Lauca National Park

Localization

Extreme north of Chile, 145 km east of Arica

Access

Easy

Characteristic

1379 km²; Arid area of high mountains in the Andean range - mountain plains (altiplano) and mountains consisting mainly of enormous volcanoes. Very interesting lava fields and volcanic calderas. Typical ecosystems: high mountain lakes (fresh, brackish and salt) and wetlands, alpine steppe (paramo) and tundra (puna), volcanic biotopes.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Rodents - Mice (Muridae): Bolivian Big-eared Mouse

- Chinchillas and Viscachas (Chinchillidae): Northern Viscacha; Plains Viscacha

Carnivores - Dogs (Canidae): Argentinian Grey Fox; Culpeo Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Puma

Even-toed Ungulates - Camels and Lamas (Camelidae): Alpaca; Guanaco; Llama; Vicugna

- Deers (Cervidae): Taruga

Birds:

More than 140 bird species

Struthioniformes - Rheas (Rheidae): Lesser Rhea

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Puna Tinamou

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Silvery Grebe; White-tufted Grebe

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Neotropic Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae): Black-crowned Night-Heron

- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Puna Ibis

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Andean Flamingo; Chilean Flamingo; Puna Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Andean Duck; Crested Duck; Ruddy Duck; Torrent Duck; Andean Goose; Yellow-billed Pintail; Puna Teal; Speckled Teal

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Puna Hawk

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Mountain Caracara; Aplomado Falcon

Gruiformes - Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Giant Coot; Horned Coot; Red-gartered Coot; Slate-colored Coot

Charadriiformes - Avocets (Recurvirostridae): Andean Avocet

- Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Wilson´s Phalarope; Baird´s Sandpiper; Pectoral Sandpiper; White-rumped Sandpiper; Puna Snipe; Greater Yellowlegs; Lesser Yellowlegs

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Tawny-throated Dotterel; Andean Lapwing; Puna Plover; Diademed Sandpiper-Plover

- Seedsnipes (Thinocoridae): Grey-breasted Seedsnipe; Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe

- Gulls (Laridae): Andean Gull

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Golden-spotted Ground-Dove

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Andean Flicker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Cordilleran Canastero; Bar-winged Cinclodes; White-winged Cinclodes; Plain-breasted Earthcreeper; White-throated Earthcreeper; Common Miner; Puna Miner

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Salvin´s Negrito; Cinereous Ground-Tyrant; Puna Ground-Tyrant; Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant; White-fronted Ground-Tyrant; Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant; White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Andean Swallow

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): White-winged Diuca Finch; Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch; Black-hooded Sierra-Finch; Mourning Sierra-Finch; Plumbeous Sierra-Finch; White-throated Sierra-Finch; Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch; Greenish Yellow-Finch

- Finches (Fringillidae): Black Siskin; Hooded Siskin

Plants:

Over 400 species of vascular plants

Dicotyledons:

Caryophyllales - Cactaceae: Sweetpotato cactus (Cereus spp.); Pricklypear (Opuntia spp.)

Rosales - Rosaceae: Polylepis tarapacana

Apiales - Apiaceae: Azorella compacta; Laretia spp.

Gentianales - Gentianaceae: Pygmy gentian (Gentiana prostrata)

Lamiales - Verbenaceae: Vervain (Verbena spp.)

Solanales - Solanaceae:  Fabiana spp.

Asterales - Asteraceae: Baccharis tola; Chuquiraga spp.; Mutisia spp.; Parastrephia spp.

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Fescue (Festuca acanthophylla); Stipa frigida and S. leptostachya

Possible activities

Three trails for walking and trekking - difficult because of high altitude

Fishing, mountaineering

Note

Biosphere reserve of UNESCO

Several archaeological sites

Hot spring in the park area

Picture - source wikipedia