Effort and wellness at the same time in the beautiful area of the Salar de Surire. You can take a thermal bath every evening, but not all the water is drinkable. Many rivers are containing arsenic (deadly). Some rivers are declared drinkable (Conaf) and are mentioned in the text. The route goes through several national parks (Isluga, Surire, Las Vicuñas, Lauca), but no entrance fee is raised. In the high season every day about 3 touring cars are passing. From Colchane to Chungara you need 5 - 7days.

Roadbook

Km

Hm

Locality

Description

0

3800

Colchane

Hostel, small shops, limited in supplies. Take a bus to Iquique (6000 pesos chil. pp) and buy there supplies for the whole trip.If you need some spare parts, there’s a good Bicicleteria with shimano parts up to XTR, Cycles Redolfi, Bulnes 485. From the aduana the paved road continues for 5km to a right signpost turnoff, Isluga. The road becomes unpaved and after 5 km it reached the ghost village Isluga (3890). The road goes through the village and climbs for 10 km to a left signpost turnoff, camping / thermal.

20

3980

Thermas

After 0.5 km is a thermal swimming pool and some places to camp. The site is for free and the water from the swimming pool is drinkable. Back to the main road, it is another kilometer to the village of Enquelga where a Conaf refugio (sleeping places) is situated on the left side. The road climbs 3.5 km further to the left signpost turnoff, Mauque. This left turn road leads to the geyser fields of Puchuldiza.* The road straight on leads further north and meets the shortcut road from Mauque after 16.7 km.

*

Geysires de Puchuldiza

*If you want to visit de geyser fields of Puchuldiza: After the left turnoff, cross a small river. Another 5 km on this road, there is another left turnoff signposted Mizque (Mauque?). From here you already see the geyser field Puchuldiza up above. Follow this very sandy road to Mizque. About 2 km beyond the village a track turns off the right, leading up to the geysers (maybe 15 rough kms). Head back until about 1 km before the Mizque-signposted turnoff, where a shortcut (about 2 km) heads north to another track leading to the east and west (turn left here!). After another 5 km turn off to the right, following a track leading around a hill to the north. After 15 km you reach a river, where the track joins with the main road coming directly from Enquelga. Head left here.

42

4323

Crosspoint Enquelga – Mauque (Mizque?)

Straight on is after 0.7 steep km (4323) a right turnoff (a little bit further is another signposted right turnoff, Chinchillani, which is also good) which leads to a warm water river after 3.1 km (4287). There is a disinfections coral and the water from the river is drinkable. Back to the main road, which is continuing north for 7km to a signpost turnoff, Parajalla.

56

4298

Signpost Parajalla

Straight on, to a river with drinkable water after 3.5 km (4290). The road crosses the river and reaches a left signpost turnoff (4322) after 6.8 km, Chilcaya. The left road is longer, goes higher and misses the thermal pool. The road straight on reaches the Bolivian border (4355) after 3 km (no customs). After 0.7 km is a left turnoff (4356). This road leads steep up a hill and joins the road straight on (little bit longer but more gradually climb) after 2.9 km at the Chile border (4517). The road crosses a minefield and descends to the very hot and beautiful thermal de Polloquere in the Salar the Surire, 6,3 km.

79

4325

Salar de Surire

Campsite with table, but no drinkable water!!! Continuing the road meets the Chilcaya road (4315) after 10.7 km. Straight on is the guardaparque of Salar de Surire (4322) after 8.8 km, with water, a refuge (5500 pesos chilenos pp) and a parking place to camp (free). The refuge of the guardaparque from Salar de Surire was closed out of season. If you even want to stay there try the window next the door from the container house. Maybe it's open and you can get in.

106

4295

Borax Campamento

The Borax campamento is reached after 7.6km and can provide maybe water and a sleeping place. The road climbs for 5.9km to a pass (4377) and descend for 4.1km (4235). After 16.5km of climbing and descending a real descend for 4.6km goes to Puente Lauca (4124). After 3.9km are some houses on the left (dogs!) and after 7.3km the road goes through Guallatiri

149

4294

Guallatiri

Refugio (5500 pesos chilenos pp), water. The road continues climbing for 2.6 km (4334) and the descends to some houses (4277) for 6 km and 1.8 km more to a bridge (4250). Then climbs steep up the side of the riverbank for 2.5 km en stays high (4331) above the river for 6.7 km (4386). The good road goes here to the left (20 km more to the international road) and a small road leads for 11.3 km to the right to the thermal of Churiquaya.

180

4491

Termas de Churiquaya

The thermal is situated on the road site and is pointed out by a signpost. A cold river with drinking water is streaming besides the thermal spring.There’s a very simple cottage with a concret basin inside. It's also possible to stay there over night. The road continues climbing for 4.2 km to a pass (4707) before descending for 6 km to the international road from Arica (Chile) to La Paz / Oruro (Bolivia).

190

4500

Lago Chungara, Aduana Chilena de Tambo Quemado

The Chile border post is to the left and 7 km beyond is the guardaparque of Chungara, with refugio (4000 pesos chileno pp) and campsites (5500 pesos chilenos per tent). The border post of Bolivia is to the right, 7 km after a high pass. There is alojamiento and several restaurants nearby.

February 2006

Km	Hm	Locality	Description
0	3800	Colchane	Hostel, small shops, limited in supplies. Take a bus to Iquique (6000 pesos chil. pp) and buy there supplies for the whole trip.If you need some spare parts, there’s a good Bicicleteria with shimano parts up to XTR, Cycles Redolfi, Bulnes 485. From the aduana the paved road continues for 5km to a right signpost turnoff, Isluga. The road becomes unpaved and after 5 km it reached the ghost village Isluga (3890). The road goes through the village and climbs for 10 km to a left signpost turnoff, camping / thermal.
20	3980	Thermas	After 0.5 km is a thermal swimming pool and some places to camp. The site is for free and the water from the swimming pool is drinkable. Back to the main road, it is another kilometer to the village of Enquelga where a Conaf refugio (sleeping places) is situated on the left side. The road climbs 3.5 km further to the left signpost turnoff, Mauque. This left turn road leads to the geyser fields of Puchuldiza.* The road straight on leads further north and meets the shortcut road from Mauque after 16.7 km.
*		Geysires de Puchuldiza	*If you want to visit de geyser fields of Puchuldiza: After the left turnoff, cross a small river. Another 5 km on this road, there is another left turnoff signposted Mizque (Mauque?). From here you already see the geyser field Puchuldiza up above. Follow this very sandy road to Mizque. About 2 km beyond the village a track turns off the right, leading up to the geysers (maybe 15 rough kms). Head back until about 1 km before the Mizque-signposted turnoff, where a shortcut (about 2 km) heads north to another track leading to the east and west (turn left here!). After another 5 km turn off to the right, following a track leading around a hill to the north. After 15 km you reach a river, where the track joins with the main road coming directly from Enquelga. Head left here.
42	4323	Crosspoint Enquelga – Mauque (Mizque?)	Straight on is after 0.7 steep km (4323) a right turnoff (a little bit further is another signposted right turnoff, Chinchillani, which is also good) which leads to a warm water river after 3.1 km (4287). There is a disinfections coral and the water from the river is drinkable. Back to the main road, which is continuing north for 7km to a signpost turnoff, Parajalla.
56	4298	Signpost Parajalla	Straight on, to a river with drinkable water after 3.5 km (4290). The road crosses the river and reaches a left signpost turnoff (4322) after 6.8 km, Chilcaya. The left road is longer, goes higher and misses the thermal pool. The road straight on reaches the Bolivian border (4355) after 3 km (no customs). After 0.7 km is a left turnoff (4356). This road leads steep up a hill and joins the road straight on (little bit longer but more gradually climb) after 2.9 km at the Chile border (4517). The road crosses a minefield and descends to the very hot and beautiful thermal de Polloquere in the Salar the Surire, 6,3 km.
79	4325	Salar de Surire	Campsite with table, but no drinkable water!!! Continuing the road meets the Chilcaya road (4315) after 10.7 km. Straight on is the guardaparque of Salar de Surire (4322) after 8.8 km, with water, a refuge (5500 pesos chilenos pp) and a parking place to camp (free). The refuge of the guardaparque from Salar de Surire was closed out of season. If you even want to stay there try the window next the door from the container house. Maybe it's open and you can get in.
106	4295	Borax Campamento	The Borax campamento is reached after 7.6km and can provide maybe water and a sleeping place. The road climbs for 5.9km to a pass (4377) and descend for 4.1km (4235). After 16.5km of climbing and descending a real descend for 4.6km goes to Puente Lauca (4124). After 3.9km are some houses on the left (dogs!) and after 7.3km the road goes through Guallatiri
149	4294	Guallatiri	Refugio (5500 pesos chilenos pp), water. The road continues climbing for 2.6 km (4334) and the descends to some houses (4277) for 6 km and 1.8 km more to a bridge (4250). Then climbs steep up the side of the riverbank for 2.5 km en stays high (4331) above the river for 6.7 km (4386). The good road goes here to the left (20 km more to the international road) and a small road leads for 11.3 km to the right to the thermal of Churiquaya.
180	4491	Termas de Churiquaya	The thermal is situated on the road site and is pointed out by a signpost. A cold river with drinking water is streaming besides the thermal spring.There’s a very simple cottage with a concret basin inside. It's also possible to stay there over night. The road continues climbing for 4.2 km to a pass (4707) before descending for 6 km to the international road from Arica (Chile) to La Paz / Oruro (Bolivia).
190	4500	Lago Chungara, Aduana Chilena de Tambo Quemado	The Chile border post is to the left and 7 km beyond is the guardaparque of Chungara, with refugio (4000 pesos chileno pp) and campsites (5500 pesos chilenos per tent). The border post of Bolivia is to the right, 7 km after a high pass. There is alojamiento and several restaurants nearby.