Putre

A village at 3,500 m in the Andean highlands and gateway to Lauca National Park, where Lake Chungará mirrors Parinacota volcano and llamas and flamingos roam.

Putre lies in the Arica and Parinacota Region at the northern tip of Chile, at an altitude of about 3,500 m on the western slope of the Andes. It is about 145 km from the coastal city of Arica and serves as the gateway to Lauca National Park and Lake Chungará. The town has the 17th-century San Ildefonso church, built of adobe and stone, along with a few inns and restaurants. Most visitors spend 1–2 nights here to acclimatize before driving up Route 11 (the Arica–La Paz highway) to highlands above 4,000 m. Along the way are the Las Cuevas lookout, where you can see viscachas and vicuñas; the village of Parinacota, with its colonial-era church decorated with murals; and the Cotacotani lake system. The final stop is Lake Chungará at 4,517 m, which mirrors the twin volcanoes Parinacota and Pomerape, about 50 km from Putre. To the south lie the Las Vicuñas National Reserve and the village of Guallatiri. Down the mountain are Aymara villages such as Socoroma and Belén, along with the Jurasi hot springs. Climate: the dry season from April to November is clear, with the best visibility. From December to March, the 'Bolivian winter' brings afternoon thunderstorms, and roads occasionally close. Temperature swings are huge year-round, and nights often drop below zero. Getting there: take a bus from Arica for about 3 hours, or drive or join a tour. Plan at least 3 days. Be sure to acclimatize gradually to the altitude, and bring sunscreen, warm clothing and cash. There are almost no gas stations or mobile signals in the highlands.

Top sights

• Lauca National Park – A UNESCO biosphere reserve with volcanoes above 4,000 meters, high-altitude lakes, and wetlands. You can see alpacas, llamas, and flamingos.
• Lake Chungará – One of the world's highest lakes, at 4,517 meters. The Parinacota volcano is reflected in its waters, and flamingos are often seen here.
• Socoroma – An Aymara mountain village at 3,000 metres, with flagstone lanes, a white colonial-era church and ancient terraces that are still farmed.
• Termas de Jurasi – Natural hot spring pools in a valley near Putre, at about 4,000 metres, where you can soak while enjoying highland views.
• Putre – A highland town at about 3,500 metres, the base for acclimatising to the altitude and spending the night before visiting Lauca National Par…
• Parinacota – An Aymara village at 4,400 metres, with a 17th-century adobe church containing colonial murals, and alpacas grazing in the wetlands nearby.
• Cotacotani Lakes – A string of emerald lakes scattered among volcanic lava, with Parinacota volcano as the backdrop, and a classic viewpoint on the Lauca rout…
• Payachatas (Parinacota & Pomerape) – A pair of twin volcanoes on the Chile–Bolivia border, with Parinacota peak at 6,348 metres, the most striking landmark of the Lauca highlan…
• Las Cuevas Viewpoint – A rocky viewpoint at the entrance to Lauca National Park, where viscachas sunbathe among the boulders and vicuñas graze in the wetlands.
• Belén – A valley village founded by the Spanish in 1625, with two colonial churches, and a representative village along the Altiplano Mission Route.
• Las Vicuñas National Reserve – A highland reserve south of Lauca National Park, with large herds of vicuñas on the grasslands, a smoking Guallatiri volcano and old villag…

Where to eat

• Walisuma – A small restaurant on Putre's main street serving traditional Aymara home cooking and daily set menus at good prices. I…
• La Paloma – A long-established inn-restaurant in Putre serving traditional Chilean dishes and local ingredients such as quinoa and…

Itineraries

• Arica Altiplano & Iquique Saltpeter Route – Ascend from the coast to the Altiplano at over 4,000 meters to see flamingos and volcanoes, then head south to saltpete…