TRAVEL AND TOURS

Calama appears as an oasis in the middle of the most arid desert. A natural jewel in the north of Chile, it has become the starting point for tours that lead to a few small villages of Aymara origin, with colonial churches, immaculate salt pans and archaeological remains, which taken together form a treasure of culture and landscape.
In spite of the aura of prosperity currently perceived in the cities, mainly coming from the Chuquicamata mines - Chile's main copper producer- the origins of Calama were very modest. It was born as a tambo (in quechua, the native language, "inn and general store on the road"), poor and hardly inhabited, on the road that linked Potosi with Cobija and Arequipa with Copiapo., The most important village in the area was Chiu-Chiu, in those days That was the Calama that Diego de Almagro and Pedro de Valdivia found when they started the conquest of Chile. Centuries later, it became the most important Bolivian administrative center in the area, until the Chilean army was occupied it on March 23, 1879, at the beginning of the Pacific War.
Today, Calama (2,250 meters above sea level) is the capital of the province of Loa and an important city in the Antofagasta region. Because of its economic prosperity, evident in its shopping centers and the productivity of its farms, Calama has become a true oasis in the Chilean pre-Cordillera.
This bonanza has been provided with an efficient and complete tourist infrastructure, that has make it the starting point for tours to numerous local and regional attractions, such as Chuquicamata, the biggest open-cut mine in the world and the main copper mine in Chile.

The adventure continues through a few native villages, full of magic and charm, such as Chiu Chiu, Toconce, Caspana and Aiquina, or fortress such as Pukara de Lasan and Pukara de Turi, testimonies to the splendor of the ancient Aymaras (Andean ethnical group) culture, which remains alive in the customs and traditions still preserved by their descendants. Calama is also the entrance to San Pedro de Atacama, a world of its own, comprising at the same time the biggest salt pan in the country and the most arid desert in the world. Besides, there are incredible natural areas, pre-Columbian towns and impressive archaeological ruins. That is why Calama is called "Chile's Archaeological Capital".
A capital which has in the Padre Le Paige Archaeological Museum its best recollection of the past, with over 380 thousand different exhibits reflecting eleven thousand years of the history and development of the Atacaman culture.
Do you need any other reason to visit Atacama? We don't think so, just make sure you include the name of this Chilean city, a true oasis in the thirsty desert, on your itinerary.

ATTRACTIONS

LOA PARK

Located in the southern part of the city, it has well-kept green areas, a lagoon formed by the Loa river, swarms of little boats and flocks of birds. The park also has a swimming pool, children's amusements, handicraft stores, the Archaeological and Ethnological Museum and a tower-vantage point inspired by pukara-type construction (used by a pre-Hispanic culture which developed in the area).

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ETHNOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Located within El Loa Park, it displays different art works of the Andean cultures that lived in the region. The exhibits reveal the historic and cultural evolution of the people of Calama, from the arrival of the first hunters and collectors up to the conquest by the Spaniards. It has an attractive display of volcanic stone handicrafts, as well as fabrics, clay and copper figurines.

OJO DE APACHE RESORT

This is a natural swimming pool formed by a waterfall near the Loa River. 14 kilometers separate Calama from this emerald spot, where turtledoves, goldfinches and thrushes are found, among other birds.