lago chungara

The road to Lago Chungara is spectacular. It is nature on a colossal scale. We had some low clouds which obscured our views a bit, but still we saw wild flamingoes and herds of vicuña. The mountains are spectacular. The altitude is high.... Very high. I have to admit that I was not one of the lucky ones who handled the 15,000+ ft very well...... Even while being sick on the side of the road, I was in awe of the beauty around me.The lake itself is ok. Maybe it would have been truly incredible without the low clouds. We were a little disappointed for the unfortunately placed telephone wires which need to be photoshopped out of our pictures.There is no fee to enter the park.

Come in the morning and seek out a spot from where the volcano is reflected in part of the lake that is clear water and not covered with weed. And watch the beautiful birds (most of them are fairly shy so bring good binoculars).

We went here on an excursion from the cruise port in Arica. It akes over three hours to get there, we stopped several times to shop/pee/photos. There are some nice hadmade items cheap available for purchase. This is the only road to the port from Boliva and has been the site of many fatal wrecks as noted by the roadside shrines and cargo boxes down the hill. When we got to the lake it had a stunning view and lots of birdlife including Flamingos, which was cool. It is at an altitude in excess of 14,000 feet. We both got splitting head aches that did not abate for many hours. There are some interesting looking things in the fertile river valley, but we did not stop there. We should have stayed in Arica, nice beachs and shopping, but did this instead. 10 hours total, nine on the bus.

A very nice place than can be easily accessed with a non 4x4Vehicle. The landscape and animal you can see there makes it a most to see in putre. It only doesn't get a 5 as I think landscapes are nicer in San Pedro's region and most of animals (e.g. Lamas) are in parks.

Call at the CONAF office where they will provide you (free!) with an audiovisual tour of the nature walk by the lke with ideitfictions of the birds and other animals.

Starting the trip at sea level, the climb to Lago Chungara is very interesting. You can see the change in vegetation and the different towns on the way up. There are numerous mountains and volcanos in the area. The lake view is gorgeous and it's a great site to visit.

One of the best places on earth to see. Here you will be amazed by gorgeous wild animals (pink flamingos, vizcachas, condors, pudu and huemules, and off corse llamas); Amazing mountains and vegetation. Spectacular sightseeing. Yet the best of all is to discover the ancient civilizations and to see how andean cultures develop.I highly recommend a stop in the museum of the Chinchorro mummies to learn the overwhelming devotion this people had for life. Simply beautiful!

This was a beautiful place, with many species of birds, as well as vicuñas and llamas. A big improvement would have to be keeping the area clean of garbage, and especially telling tourists and putting up signs about disposing of garbage in bins AND NOT THE GROUND OR THE ROAD. It would also be beneficial to put up signs letting tourists know where they can and cannot walk. We saw some tour groups just walking over the bofedales and going right toward the lake, scaring llamas and birds away with their loud voices. Definitely an excellent place to visit, but lets let CONAF and the people in the area know that the whole idea is to respect the wildlife and keep it in tact! Flora and Fauna first!

The view, the wild animals along the road make the driving worth it. The road must be fixed, it´s not in good conditions. Many trucks make the driving a little complex-

Definitely worth stopping, it's right on the road between Arica and very close to the Bolivia border...amazing views of the volcanoes

I liked everything, and learned so much from Aurelio Blas ( cel 7 492 6303), a local guide that has lived in Putre since he was young, and knows the area, the mountains, the animals, the plants.

Bathrooms available at office, friendly staff speak only Spanish, but will answer questions. Lots of coot (birds) near the shore, and great mountain view on a clear day.

One of the most scenic places I have been to. Simply wonderful. The only problem is if you are not acclimatized enough you could not feel well in the visit, therefore the importance to stay one night in Putre before going up to Chungará.

That was the place I wanted to see most, after having seen it on every postcard or website! This is also an amazing place to visit :)

It was really pretty!! We spent a few days traveling in the area and trully loved seeing everything there. You can get a pretty good view from the bus if you are heading to La Paz, but it was nice to have time to stop the car and walk around.