Because Chile is full of unexplored corners, of hidden paradises in Tripi-ando we set ourselves the task of finding the 10 most wonderful and unknown places in the country. Ordered from north to south, the places that we will show you below will leave you speechless.
1. Cerro Milagro
It is near Putre, a town nestled in the heart of the Arica and Parinacota Region mountain range. Its summit is located at 4,900 meters above sea level and you can go up and down in approximately 1 hour. Legend has it that a pregnant woman was crossing the hill when suddenly she was overcome by the desire to be born to her child. Exhausted and in great pain, she found a cave and lay down on a wool blanket when suddenly her gaze met the glowing eyes of a cougar. Instead of turning the woman and her child into food, the puma cleaned the newborn with its tongue and spent the night with them, protecting them from the cold.
2. Cotacotani Lagoons
It is 4 km northwest of Lake Chungará, the lava protuberances generated by the volcanoes in the area build a landscape that seems not to be from this planet. The Cotacotani Lagoons (the cover photo of this article) are located at 4,500 meters above sea level and their waters come mainly from the Desaguadero River. They are immersed within the Lauca National Park, an area deeply rich in its biodiversity of flora and fauna and recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
3. Polloquere hot springs
It is km from Putre, and more than 4 thousand meters high, is one of the hottest hot springs in the country. The waters of the Termas de Polloquere are around 60ºC, and although they do not have infrastructure, access is free and they have picnic and camping areas. The locals say that these are true medicinal pools, acclaimed both for recreation and as an adjunct in health treatments. If you are lucky and you are silent, you may be able to swim watching rheas, flamingos, juarjual ducks, vicuñas, alpacas and llamas, among other species that inhabit the Salar de Surire.
4. The Quebrada Carrizo
It is circuit is located south of Antofagasta and is one of the most beautiful walks that can be done in the area. It is completed in an hour of walking through the gorge that brings together all the colors of the desert on unique rock formations. We recommend that you calculate your times well, since the highest point of the trail offers unparalleled views of the sunset over the city and the desert.
5. Quirilluca Beach
At the northern end of Playa Larga, 4 km along the shore from Horcón, is Playa Quirilluca. This is a true refuge for native flora and a nest for thousands of birds in the Valparaíso region. Surrounded by beautiful green cliffs, one of its graces is that the little wind in the area allows you to take advantage of the landscape with a delicious picnic and why not, a pleasant night camping. Unfortunately, industrial development in Ventanas, the port of Quintero, real estate, and inconsiderate tourism have endangered Quirilluca’s fragile ecosystem.
6. Las Buitreras Waterfall
Potrero Grande is a treasure of exuberant beauty in the Maule Region that has remained intact from the deforestation that occurs in the sector. In it is the Las Buitreras waterfall, where large spaces stand out with cane fields and lotuses with giant leaves that seem to be vestiges of ancient times. Its double waterfall reaches 30 meters and forms a small lagoon where visitors take the opportunity to cool off.
7. Pirquinco Lagoon
After 4 hours of hard walking through the Andean sector of Tricauco, the landscape opens up to reveal its most beautiful secret. The Pirquinco lagoon, in the Bío Bío region, is located at about 1,300 meters above sea level and is surrounded by a chain of steep granite mountains dotted with forests. Its beauty is incomparable and has nothing to envy to the landscapes of Patagonia. If you want to see it in its greatest splendor, visit it in the fall and be amazed by the color palette of the landscape.
8. Salto de la Olla
This amazing jump is located in Pilmaiquén, between Entrelagos and Osorno, it is a little-known jewel of the Lakes Region. The height of the waterfall is approximately 20 meters, and it is surrounded by rock formations with reddish tones that are uniquely complemented by the lush vegetation.
9. Punta Estaquilla
Estaquilla is a small fishermen’s cove located 92 km west of the city of Puerto Montt and 47 km from the community of Los Muermos. Punta Estaquilla beach is of monumental beauty, mainly due to its green islets that break with the sea currents. Everything here strikes the eye, from the houses hanging from gorges facing the water to the crooked shoreline battered by waves.
10. Madre de Dios Island
Cold and intriguing, this unknown corner of Magallanes is a true jewel at the end of the world. It is a succession of highlands and ravines with numerous peaks and prominent land masses that protrude from the ground, while the limestone headlands and points end abruptly to give way to the dark green of the forest. This incredible landscape, together with the silence and solitude of the surroundings, make this island one of the most beautiful and inhospitable regions on the entire planet.
