Chaxa Lagoon is an extraordinary pool of water in the middle of a salt desert. Come here early in the day to watch a pink hue from the light of the sunrise over the salty water. The pool is home to countless wild flamingos, a sign that this is an entry point to the National Flamingo Reserve. Tour the lagoon to learn about the birds, their ecosystem and the lagoon’s geological implications.
Use your camera’s zoom function to capture photos of the numerous flamingos. Three species of flamingo reside here: the James, the Andean and the Chilean. Spot other types of birds, such as the Andean avocet and the sandpiper, which preys on tiny creatures in the water.
The long, flat terrain surrounding the lagoon yields spectacular sunrises and sunsets that seem to last forever. Flamingos and other birds are most active at these times of day. Stay for the sunset to take photos of the slowly approaching dusk. The salt plains also offer opportunities for trick shots of your family and friends in bizarre positions, due to the lack of other objects to use for distance perspective.
This site is near the Puilar and Barros Negros lagoons in the Soncor area of the National Flamingo Reserve.
The price of tours varies and depends on the length of your stay at the lagoon. You can also pay an entrance fee to enter the site on your own.
The Chaxa Lagoon is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast from the center of the village of San Pedro de Atacama. Rent a bike and cycle the journey via narrow roads and rugged terrain. It is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) from the Quelana section of the flamingo park, which is recognizable by its vast mixtures of salt crust and saline mud.
