At 2 AM, with the next day’s ticket in hand, embark on a half-day adventure to the high-altitude salt lake.
❗When purchasing your ticket, you must select and finalize the attractions and their order; no changes can be made once you enter.
❗Plan to arrive at Socaire town one hour early for registration. The area has no mobile signal and can get quite crowded. If your afternoon is packed, it’s wise to arrive even earlier.
After clearing the checkpoint, there’s still a 30-minute drive ahead, mostly on bumpy, rugged roads. Follow the sequence on your ticket to explore each site.
📍Lagunas Miscanti y Miñiques: Highland lagoons teeming with vicuñas
📍Salar de Aguas Calientes: A unique hot spring salt flat
📍Piedras Rojas: Striking red volcanic rock formations
⚠️The average altitude exceeds 4000 meters.
For some sites, parking is restricted to designated areas, and you’ll need to walk in. It’s advisable to bring motion sickness and altitude sickness medication.
Compared to other destinations, this journey involves more intricate procedures, almost like a pilgrimage requiring a pass. But when the off-road vehicle finally cuts through the last wind-eroded fold of the wilderness, and you see the shattered sky mirrored in the azure lagoon, the view is truly, breathtakingly beautiful.
Vicuñas graze and wander leisurely just five meters away, their wild, untamed postures a stark reminder of nature’s majesty. Encountering them in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience!
“Weasels have more power than postcards, concerts, and casinos. As long as weasels, the scent of the primeval world, instinct, and nature exist, the world remains a livable, beautiful, and hopeful place for poets.”
P.S. As you drive along Route 23, keep an eye out for the Tropic of Capricorn sign. It’s a memorable landmark not to be missed! 👀
