📷 Chungara Lake and Surroundings

Lake Chungara is not a large lake (about 21-22 sq. km) in northern Chile, near the border with Bolivia. The Lauca National Park, in which the lake is located, is free to visit (but, it seems, not 24h), and the lake can be reached along the Chile Route 11 (Ruta 11), which literally 10-15 kilometers after the lake crosses the border.

The places here are unusual: the Altiplano high plateau, considered the largest after Tibet; so although the surroundings are very beautiful, the nature is quite harsh. Lake Chungara itself is located at an altitude of 4517 meters above sea level and is considered to be one of the highest lakes in the world. And around the lake, making the view of the surrounding area more interesting, there are even higher volcanoes and Andes mountains.

In this direction - view of Uqi Uqini, 5532-meter-high volcano.

The water of Lake Chungara is lightly saline. It is drainless, its water evaporates and partially seeps into groundwater, which feeds the nearby Cotacotani Lakes.

Here you can see Mount K'isi K'isini, 5536 meters above sea level. The white part of the shore contrasts so much with the blue of the water!

And, of course, the dominant high point of the landscape surrounding the lake is Parinacota volcano with a snow cap on top, under the white clouds almost covering it. Its height is about 6380 m above sea level, and it has a classic symmetrical cone shape. If I imagine a generalized image of an abstract volcano, this is exactly how I see it :)

By the way, all the mountains and volcanoes mentioned above are located exactly on the border of Chile and Bolivia.

Along a small section of the lake shore there is a walking trail with information signs, viewing platforms and a small picnic area. It is not recommended to just wander along the entire coast — after all, this is a nature reserve, but I did not notice any particularly monitoring of the coastal zone.

There is quite a lot of all kinds of living creatures in the lake and around it, in addition to rather sparse coastal plants.

Seagulls, flamingos and other birds happily settled here. Flamingos wander and fish in the shallow waters, and that seagull over there seems to have made a cozy nest on a coastal pebble. Later I saw llamas and vicuñas in the area.

The mountains surrounding the lake are pleasant to photograph not only panoramic, but also close-up: the colorful, although not bright, intricate patterns of rocks never bore me.

And when changeable spots of light and shadows creep along the slopes, it becomes even more beautiful.

In general, Lake Chungara is a very unusual and lovely place, where it’s worth visiting for an hour or two: walking along the shore, looking at the birds, admiring the surrounding landscapes.

Especially if you are traveling this road to Bolivia from the Chilean town of Arica, for example - then, it seems to me, you should plan quite a lot of time for stops and walks along the road :)