"Dizzying Parque Nacional Lauca" Lauca by SanguiniA

This Unesco Biosphere Reserve located in the extreme north of Chile is part of the altiplano and it offers unique and spectacular sights. Travellers into volcano or mountain sceneries wishing to see a more traditional Andean aspect of Chile should not miss this park, as apart from the stunning landscapes, there are also some lovely little villages including the Aymara villages of Parinacota and Putre (the latter is a few kms outside the park). This park is just a few hours' drive from Arica.

This is also one of the best places in the Norte Grande to observe wildlife, with many bird species readily seen, along with viscachas, vicunas and guanaco to name a few. Domestic llama and alpacas are also seen grazing practically everywhere.

The crown jewel of the park is undoubtedly the Lago Chungara, one of the highest lakes of the world, with the massive Parinacota volcano rising behind it. Travellers are guaranteed to remain breathless - not only due to the natural beauty, but also the dizzying altitude. The altitudes in the park vary from 3000m to 6300m - Chungara is at 4500m.

* If you have seen BBC's "Wild South America" documentary series, the mountains episode contains scenes from this park.

• Pros:Beautiful scenery
• Cons:Unpredictable weather
• In a nutshell:Breathtaking