The High Altiplano

Today we were up early again, this time to go out to the Altiplano and the Salar, and up to a height of 4200 metres (about 14000 ft).  We started to climb through the landscape, completely different to yesterdays, and I could feel our breathing changing quickly, as we climbed up.  The landscape was just stunning, especially in the early morning light.

We weren’t as lucky today, no four wheel drive, but a small van with about 14 of us, but never mind,it was still comfortable.  Our guide Eric was lovely and very knowledgeable about the area and fauna, he is an orthanologist and takes out specialist trips.

We finally arrived at the highest point of the Altiplano to the lakes of Miscanti and Meniques at the base of the Andes.  I hope the photos show you just how beautiful it was, as words don’t do it justice.

After a longish walk around the lakes, and seeing some wildlife we stopped for a well needed breakfast.  We drove through stunning countryside and stopped at two villages, Socaire and Toconao with its old church and bell.

It was here whilst wandering around we encountered a llama walking up the road. It stuck its head into a shop, then woman came out with a packet of crisps, and enticed it back down the road feeding it crisps which it seemed to enjoy immensly.  I think she knew the llama.

There are four types of cameloids in Chile.  Llamas and Alpaca are domesticated and kept for their meat and wool.  Guanacos are wild, smaller than the other two and live at all heights whereas the Vicunas only live at 3.5 to 4.5 thousand meters.  We saw all of them on our trips, and I have about 100 pictures to prove it.

From there we drove down to the Salar de Atacama. These salt flats cover 4000 square miles of land encompassing the Flamencos National Reserve.  We of course only saw a minute part of it, the Laguna Chaxa. But what a sight.  It was just beautiful.  Huge salt lakes full of flamingos.  There are three types that fly into the lakes, and we got to see all three, plus sandpipers, plovers and an occasional gecko.  I didn’t want to leave.  I hope the pictures do it some justice, it was stunning.

As for altitude sickness, we both did quite well at this height.  Felt very breathless and dizzy at one point, but if you took it slowly it was fine.  But altitude does make you very tired, and does weird things to your insides, but less of that.

We arrived back happy and tired.  We showered, went out for for a quick meal and then went on another trip at 9pm.

This was an astronomical visit to watch the night sky.  We drove out of town to a homestead.  It is owned by a French couple who have ten telescopes in their grounds. They also have a number of very large telescopes that they maintain on behalf of some overseas universities.  They are remotely activated by these countries, and whilst we were there we could hear them opening up.

We spend two hours with a Canadian Astronomer who went to live there five years ago.  It's one of the best places in the world, and has some of the largest optical and radio telescopes.  Near here is Alma's and further down the coast is La Serena.

He showed us the constellations and the visible planets, the moon was only a sliver, so the stars were bright, and then we moved on to the telescopes.  We saw Venus and its moons, gas clouds, two other galaxies, Sirius, Pliedades or the seven sisters, and much more.  We saw about six shooting stars, the first one so bright with a fiery tale.

He said at this time of year, the sky isn't at its best....it was wonderful enough for me.