Hike Guatin Cactus

• Disponibles2020
• Experiences
• Hike

We will take the same route that leads us to the Tatio Geysers to begin our journey to the Guatin Gorge. During our adventure, in addition to delight in the beautiful landscapes that are contrasted with the blue of the sky, we can appreciate the native flora of the place where these giant cacti that cover the beautiful reddish ravine where we will make our walk stand out. Starting from Guatin we will go down the river where we will find abundant fox tails accompanied by the reeds, we also find succulent and plants such as the rich rich and pingo pingo typical of this part of the desert.

Guatin

This place unfolds between two rivers; on the one hand the frozen Purifica river and on the other the thermal puritama. At the moment in which these two rivers meet, they give rise to the Vilama River at whose edges the valley of the cactus or Quebrada de Cardones is located. It is a sector of large cacti, many of which are centenarians, reaching 25 cm in diameter in 35 years and 70 cm in 70 years. They can reach up to 6 meters high and have 30 cm spines. In these places where the water runs, the shepherds circulated with their Llamas that left lithic and ceramic evidence, this has been a transit point.

About the Trekking:

The vehicle will take us to Guatín located at an average altitude of 3,215 meters above sea level. In this ravine we will be able to observe thousands of giant cacti, also called cardons, which can reach more than 4 meters in height. Then we will continue along the edge of the Vilama river and while the cacti are located on the cliffs of the gorge we will go down following the river on the east bank, following a track that will take us to a place from where the landscape is observed in all its breadth, with the Salar de Atacama in the distance. We will continue along this path until we meet the vehicle, which will take us back to the accommodation.