Codpa Valley

(approx. 120 km | 2-hour drive)
Today you’ll drive on to your next destination, the Codpa Valley. As you leave the city of Arica, we highly recommend visiting El Morro, a steep slope situated on the southern edge of the city. From here, you can see part of the Azapa Valley, a fertile and narrow oasis where a great deal of vegetables are grown. The valley is framed by two hills and divided by the San José River, which flows during the summer months. Thanks to the unique climate, a wide variety of fruit and vegetables can be grown here all year round. For example, the Azapa olive is grown here, known for its violet colour and bitter taste, which produces a robust oil.
Accommodation: Aruma Codpa Lodge | bed and breakfast

Day 6 | Codpa Valley

This day is free to spend as you wish. You’ll find yourself in a surprisingly green oasis in a deep gorge at an altitude of 1,850 metres. The village of Codpa is known for its church, fruit farming and its artisanal wine called Pintatani. From here, you can visit the Surire salt lake and the surrounding national parks, amongst other places.
Accommodation: Aruma Codpa Lodge | bed and breakfast

Day 7 | Codpa Valley – Putre

(approx. 160 km | 4.5-hour drive)
Today you’ll get back in the car for a scenic drive from the Codpa Valley to Putre. Along the way, you’ll pass the petroglyphs of Ofragía and the hamlets of Timar, Tignamar, Saxamar, Belen and Chaquipiña. You can also stop off at the Tambo de Zapahuira on the way. Once you arrive in the highland village of Putre, situated at an altitude of 3,600 metres above sea level, you’ll be amazed by the surrounding sights and the nearby snow-capped volcanic peaks.
Overnight stay: Hotel Qantati | bed and breakfast

Day 8 | Putre

Today is a free day and you can choose from a range of activities. For example, you could visit the Las Vicuñas and Lauca National Parks. In these parks, you’ll see large herds of guanacos, vicuñas (camelids) and ñandus (a type of ostrich). Lauca National Park has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its spectacular landscapes and unique flora and fauna. You can also visit Lago Chungara, the highest lake in the world. We also highly recommend a visit to the village of Parinacota, situated in Lauca National Park at the foot of the volcano of the same name. This village has retained its wonderful authenticity, and the locals will offer you their wares, such as hand-woven rugs and coca leaves.
Accommodation: Hotel Qantati | bed and breakfast

Day 9 | Putre – Lauca – Arica

(approx. 140 km | 2.5-hour drive)
Today you’ll drive back to Arica. In the morning, you can visit Lauca National Park and then drive towards Arica in the afternoon. You may also choose to visit the Pukara de Copaquilla fort on the way, where you can explore at your leisure. Heading towards Arica, the road then takes you to Poconchile, where you can visit the San Gerónimo church, built in 1580, and the vast cemetery that belongs to it. On the way to Arica, you’ll enter the Lluta Valley, where you’ll see many traces of the ancient Inca route that ran from the coast to the highlands. During a stop in Rosario, you can take the time to view the geoglyphs created by the Incas.
Overnight: Hotel Apacheta | bed and breakfast

Day 10 | Arica – Iquique

(approx. 315 km | 4.5-hour drive)
Today you’ll continue your journey to Iquique, situated in the desert on the coast. As you leave Arica, you can stop off on the way to Iquique to visit the Cuevas de Anzota, located 12 km south of Arica. On the way to Iquique, you can also visit the abandoned mining town (also known as a ghost town) called Humberstone. The climate in Iquique is very pleasant and you can relax by the sea. Iquique has reinvented itself as a commercial centre. The hot springs and thermal baths attract visitors thanks to the mud baths and healing properties of these oases. The Andes mainly attract mountaineers, hikers and photographers. The city has many shops and a large shopping centre; as Iquique is a free trade zone and tax-free, shopping here is a great option.
Accommodation: Hilton Garden Inn Iquique | bed and breakfast

Day 11 | Iquique – San Pedro de Atacama

(approx. 490 km | 6.5-hour drive)
Today, you’ll drive further inland from Iquique, travelling from the coast through the driest desert in the world to the town of San Pedro de Atacama. On the way, stop off at Chiquicamata, one of the largest copper mines in the world. The entrance to this mine is about 15 km before Calama. San Pedro de Atacama is a small oasis in this sometimes bizarre and vast landscape and lies at an altitude of around 2,500 metres. This village is an attractive base from which to explore the unique surroundings. The Atacama Desert lies in north-eastern Chile on the border with Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. This desert covers an area of 105,000 km².
Accommodation: Terrantai Lodge | bed and breakfast

Day 14 | San Pedro de Atacama – Purmamarca

(410 km | 5.5-hour drive)
Today, your journey continues by rental car as you leave Chile, crossing the border into Argentina, heading for the town of Purmamarca. The route you’ll be taking today is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular in South America. Just outside San Pedro, the road climbs steeply. The landscape is breathtaking. You’ll pass majestic volcanic peaks and small mountain lakes, where large flocks of flamingos and groups of vicuñas gather to feed. By the time you reach the Chilean–Argentine border, you’ll have climbed to an altitude of over 4,800 metres. In Argentina, the landscape changes once more and, on the way to Purmamarca, you’ll pass the Salinas Grandes, a vast salt lake. Purmamarca lies at an altitude of 2,200 metres at the foot of the ‘Cerro de Siete Colores’, the impressive mountain that truly boasts seven colours. The colours in the rocks are caused by the oxidation of various minerals in the soil: manganese produces a purple colour, copper produces green, clay produces a yellow colour, and depending on the iron content, there are various shades of red. It is the perfect place to acclimatise today and get used to the peace and space that the far north of Argentina has to offer.
Accommodation: Hotel Manantial del Silencio | bed and breakfast

Day 15 | Purmamarca

Today you’ll have the chance to explore Purmamarca and its surroundings further. For example, visit the main square where many goods are sold – ponchos, rugs and souvenirs – or the little church, Iglesia Santa Rosa de Lima. Alternatively, you could visit the town of Humahuaca, further north, and perhaps drive via Route 9 to Abra Pampa. Just before Abra Pampa, take Route 40 southwards again, towards Tres Morros, after which you’ll return to Purmamarca via Route 52. During this journey, you’ll drive through an impressive high-plateau landscape and reach the salt flats.
Accommodation: Hotel Manantial del Silencio | bed and breakfast

Day 16 | Purmamarca – Salta

(approx. 198 km | 3-hour drive)
Today you’ll continue your journey to Salta. Once you’ve passed San Salvador de Jujuy, it’s best to keep to the right towards Salta on the old Ruta 9 via El Carmen, La Caldera and Vaqueros. This route takes you through a beautiful subtropical rainforest. The road is well-surfaced, but it is very narrow with many bends, so take your time. However, the route is breathtakingly beautiful and along the way you’re sure to come across spots where you can stop to enjoy the stunning natural surroundings at your leisure. You’ll eventually stay in a rustic ‘finca’ just outside Salta, situated on the green foothills of the north-western Andes. The owners, Valentina and Fabrizio, came to Argentina from Italy in 2006 to make their dream a reality here. It’s no surprise they chose this stunning location in north-western Argentina. Here you can go for walks, enjoy superb horse riding and, in complete tranquillity, savour a traditional ‘parilla’ (grilled meat) with a good glass of wine. The beautiful garden features an unheated swimming pool. From here, enjoy the majestic views of the mountains.
Accommodation: Finca Valentina | bed and breakfast

Day 18 | Salta – San Antonio de los Cobres

(approx. 170 km | 3-hour drive)
Today you’ll continue your journey to San Antonio de los Cobres. You’ll head back towards Chile, spending one more night in San Antonio de los Cobres before crossing the border. San Antonio de los Cobres is an indigenous mountain village where the pre-Columbian culture has been well preserved. You’ll follow Route 51, part of which is still unpaved. San Antonio de los Cobres is situated at an altitude of approximately 3,800 metres.
Accommodation: Hotel De las Nubes | bed and breakfast

Day 19: San Antonio de los Cobres – San Pedro de Atacama

(approx. 350 km | 5-hour drive)
After breakfast, you’ll set off again for the Chilean town of San Pedro de Atacama. Once more, you’ll pass through the Salinas Grande salt flats and travel through the spectacular high-plateau landscape, this time viewing it from the other side. In San Pedro de Atacama, you can visit the Padre le Paige Museum. The museum houses a large collection of mummies and is well worth a visit. The Atacama Desert is a paradise for archaeologists because it never rains there, meaning everything has been preserved for centuries. Officially, it rains half a millimetre a year. Yet here and there you’ll find a few puddles and small lakes, fed by meltwater from the Andes. Gustavo Le Paige was an archaeologist who, together with a few others, founded the ‘Museo Gustavo Le Paige’. If you’d like to learn more about the history of the various peoples, this is the place to gain the necessary knowledge.
Accommodation: Terrantai Lodge | bed and breakfast

Day 20 | San Pedro de Atacama – Calama – Santiago

Today you will drive to Calama Airport (approx. 100 km | 1.5-hour drive), where you will return your rental car. Here you will board your domestic flight to Santiago. On arrival at the airport, you will be met by one of our local staff and taken to your hotel. You will spend one more night in Santiago before travelling back to the Netherlands the following day.
Accommodation: Casa Bueras Boutique Hotel | bed and breakfast

Day 21 | Santiago – Amsterdam

Your trip of northern Chile and Argentina comes to an end today. You will be collected from your hotel and taken to Santiago airport, where you will board your intercontinental overnight flight to Amsterdam.

Day 22 | Amsterdam

You’ll be arriving in Amsterdam today.