Heading south

A dirt road (A235) turns south off the Arica-La Paz highway, 1 km east of

, park-ranger post. It is signed to Chilcaya and Colchane and ends at

Huara on the Pan-American Highway, near Iquique . There is no public transport on this route and between Las Cuevas and Isluga; the only traffic you will generally see is the occasional tour guide with his group and the odd truck from the Borax plant . The road is open all year round but, between December and February and in August, it may be impassable because of deep mud and water, which can wash out the bridges. If you are planning to travel then, you will find a spade useful. A 4WD is essential; take sleeping bags and stock up on fuel, drinking water and food for emergencies.

Split off from Parque Nacional Lauca in order to permit mining, this reserve, reached by Route A235 (entrance free), stretches across 209,131 ha, most of it rolling altiplano at an average altitude of 4300 m. The reserve is bisected by the Río Lauca, along which riverine vegetation alternates with

(an upland plant) and grasslands, and many camelids can be seen. Keep an eye open, too, for condors, rheas and migrating peregrine falcons.

(not operating), one of the world's highest gold and silver mines, can be reached by a 7-km detour (clearly marked) off Route A235. The park administration is in

, a village 96 km south of Las Cuevas at the foot of the smoking Guallatire Volcano (6060 m); the village has a lovely 17th-century altiplano church and a

control post. At Km 139, the road reaches the Salar de Surire.

Situated at 4300 m and covering 17,500 ha, the Salar de Surire is a desolate, spectacular drying salt lake split into two sections. The first, with windy and sulphurous thermal springs (together with picnic site) and a year-round population of 12,000 to 15,000 flamingos of three species (nesting season is January) is protected and administered by CONAF. It is open all year. Administration is in

, 45 km south of Guallatiri and 138 km south of Putre. The other half of the

is mined for borax; sometimes Surire may be reached by getting a ride in a borax truck from Zapahuira, a road junction at Km 100 on the road from Arica to La Paz.

This park includes some of the best volcanic scenery of northern Chile and covers 174,744 ha at altitudes above 2100 m. Although the lower parts of the park, at its southwestern end, lie in the hills of the

, the heart of the park is situated between

with its flamingos and the village of

, where there is a beautiful 18th- century Andean church and bell tower. Route A235 crosses the park, from the northern entrance, 40 km south of Surire, to the southern near Isluga. Northeast of Isluga under the smoking

(5501 m) is the village of

, where Aymaran weavers can be seen working in the sand behind wooden wind breaks. This is also the location of the park administration but there are seldom

there. Just 1 km south of the village is a turn-off to some warm natural thermal springs with changing rooms and a picnic area. Three other peaks over 5000 m in the park are Quimsachata (5400 m), Tatajachura (5252 m) and Latamara (5207 m). Wildlife varies according to altitude; there are large numbers of camelids and birds but fewer than in Parque Nacional Lauca.

South of the park is the border village of Cochrane with basic services and transport to Iquique and Oruro in Bolivia. From here a mostly good road runs southwest 180 km to join the

at Huara. Alternatively a

road continues south. After 20 km or so there is a turning to the right leading to a hill of giant

cactuses. Towering up to 8 m , they flower in September and produce an edible fruit, like a cross between a kiwi and a prickly pear. The road south passes the village of Cariquima and continues on to Lirima through a pass at over 5000 m. This road is new and may not be marked on some maps, but has some of the most spectacular views of the altiplano over the shrubland below. Lodging is available in Lirima, and there are thermal springs 6 km west, with accommodation with a thermal pool in each room. The road from Lirima continues south for 53 km, with microplants turning the flat terrain a radioactive green, before arriving at the

. On the west side there is a radio station in contact with Iquique, and a

has been built. The view of the sun or full moon rising here is spectacular. In theory it is possible to continue south on the altiplano to Ollagüe and on to San Pedro, but there are also decent roads west to Pica or Pozo Almonte.