Situated 180 kilometers to the east of the city of Iquique and at an altitude of 3,700 meters, the area is a high Andean wetland possessing an ecosystem rich in birdlife. Due to its characteristics it is considered an area of feeding, nesting and habitat for birds. Here are the most pristine wetlands in Chile, allowing for the existence of unique species of this environment whilst being considered a reservoir for water in the middle of the Altiplano.

It is one of the few salt lakes in Chile, where three species of South American flamingos nest together with other threatened species, such as rhea, condor and vicuña, a type of camel that lives in the highland areas and can be easily observed through their grazing with the animals of the indigenous Aymara families of the territory.

Inside the park, you can enjoy several recreational and sports activities, such as photography, mountain climbing, mountain biking, but especially trekking. One of the great attractions of the Parque Nacional Salar del Huasco is its heritage route: 79 kilometers of dirt road surrounding the park. Along this route are 34 stations that indicate places of natural and cultural significance.
 

The route also meanders through the area’s mountainsides and meets the remarkable wetlands located near Collacagua, which are formed at the confluence of the Collacagua and Piga rivers. The light that reflects from the white of the great salt lake allow the green of the moss, the blue of the sky and the brown tones of the mountains to generate unusual colors and contrasts in the Chilean Altiplano.
 

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