Places to Explore In El Norte Grande

Discover the best places to explore in El Norte Grande with curated recommendations from our travel experts.

Antofagasta

Antofagasta is the most important—and the richest—city in El Norte Grande. It was part of Bolivia until 1879, when it was annexed by Chile in...

  • 4 Restaurants
  • 1 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Arica

Arica boasts that it is "the land of the eternal spring," but its temperate climate and beaches are not the only reason to visit this...

  • 2 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 14 Things To Do

Calama

The discovery of vast deposits of copper in the area turned Calama into the quintessential mining town, and therein lies its interest. People from the...

  • 1 Restaurants
  • 3 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Chacabuco

There are many ghost towns left from the nitrate boom in the early 20th century, and Chacabuco is one of them, although this deserted town...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Geysers del Tatio

Witnessing the fumaroles at daybreak here is one of the best experiences Chile has to offer. The geysers pump out boiling water throughout the day...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Gigante de Atacama

Although there are more than 5,000 geoglyphs in the Atacama, this one is the most iconic. The Gigante de Atacama is an 86-meter depiction of...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Iquique

Iquique is the capital of Chile's northernmost region, but it wasn't always so important. For hundreds of years it was a tiny fishing community. After...

  • 2 Restaurants
  • 2 Hotels
  • 13 Things To Do

Juan Lopez

Those turned off by the hustle and bustle of Antofagasta will likely be charmed by Juan López, a hodgepodge of pastel-color fishing shacks and a...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 4 Things To Do

Mamiña

An oasis cut from the brown desert, the tiny village of Mamiña has hundreds of hot springs. Renowned throughout Chile for their curative powers, these...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Parque Nacional Lauca

The Parque Nacional Lauca offers dramatic landscapes and eye-catching wildlife. Stunning volcanic landscapes and colorful desert scrubland are dotted with llamas, flamingos, and all sorts...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 4 Things To Do

Pica

From a distance, Pica appears to be a mirage. This oasis cut from the gray and brown sand of the Atacama Desert is known for...

  • 2 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Pisagua

Pisagua, one of the region's most prominent ports during the nitrate era, at one time sustained a population of more than 8,000 people. Many of...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Reserva Nacional Las Vicuñas

This 100-km (62-mile) reserve is filled with vicuñas that graze in the high plains near the blue alpine lakes. There are also volcanoes in the...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos

In the middle of one of the largest salt flats in the world, crowds of pink flamingos flock to a couple pretty lagoons. While the...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 3 Things To Do

Reserva Nacional Pampa del Tamarugal

This large forest in the middle of the desert is a unique sight. One of the highlights of the Reserva is the enormous geoglyphs that...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 2 Things To Do

Salar de Surire

From a distance, Surire looks like a giant white lake, but as you approach you’ll see the small white crystals of salt that define this...

  • 0 Restaurants
  • 0 Hotels
  • 1 Things To Do

San Pedro de Atacama

It is not an exaggeration to call San Pedro de Atacama a once-in-a-lifetime destination, as after all, there’s nowhere else quite like the Atacama Desert...

  • 6 Restaurants
  • 7 Hotels
  • 16 Things To Do

Explore El Norte Grande

Sights 60

Shopping 9

Nightlife 7

Restaurants 17

Hotels 15
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Fodor's Essential Chile (Fodor's Travel Guide)

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