Fiambala
Surprise this morning when we woke up: the outside temperature marks -3° with a feeling of -6° and +3° inside the camper .... We turn on the heating immediately ... But under our two duvets we were not cold.
Today is the descent on the Argentine side towards 'Fiambala'.
We pass the "Paso De San Francisco", the physical border between the two countries. Its opening depends on the climatic conditions, especially during winter.
15 volcanoes over 6,000 m surround it, including:
* Ojo Del Salado at 6,893 m ( highest volcano in the world)
* Monte Pissis at 6,792 m
* Nevado Trece Cruces at 6,749 m
* Incahuasi at 6 638 m
* Nevado San Francisco at 6,016 m
We take " la ruta de Los Seismiles"
This region, on the Argentinian side, is composed of mountain landscapes with magnificent "lagoons" of different colors.
* Laguna Verde:
A beauty difficult to describe: A lake of emerald color, ochre mountains, a little snow on the peaks, some flamingos and an azure sky... a pretty picture!!!
The immigration and customs offices are located in 'Las Grutas' about 200 km from the border terreste.
The formalities are longer, we wait for the goodwill of the customs officer who, once in the motorhome, hardly checks anything!!!
We calmly descend to Fiambala where we find a gas station, a supermarket and our bivouac for tonight.
It took us 3 days to reach our destination located at 550 km. The beauty in this part of the 'Cordiere des Andes' dazzled, charmed and bewitched us .....
Laguna Santa Rosa
Very quiet night, no traffic on the road.
When we wake up, the outside temperature is of 6° and 10° inside the camper.
We calmly resume our climb towards the 'Paso De San Francisco' passing by:
* Quebrada Cienaga Redonda:
The surroundings of this gorge offer a palette of camaïeux colors, in the middle of the Cerros of the Cordillera.
* Laguna Santa Rosa:
It hosts many flamingos, guanacos or vicunas that enjoy its water. This lagoon is located at 3762 m above sea level, with a nice viewpoint on one of the surrounding hills.
* Salar de Maricunga:
Located at 3,752 m, this salar is surrounded by hills of 4300 m altitude, it also has lagoons frequented by flamingos, in the heart of a magnificent landscape. The vegetation is typical of the Cordillera, with low-lying plants swept by the wind.
The different landscapes follow one another throughout the ascent. We pass the Chilean controls upon arrival at the salar. Quick formalities : about 15 minutes ...
We decide to spend the night in the only campsite of this magnificent road, at the edge of the "Laguna Santa Rosa".
The definition of camping should not have happened here ... It’s a well-organized and very expensive scam... It’s a mini slope without comfort ... In two words a parking lot ... Only advantage: a terrific view of this desert.
We are not alone, our neighbors are Canadian and sleep in a tent!!!
San Andres * Ruta 41
We start our day by looking for a gas bottle dealer to try to recharge our American bottle.
We face several refusals and it is clear that it is impossible, in Chile, to fill our bottle. We've been very lucky in Puerto Natales.
Our second bottle, Argentine one, being not sure, we decide to modify our program and return to Argentina to directly buy a new Argentine bottle.
We do not want to relive our misadventures in Brazil. Gas is indipensable for our lifestyle. (kitchen, hot water tank, heating and fridge).
We unfold our road map and we decide to cross the border at "Paso De San Francisco" which is located in the "Parque Nevado Tres Cruces".
We are in Copiapo and to reach the first city in Argentina, you have to travel about 550 km passing through a pass at 4,800 m!!! Not to mention that there is no gas station between these two cities.
Another question, is this road asphalted? ... Apparently so!!!
The 59,000-hectare park is the star of the Atacama region.
At 150 km from the town of Copiapó, it is divided into two sectors, the largest including a part of the salar de Maricunga and the lagoon Santa Rosa, the second the lagoon del Negro Francisco.
At the end of the morning, we start our climb and immediately realize that this road is very rarely taken. We only pass trucks and 4x4 from mining companies.
This region has an impressive mining subsoil, which extends over more than 6,000 hectares. It is characterized by the presence of metals such as copper and gold, or even quartz.
The landscapes we cross are of a great beauty ... They are very similar to the 'Sud Lipez' in Bolivia.
The road is mostly of good quality. We travel 141 km through this incredible scenery and we stop for the night in a small valley in the middle of nowhere, 2800 m above sea level to get use to altitude.
We see a condor flying overhead!!!
Margarita
The weather is nice and we take the opportunity to explore this desert.
The show is always there and we can’t get enough of admiring it.
In the middle of the afternoon we settle into a gas station where we take the opportunity to do some laundry. It’s very convenient and, in addition, we benefit from electricity to recharge our different devices.
Evening dedicated to the site and the photos
Los Pozos
We were supposed to take a boat trip today to go to the "Reserva National Pingüino de Humbolt"
This reserve was created in 1990 to protect the ecosystem and some endangered species.
This trip especially allows to observe the Humboldt penguins easily recognizable thanks to their black head with a white outline, their white belly surrounded by black bands and their black back.
Depending on the season, it is an opportunity to see humpback whales, blue whales, dolphins and otters.
Unfortunately the weather is not favorable for a sea trip (too strong winds).
We change our plans and we choose the 'Parque National Llanos de Challe'.
This park is a natural gem that hosts incredible biodiversity, with endemic species and stunning desert landscapes.
We are at the right time to attend the magical show of 'Desierto Florido'. Some years, it rains heavily and the condensation coming from the mountains, blocked by a Pacific anticyclone, produces a coastal brown that moistens the desert.
Hundreds of seeds and bulbs come out of the land by ernchantement. It’s a palette of colors that is offered to us.
We bivouac at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
ROAD BOOK 219
MAVROS ODYSSEE
