Northern Chile trip
Charlie Gray, Leah Krubitzer, and Bruno Olshausen
These are some pictures from our trip to northern Chile, May 8-14, 2004.
We flew from Santiago to Iquique, rented a Toyota 4x4, and drove to
the altiplano region - the high desert of the Chilean Andes (near the borders
of Peru and Bolivia). We stayed mostly in the Ayamara Indian town
of Putre, at 3500 m., just outside of the Parque Nacional Lauca. From
there we traversed the altiplano via a sparsely traveled dirt road that leads
to Colchane, then we drove on to Chusmiza, and finally back to Iquique.
In Lauca, near Lake Chungara, at 4500 m.
Lauca restaurant - ate a nice lunch of alpaca and bought some coca
tea here. Freddie, our guide for the day, is at left. The woman
in middle is the cook. The woman at right is the waitress - she went
out to round up the Alpaca shortly after lunch.
Hiking trip near Putre - we were huffing and puffing from the altitude.
Isluga - a nearly abandoned indian village near Colchane.
Colchane - our destination for the day's drive across the spectacular
altiplano. We were told this was a charming town worth visiting, and
that we could gas up here. Niether of these turned out to be true.
Nearest gas was across the Bolivian border (in background).
Through Leah's charm and a few bribes by Charlie, we managed to get
gas at this store in a lonely, dusty border town in Bolivia. At left
is the good-natured border guard who helped us out.
After the Bolivian gas ordeal, as we were leaving Colchane, we came
across this cactus (just outside the police station) which appeared to be
giving us a curious gesture.
Some of the road signs were a bit dramatic.
Leah's goin' in (our hotel room in Chusmiza had no electricity).
Lauca restaurant - ate a nice lunch of alpaca and bought some coca
tea here. Freddie, our guide for the day, is at left. The woman
in middle is the cook. The woman at right is the waitress - she went
out to round up the Alpaca shortly after lunch. 
Hiking trip near Putre - we were huffing and puffing from the altitude.
Isluga - a nearly abandoned indian village near Colchane.
Colchane - our destination for the day's drive across the spectacular
altiplano. We were told this was a charming town worth visiting, and
that we could gas up here. Niether of these turned out to be true.
Nearest gas was across the Bolivian border (in background).
Through Leah's charm and a few bribes by Charlie, we managed to get
gas at this store in a lonely, dusty border town in Bolivia. At left
is the good-natured border guard who helped us out. 
After the Bolivian gas ordeal, as we were leaving Colchane, we came
across this cactus (just outside the police station) which appeared to be
giving us a curious gesture. 
Some of the road signs were a bit dramatic. 
Leah's goin' in (our hotel room in Chusmiza had no electricity).