Salar de Coposa, Collahuasi and Remote Areas of the 1st Region

As one leaves the beach at Iquique towards the Altiplan, he passes through the town of Pozo Almonte. This town is famed for its oasis and for hosting the largest Roman Catholic festival in Chile every July: La Tirana—that attracts as many as 300,000 people (most of which pitch tents for the better part of a week). The desert road out of Pozo Almonte is straight and climbs through the Chilean Altiplano for many kilometers. Then the curves and switchbacks begin and continue for a couple hours as one drives southeast toward the Collahuasi copper mine. The scenery is largely barren until one gets above 3,500 meters (11,483 feet), where the ground becomes verdant, some animals appear and traces of water and creeks are seen. The scenery is quite different than the “moonscapes” one finds in Iquique. The first images below will give you an idea of the journey, which