San Pedro de Atacama

The eastern slope of the Atacama Salt Flat, between Simbad Volcano and the unmistakable La Corona Hill, is located the dread Lascar Volcano, of 5450 meters over the sea level, is maybe the most active volcano of our country. More than twenty eruptions in the last 150 years is the authentic proof of the great pyrotechnical capacity of the blue mountain. In the morning of april 18 th, 2006 was the last time that gave signs of clear rage, generating a big explosion that form an eruptive column of grayish white colour that raise up at 5000 mts from it crater, and it was seen in all the localities of the deep valley of The Atacama Salt Flat. Six years ago, an explosion of similar characteristic cause expectation between the people of the nearby communities. Nowdays the continous fumarole gives a typical seal to the landscape of San Pedro and it environs.

volcanes@sanpedrodeatacama.net
Tel. Fax : 056 - 55 - 851158

VOLCANO LASCAR

1 day program

2 days program

The road by vehicle to get closer to the base camp, belong to the old and negligent Huatiquina international pass, that is in very bad conditions, but the trip is worth it, because of the great and amazing landscape, the visiting to the picturesque Talabre town and the beautiful Legia Lagoon. After three hours travelling around this places from San Pedro, you get to the base of the imposing smoke mountain at 4800 m.o.s.l.

The first two parts of the ascension are the most complicated because of the inclination of the slope, however the ground surface is hard so you can walk on a constantly rhythm, importan matter on altitude walking. The last part is an easy ascension, but sometimes can be heavy, because of the toxic emanation coming from the crater, but do not worry because it does not happen all the time. Once in the volcano crater, you will find out about the enormus size of it and the beautiful landscape from north to west. The ascension does not end here. The volcano peak is at 30 minutes walking. From there you will be surprise to observe the total diameter of the crater (750 mts), and by the same time, you will enjoy of an amazing panoramic of 360 grades.