A Wonderful Day in Arica, Chile
Welcome dancers at the port of Arica.
Arica, Chile January 18, 2017
Top attractions to visit in Arica:
Morro de Arica- visible and within walking distance from the cruise port. Your Arica cruise will be incomplete without a trip to the city’s most famous landmark. It’s a steep hill though, of massive cliff of compressed sand and rocks. It’s about 139 meters above sea level. It was the site of a major battle for Arica, between the Bolivians, Peruvians and Chileans. Chilean troops captured the hill on June 7, 1880 in a dawn attack on a surrounded Peruvian garrison that had refused to surrender. Canons and artillery mark the site, along with a large statue of Christ. It is adorned with both coat of arms of both nation, asking for reconciliation. Along with a sweeping view of Arica, the ocean, inland and coastal road, one has the opportunity to visit the Museo de Armas. It has a lot of old muskets and battle gear from the 19th century on display along with uniforms of the war.
To go from the port to the top of the El Morro costs about $5 by taxi.
Cuevas de Anzota- It is one of the most visited natural attraction in Arica. Located on the southern edge of the City, it is about 10 km away from the foot of Morro de Arica. To visit, you must arrange a return transportation in advance especially if you are using a taxi service.
The caves correspond to a natural geological formation, being carved by water and coastal wind, dating from the Jurassic period Entrance to the caves is free and it includes a hard hat! The caves was said to have provided protection to the first settlers of this place, becoming a strategic point for survival where subsistence was centered on the sea.
Hundreds of birds excellent for bird watchers and photography.
For more than 9 thousand years they have been the place of a continuous development of coastal cultures of Arica, from the Chinchorro Culture - known for its complex processes of artificial mummification and its primary development of fishing, hunting and gathering -, passing through the Guano extraction processes from the late nineteenth century, to the artisanal fishermen and shellfish of our days.
Among its attractions it exhibits imposing covaderas that speak of a valuable avifaunal wealth, represented by guano birds such as pelicans, boobies and guanayes, populations sustained by high marine productivity. Another attribute is its geomorphology which is dominated by striking caves shaped by the wind and the sea in the massive rocky cliff, which speaks of a fossiliferous volcanic and sedimentary past that emerged from the sea. The cliffs offer an incredible seaside view and a chance to experience Chile’s most natural sights. While the sea caves are certainly the stand-out attraction in this park, the wildlife was impressive and the petroglyphs were an unexpected surprise.
The coastal walk to visit the caves corresponds to a pedestrian path of an approximate extension of 2.2 kilometers. In fact, if you stay on the paved trail that extends for about 3/4 of a mile along the coast and through a cave system, this hike is accessible for all bodies. The total trail length is listed as a 1.3 mile (2.2 km) out-and-back path. Until the sidewalk turns, at about the 3/4 mile mark, to a thin dirt path along a ridge high above the water, this path would actually be accessible for most wheelchair users.
Recommended duration
30 minutes
Hours
Sunday9am - 7:30pm
Monday9am - 7:30pm
Tuesday9am - 7:30pm
Wednesday9am - 7:30pm
Thursday9am - 7:30pm
Friday9am - 7:30pm
Saturday9am - 7:30pm
Arica beaches
Arica gives you an appetizer with a number of beaches to choose from. Enjoy Playa Chinchorro if you want space and close proximity to the city center, La Lisera if you want something a little out of town, and La Liserilla if you are an ‘it’s about the journey, not the destination’ type of person, as you will be able to view the Cuevas de Anzota and take the path around to this secluded cove beach.
Parque Nacional Lauca is a massive expanse of land speckled with snow capped volcanoes, two gorgeous high altitude lakes, Chingara and Cotacotani, and the mountain of K’isi K’isini for which the ascent starts in Chile, with the summit located across the border in Bolivia. You can do trips and treks through tour agencies located within Arica, stay out in the town of Putre, next to the park, or visit for the day if you have a rental car. It’s less than 3 hours to get to Lauca national park.
Museo Momias Chinchorro 12 km east of Arica is a museum that houses the remains of the oldest known mummified human remains, dating back 2000 years prior to the famous Egyptian mummies. Inside the museum is a permanent exhibit dedicated to Chinchorro mummies, with display cases, tools, clothing and adornment used in the process, as well as infant mummies, and life-size figures of Chinchorro people.
The Chinchorro were the first human group on the South American coast to worship their ancestors and death. They considered their mummies to be part of the world of the living, which explains why they left their bodies with their eyes and mouths open.
The mummies were bodies buried in an extended way, generally in dorsal decubitus or reclining, semi-naked and commonly with reduced burial offerings. They were buried superficially and often wrapped in shrouds. This process went through different stages. At first, only children and newborns were mummified with bright colors and accompanied by clay figurines. Around 3000 a. C., all the members of the society and of varied ages were included in this mortuary practice.
Not all mummies were buried. Some were installed upright as an active part of the camps and as a mark of the lineage of a common ancestor. However, most were buried extensively, half-naked, wrapped in thick fabrics made of reeds or camelid skins, and with few funerary offerings.
