ChileSouth America

Miscanti and Miñiques: how to visit the turquoise lagoons in the Atacama desert?

Vicuñas in Atacama, Chile

How to visit lagoons Miscanti and Miñiques in Chile

Atacama surprised me. Again! The lagoons there are not new to me, so I thought that nothing else in this part of Chile can make my jaw drop. It did! 5 times! The battle of surprises and the willpower of not being surprised continues. So far,  Atacama 5- Me 0.


 

Favourite travel resources:

  • Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
  • World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
  • Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
  • Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
  • Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
  • Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
  • Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
  • Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
  • Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

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Laguna Miscanti, Chile

The beauty of Atacama

Atacama never stops surprising me. One might think it is just a desert…lots of sand, some hills…cactuses maybe. This is not the first time I mention blue lagoons in Atacama, there’s many of them and I am not able to pick my favourite. If you head up north, you will probably visit the ones close to San Pedro de Atacama.

When you go East from the coast, towards the border with Argentina heading to Paso Sico, take some time to explore the region near the border. The beauty of the turquoise waters of those Altiplanic lagoons, crowned by overlooking snow-sprinkled hills and volcanoes reflected in the mirrors of the lagoons, together with the wild animals will leave you with images in your memory that you will never forget. And if are a bird lover, watching some rare species there will be an additional treat.

Ohh…I almost forgot about cute foxes you can meet on you way, like the one on the photo. They are quite friendly (but remember that they are wild animals) and when they approach you while you are just having your snack, it  might be difficult to resist to share some food with them (hard to say ‘no’ to a creature that makes eyes like the cat from Shrek). Well, don’t, it’s bad for them.

Laguna Miñiques, Chile

Laguna Miscanti, Chile

Ancient Atacameñan people believe in the power of the nature . The mountains, volcanoes and animals were sacred. To this day you can hear the stories and legends passed to generations through the centuries.


See also:

Caleta Buena. In search for penguins and discovering hidden gems of Chile.

Keep calm…and go to Chile. What you need to know before your trip.

You know you are in Chile when…

So you say you speak Spanish? A little guide to speaking Chilean language.

That one time I went to Uyuni, Bolivia.


Laguna Miñiques, Chile

Laguna Miñiques, Chile

ChileLet’s get practical: Tips before your trip to Miscanti and Miñiques

  • The lagoons are located over 4000 meters above the sea level, therefore some people may suffer from altitude sickness. To avoid it, take your time once up there. Walk slowly and drink plenty of water (but avoid highly mineralized water). The excitement of being in such beautiful place often makes me forget about ‘taking it slow’, which results in headaches and unmanageable sleepiness.
  • It might be cold, so be prepared by wearing layers.
  • Take a sun cream with you. It might not seem like it when you are cold, but the sun in the North of Chile is very strong, especially at high altitude.
  • Some parts of the road that takes you through the border with Argentina are not the easiest. You probably don’t need 4×4 car, but a spare wheel would be advisable, especially that a phone reception is poor in some places.
  • Lagoon Miscanti is in a National Park…and that means that you need to pay an entrance (CL$10000= €9.80). It is not very crowded, but you are never alone there. On our arrival to Miñiques though, we haven’t met any other single person there. You can just soak yourself in the silence and beauty of the place.

Laguna Miscanti, Chile

Laguna Miñiques, ChileHow to get to Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons

The lagoons are located 115 km south from San Pedro de Atacama and 431 km east from Antofagasta. The nearest town, Socaire, is within the reach of 25 km from the lagoons. If you travel from San Pedro, you need to head towards Toconao, then Socaire. From there towards a border passage in Sico.

Traveling around Atacama by yourself is a real adventure and can be tiring and even stressful. It’s a huge desert after all. I drove some many thousands of kilometers around Atacama during my 3-year long stay in Chile and I recommend these two options:

  • Hire a car and drive all by yourself after doing your research, having plenty time and preparing properly (water, petrol stations research, good condition of the car etc.).
  • Join an excursion– this is the easiest way to get to the lagoons and most tours will show you more than that. If you are short on time, this is the best option.

Public transportation is not that great in Atacama. It can take you to main places, but you won’t be able to get off the beaten path.


How to visit Miscanti and Miñiques

Thank you for visiting. As always we appreciate your comments and ideas.

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Altiplanic lagoons, Miscanti and Miniques in Chile







  1. This is so beautiful! And last thing you’d expect. Imagine if you were lost in the desert and you come out to this lagoon, you’d think it’s a mirage!

  2. Beautiful! I loved my time in San Pedro and the Atacama desert. I trelvaed from Arica towards Santiago and stopped at many places to just soak in the beauty of the landscape. My chilean friends told me I would love the South, but I loved the North, especially because it was so different from home. The South looks like the Black Forrest ;-)I loved the North for the uniqueness, for the colors, for the people and for the llamas! Awesome shooting!

    1. Hi Arlac. Yes, the north is beautiful indeed. It never stops surprising me. Thank you for stopping by. Hope to ‘see’ you here again. Have a nice evening.

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