This tour will take you from the former saltpeter offices of Humberstone and Santa Laura to the beautiful oasis of Pica, passing through the incredible geoglyphs of Pintados, the town of Matilla and the Sanctuary of La Tirana.

  • Departure: 08:30
  • Duration: 12 hours
  • Includes: Lunch
  • Pickup / Dropoff: Hotel en Iquique

What you will visit:

  • 1 La Tirana
  • 2 Iquique
  • 3 Humberstone Saltpeters

We will depart from the hotel at 08:30 am to cross the Coastal Range and visit the former saltpeter works and ghost towns of Santa Laura and Humberstone, declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. We will explore their ruins, such as the theater, general store, hotel, market, hospital, and industrial plant where saltpeter was produced for export to Europe and the United States.

We will also cross the Tamarugal Forest and the town of Pozo Almonte, and then visit the village of La Tirana, the location of the most important Religious Folklore Festival in Chile. Afterward, we will arrive at the oasis of Pica to have lunch at a typical restaurant and then visit the Church of San Andrés (16th century), the Jurassic Park with its dinosaur replicas and local crafts, and enjoy natural mango and guava juices.

Finally, we will visit the oasis of Matilla to see the Spanish Wine Press (18th century) and the Church of San Antonio. We will arrive in Iquique at 7:30 pm.

  • Physical
    Very low
  • Cultural
    Very high
  • Nature
    Medium
Included
  • Transfer from and to hotel
  • Lunch
  • Guide
NOT Included
  • Ticket to saltpeter mines.
  • Everything not mentioned

Recommendations

We recommend you bring a swimsuit in case you want to swim in Cocha Resbaladero