mine tour calama

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Chile’s Bread

Chuquicamata is the largest copper mine in the world to which Chile owes its prosperous economy and the acknowledgement this natural metal has earned the country all round the world.

A 16-kilometer-long straight line of lanes that go in two opposite directions separate the mine from the City of Calama , a place mostly dwelled by the miners that work in is venue everyday. Chuquicamata is an amazing excursion even for those who are not interested either in the mining industry or in the high economical rates. The truth is that the over 620 thousand tons of fine copper of maximum purity invite the worst non-believers to see what this is about. And it is worth getting on the excursion bus to get to the core of this monster.

Eating with the Miners Almost by chance, lunchtime found us at the Club Social Empleados , the dining-room the miners have chosen for decades to have lunch which serves a unique menu everyday. Soup or broth as a starter, a main course, a soft drink or water and a dessert. Even though variety does not exist, no one rejects the dish of the day. Most customers find there a small place for recreation from the effort and the demands of the mine.

Tourists, on the other hand, try to go unnoticed (something impossible) and understand some codes and ways typical of those who work with copper everyday. Copper Rush No sooner had we finished having lunch than a bus full of tourists of all nationalities parked opposite the Chuquicamata Tourist Office. Once there, we were informed about what we could and could not do at the mine and shown an educational video about everything related to the copper industry.

We learned about how the metal is extracted, the technical processes used for its purification, the works done with it and, finally, the world destinations where this huge production is exported, such as the Asian, European and American markets. The theoretical knowledge had managed to calm down the eagerness of the group, at least for a few minutes. The members of the tour who were browsing an issue of “Oasis” magazine, a fortnight publication devoted to the mining industry, only had to hear the engine being started to make a queue in front of the bus that would take them directly to the mine, where they would experience the second part of the lecture: practice. A Real Sleeping Giant As soon as the bus stopped, it was impossible not to be amazed at what could be seen at first sight.

A huge grey depression, not to say a great crater, was the aim of our incredulous looks. With 4.5 kilometers of length and 3.5 kilometers of width and a depth of over 800 meters, the mine does not go unnoticed. Two operators dressed in red and wearing the corresponding helmets gave us our own helmets and indicated the few places around which we could step. In a matter of seconds, the attraction moved from the depths of the mine to the great number of road equipment and machinery that, along with the men who handle them, do the hard job.

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, a fleet of approximately 120 trucks transports tons of the mineral extracted there, which is later turned into copper,. Their wheels caught our attention because they were larger than any of us. Photographs soon were taken everywhere. After almost one hour of listening to the guide, we gradually got to know the details of mining. In addition to representing job positions for thousands of families, this activity outlines the growth of the country through its most pampered raw material: copper. “Chile’s bread” was the nickname given to it by Salvador Allende and he was right.

Tour Chuquicamata

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From Chuquicamata, it is possible to take part in one of the tours that leave towards the great mine everyday. Prior reservations should be made at the offices of Codelco opposite the small town square.

Frentete a la Plaza (1390000) Calama II Región de Antofagasta Tel: +56 55-2322122

From Here to Nowhere

Camping, hiking, and travel in asia, south america, and beyond, visiting chuquicamata ghost town and mine.

Posted By: Hiker July 3, 2015

Chuquicamata Background

The Chuquicamata copper mine near Calama, Chile, makes for an odd tourist attraction. Measuring 4.3 kilometres by 3 kilometres and over 900 metres deep, Chuquicamata is the world’s largest open pit copper mine and Chile’s largest producer of copper.

Copper has been mined in this area for hundreds for years, but modern large scale exploitation did not start until the early 1910s when European prospectors started buying and consolidating smaller and less productive local mines. In the 1960s the Chilean government bought up foreign-owned copper mines in the country, effectively natioanlizing copper production. Such was its contribution to the Chilean economy that president Salvador Allende nicknamed the raw copper “Chile’s bread”.

The Chuquicamata tour starts at the Codelco office in downtown Calama, where participants are registered and sign a liability waiver (this is, of course, still a fully active industry site, with all associated risks). After receiving a high-visibility vest, a hard hat, and strict instructions to follow the guide, we were taken in a coach to the mine.

Chuquicamata Ghost Town

The first stop of the tour bus was the most surprising for me: the Chuquicamata office where the guide provides an introduction to the mine is in the middle of a ghost town. The original Chuquicamata town, which housed all mine workers and their families from early in the mine’s development, was abandoned in 2007. Health and safety concerns over the high levels of dust from the mine and gasses from the smelting plant caused Codelco to relocate all families. Today the entire town stands abandoned, with boarded up buildings, fading signs, and wind blowing through the empty streets. As the town was only relatively recently abandoned, and because it is still on mining company property, it has suffered very little decay and vandalism. Although it is not possible to enter any of the buildings, even wandering the streets offers an evocative insight into the harsh realities of life here.

The empty streets of Chuquicamata town

Empty streets in the abandoned town’s plaza

Abandoned places are one of my favourite photographic subjects (see Pripyat ), so the opportunity to wander around the town, no matter how brief, was definitely a welcome surprise – I had seen no information about this on the Internet. A tip: our guide gave a long, long introduction to the mine in Spanish and then repeated it in English. While she was giving the translated version the Spanish speakers were free to wander around outside – so I took the opportunity to slip out with them. Those who stayed for the English translation only seemed to get a few minutes to look around the town.

The abandoned bank

A strange sight in the abandoned children’s playground next to the former school

Chuquicamata Mine

The next stop on the tour involved a bus trip up to the edge of the mining pit, and then slightly down into it to the mirador (viewpoint). This is a good opportunity to get close (or as close as you would want!) to the massive CAEX mining vehicles which plow up and down the pit road all day long. Towering way over our tour coach, each tyre alone is over 3 metres high, costs US $40,000, and must be replaced every eight months.

The massive CAEX mining vehicles plow up and down the mine all day

At the viewpoint on the edge of the mining put, it is virtually impossible to comprehend Chuquicamata’s true scale: the huge CAEX trucks look tiny as they carry ore up the mining roads some 800 metres below us. In fact, the mine is so deep that it was not possible to see the bottom. Looking across what is without doubt a huge and ugly scar on the landscape, the guide explained some statistics relating to Codelco’s contribution to the national economy, employment, and local community projects. With free tours such as this Codelco put a lot of emphasis on their commitment to healthy, safe, and fair conditions for their workers (as evidenced by their abandonment of the original town for health reasons), and their involvement in local community projects.

The scale of the mine is hard to comprehend

Below us, through clouds of dust, the CAEX vehicles look tiny

Chuquicamata Tours

Tours of Chuquicamata are run by the state mining company Codelco every week day and are conducted in English and Spanish. They run from approximately 1pm to 4.30pm and are free. However a donation, which goes to a charity for local children, is appreciated at the end of the tour. You can arrange a tour by emailing Codelco at [email protected].

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3 Comments on "Visiting Chuquicamata ghost town and mine"

I was born in Chiquicamata on December 17,1951. I was 7 years old when my family migrated to The United States. I have vaque memories of a wonderful time and plan to return some day, for a visit.

I lived in Chuquicamata in the 50s, attended Mrs Ruther’s kindergarten and after that the Foreign School, remembering a number of American teachers. Would love to return for a visit one day.

We were Peace Corps volunteer in Antofagasta 1965-1967. My husband visited the mine with the faculty of La Universidad Tecnica. I didn’t recall that there was a town there then.

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Touring the World’s Largest Copper Mine in Chuquicamata, Chile

The tour bus stopped and I could gaze down the humongous hole in the ground: 1 kilometer deep, 3 kilometers wide, and 5 kilometers long. Even while standing right next to it, it was hard to grasp.

Can you even begin to imagine the size of this mine?

Along the sides of the mine trucks slowly zigzagged up and down over unpaved roads that were constantly kept wet by other trucks to keep down the dust. Of the ninety-nine trucks, seven are permanently used to this end. The region has not seen rain for two years. I felt like I was staring at some futuristic stronghold that James Bond had to raze to the ground.

This mine is far from futuristic, though. In fact, it’s more than one hundred years old. In 1911, copper deposits were discovered north of Calama and quickly exploited by the US Anaconda Copper Mining Company.

It grew into the largest open-pit copper mine in the world, producing more than 600,000 tons of copper annually. It was in this mine where Che Guevara’s political consciousness began to stir, as described in his Motorcycle Diaries .

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The Copper Mine in Chuquicamata

The mine won’t go any deeper than it is, though. Digging deeper apparently is no longer profitable. Instead they have started digging tunnels sideways to find their way to more copper deposits

Moving the Town of Chuquicamata

The Chuquicamata mine remained in American hands until Salvador Allende nationalized all Chilean copper mines in 1970. Chuquicamata is now owned by Codelco : Corporación del Cobre (Copper Corporation).

Until a couple of years ago, the twenty thousand workers lived in the adjacent town of Chuquicamata. However, international environmental laws led to the evacuation of the entire village to Calama, sixteen kilometers farther south, turning the town of Chuquicamata into a ghost town. It is now disappearing under one of Chuquicamata’s many slag heaps.

Visiting the Mine

The only way to visit the mine is by booking a tour. I joined the rest of the visitors and boarded a bus where our host would explain everything we were going to see for the next two hours.

If truth be told, this entire mining industry is too large, too vast to really comprehend. Numbers related to the size of the mine, the quantities of copper extracted or the size of the mammoth slag heaps we passed were staggering and overwhelming. How do you visualize 600,000 tons of deposits that are daily transported, one third of which has copper-containing minerals? I simply can’t, and it boggled my mind during the entire tour.

From Chuquicamata the copper is transported by train to Mejillones, from where some forty percent is exported to Asia, of which twenty-two percent to China alone. The older slag heaps, dating from the 1950s, are on the agenda to be recycled. In those days the techniques to extract all the minerals were inadequate and the green color of the copper is still visible in the slag heaps.

If the pit wasn’t dazzling enough, the trucks definitely were: German Liebhers and Japanese Komatsus are eight meters wide and, when in operation, consume two to three liters of diesel per minute. The diesel tank holds four thousand liters. The trucks run twenty-four hours per day, transporting loads of 330 – 400 tons at the time and need maintenance once every two weeks. A tire costs thirty thousand dollars and lasts one year.

Since the driver sits on the left, the lane used by the trucks inside the mine has been switched to the left side for security reasons: this way the driver either drives along the upper wall or sits directly on the canyon side. Another security measure is that a pole, carrying a small flag in the top and light (for the night), is attached to all other vehicles, to prevent the vehicle from being run over by the massive trucks, as happened in the past.

The mine has gone through some major changes: instead of digging deeper, which is no longer profitable, horizontal tunnels are now being dug to further tap the copper deposits. The trucks will go out of business as they have become too expensive, and future deposits will be transported by electrically controlled conveyor belts.

A Necessity or is There Another Way?

I was impressed by what I saw and I was dazzled by the technology, the size of everything, and the numbers. It didn’t make me a happy person. It may be the largest open-pit copper mine, but fact is, this is not the only one mine in the world.

I understand the current need for copper yet I can’t fail to notice how we are not only depleting resources but are destroying the planet in the process. No matter how beautiful the tales of mining industries about how environmentally friendly they work, irreparable harm is being done to our planet, our only home.

For that reason I encourage others to go and check out mines, to see for yourself what level of destruction is going on. Seeing it with your own eyes does have a different impact than watching a documentary on the subject on television. Is there really no other way than mining to provide us with what we need?

Additional Reading (North & Central Chile):

• Visiting the Ghost Towns of Humberstone and Santa Laura (Chile)
• The Andacollo Festival in Chile
• Stargazing in Chile – Cerro Mamalluca

Practical Information on the Chuquicamata Coppermine

• Wearing long sleeves, long pants and closed shoes (no sandals) is mandatory.
• The mine lies 10 miles north of Calama. Calama has an airport with flights from and to Santiago and Antofagasta. Buses connect the town with other cities in Chile such as Santiago and San Pedro de Atacama, as well as with Salta in Argentina.
• In Calama you can rent a car. Another option is to organize a tour via one of Calama’s travel agencies downtown.

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Biggest copper mine in the world.

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Desert weather. The temperature oscillates between day and night time, and the summer rain is more frequent with a high media of 3 milimeters. The high media temperature is 24,5ºC and the lowest is 17,1ºC.

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Anywhere-Santiago: Airway. Santiago-Antofagasta: Airway and land route, by Panamericana 5 North. Antofagasta-Calama: Land route, by Route 25 CH. Airway. Calama-Chuquicamata Mine: Land route (north way) Public and private transportation. Anywhere- Calama: Airway.

Ayquina, Calama, Caspana, Chiu-Chiu, Cupo, Conchi Dam, Geyser del Tatio, Ayquina Church, Lasana, Chuquicamata, Ollague, Conchi town, Coska town, Lasana Pukara, Turi Pukara, Loa River, Ascotan Salar, Carcote Salar, Toconce, Aucanquilcha Volcano. Admision Ask for visits in the Chuqui Office.

• Aldea de Tulor - 98 km Baños de Puritama - 97 km Calama - 17 km Chiu-Chiu - 25 km Cordillera de la Sal - 92 km El Loa y Calama - 21 km Geyser del Tatio - 89 km Iglesia San Pedro de Atacama - 97 km
• Museo Arqueológico de Calama - 20 km Museo Gustavo Le Paige - 97 km Parque el Loa - 24 km Pukará de Lasana - 26 km Pukará de Quitor - 94 km Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos - 97 km San Pedro de Atacama - 97 km Valle de la Luna - 93 km

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• Destinations
• Atacama Desert & Altiplano
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Calama is considered the mining capital of Chile. It is located in the middle of the Atacama desert and is a strategic point to visit San Pedro de Atacama.

Located in the region of Antofagasta , Calama is the capital of the province of Loa. Due to its closeness to several deposits and to Chiquicamata (the world's largest open pit mine), many have called this city "Chile's mining capital".

Part of Bolivia until the War of the Pacific, this is a city where natural beautie and the historical traces of Inca culture combine to create a beautiful scenario. This is a strategic spot to visit the local tourist attractions such as Pukará de Lasana, Tatio Geysers , and San Pedro de Atacama .

Recommendations

We recommend you that you schedule your flight to Calama to arrive in the morning so you are able to participate in the scheduled activities without affecting the itinerary.

This place has a desertic weather and it’s also some meters above sea levels, which means that throughout the year there is a very large temperature oscillation between day and night. The average annual temperature is between 14° C and 3 ° C.

Stores in rural areas are open all day, but they close between 13.00 and 15.00. We advise you to carry local currency (Chilean pesos), since it isn’t possible to pay with debit or credit cards in kiosks and rural stores.

Do not throw garbage on the beaches, parks or streets. To take care of our environment is everyone's responsibility. Avoid fines by following the rules.

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Mina de Chuquicamata

Explore near Mina de Chuquicamata: Where to Stay, Eat, and Visit

Mina de chuquicamata reviews: insider insights and visitor experiences.

Still Closed as of Mid Feb

Following last review we went to the Tour Booking Office (corner of Granaderos / Central Sur) today. It was shut but there was a lady unloading stuff who told us that the tours still are not happening...

Tours available again in January 2023

We went to the office today (29 December) to visit the mine on a tour (as described in the other reviews). The office is there but they told us they will only start the tours again in January, we are ...

Mine visit timetable

To our disappointment, the mine visits no take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. The email [email protected] is no longer monitored.

None. No tour took place

We booked this in November 2019 and turned up having planned our schedule around visiting the mine, only to be told that the tour was not taking place due to ‘operational problems’. This also happene...

Totally unrealistic and free

The tour starts at 1pm at the office of the mines in Calama. You should boom the tour in advance (at least 1 week in high season). You are equipped and then a bus takes you to the mines and guides you...

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Calama – Where the Copper Meets the Dust

Author: ilovechile

Date: 28.09.2019

Category: Travel in Chile

The Chilean Calama dwelled on the north bank of Río Loa, the longest river in the country, is not the typical touristic spot, but it is a very welcoming and economically rich city.

We’ve tried to gather all the essential information about the place and present it to you in the following article! So, read on.

Table of Contents

What does the name of the city mean?

According to the world-known Chilean-French literary critic, Emilio Vaïsse, the name of Calama originates from “Ckara-ama” meaning “a place where partridges abound”.

Moreover,   “Ckara-ama” comes from the Kunza (or Cunza, Atacameño ,  Likanantaí, Lipe, Ulipe) – an extinct language once spoken from the Chileans in the Atacama desert.

What is the population of Calama?

Calama has a population of about 180 000 (2017) which has increased by almost 60 000 since 2002. As a key reason for that is considered the copper manufacture in the region which makes it one of the wealthiest in Chile.

Where is Calama located?

The city is located in the Atacama , the driest desert on Earth, in the northern part of Chile. Moreover, Calama is the capital of El Loa – one of the three provinces in this Chilean region.

Being in the area, you can easily combine your stay in Calama with a visit to the otherworldly San Pedro de Atacama, just an hour and a half away by car or bus.

How to get there?

The nearest airport, called El Loa Airport, happens to be one of the largest airports in the Latin country. It’s just outside Calama, less than 10 km away from the city centre. 

A side note: The El Loa Airport caters flights from/to Lima (Peru) as well as from/to Santiago de Chile so you keep that in mind while planning your trip around Chile.

How does public transport work in Calama?

If you fly to El Loa Airport and need to move to the city centre, there are several options for transportation to choose from.

Once you arrive, there will be a flock of private cabs on the main entrance. They will charge you CH$ 5500 – 6000 to the centre of Calama.

The minibus tours cost almost twice cheaper (CH$ 3500 per person) and will drop you straight to your hotel’s door.

If your plan doesn’t include a night in Calama and you go directly to San Pedro de Atacama, the private taxi will charge you CH$ 35 000 more or less.

There is a second option – book a bus transfer booked in advance (the most popular choice is Transfer Lincancabur  company). That would cost CH$ 15 000 – 22 000. 

If you need some additional help – let us know in the comment box below the article! 

TOP 3 Attractions to visit in Calama

1. an organized tour to mina de chuquicamata.

Even though the ghostly Chuquicamata copper mine (also known as “Chuqui”) doesn’t function today, it is the largest open-pit copper mine on Earth. It’s dwelled just outside the city of Calama at 2 850 m above sea level.

Most of the tour time is usually spent in the abandoned town of Chuquicamata, which used to house the miners in the past. It is now deserted (that’s why we called it “ghostly”) due to the fact many of the workers developed lung conditions. Thus, locals are banned from living within 10 km of Mina de Chuquicamata.

2. A day trip to Pukará de Lasana

If you’re renting a car while in Chile, we’d suggest visiting the national monument Pukará de Lasana – a pre-Columbian fortress built in the 12th century. The dwellings range in size and design, but the majority had silos for storing food like corn and meat.

The fortress is located in the village of Lasana, about 40 km away from Calama.

3. A hike to La Poruna volcano

For the hiking enthusiasts, we’d highly recommend taking a dusty walk to the volcano La Poruna as even though it is just 590 ft high it is settled at an altitude of over 12 000 feet.

The hike offers amazing views and a chance to escape from the crowd as La Poruna is not the most touristic place in this region of Chile.

However, arm yourself with enough water and a pair of gloves as it gets pretty steep and rocky at some point. 

Is there anything else we are missing? Let us know in the section below! 🙂

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10 Things to Do in Calama Chile

•  Chile
•  Calama
•  El Loa National Park
•  El Tatio Geysers
•  Laguna Chaxa
•  Laguna Miscanti
•  Pukará de Quitor
•  Salar de Atacama
•  San Pedro de Atacama
•  Valle de Jere
•  Valle de la Luna
•  Valle de la Muerte

Mina de Chuquicamata

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Codelco Visitor Office - Chuquicamata Mine | Tourist Attraction

Warning: this place is permanently closed.

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Description.

Codelco Visitor Office - For Tours Of Chuquicamata Mine. This is the meeting place for tours of the world's largest open pit copper mine, run by the state-owned Codelco. To reserve, email [email protected] [Note: currently not working]. Tours are free. They are held at 1pm weekdays [Note: Currently Tuesdays and Thursdays only]. A bus takes the tour group to Chuquicamata, the town where workers used to live, and to the mine itself. Then the bus drops you off back in Calama at 4:30. There is secure parking for your rig. The Codelco Norte visitor office is on the north side of Calama, at the junction of Central Sur and Granaderos. This should not be confused with the Codelco Norte headquarters building opposite the Calama Plaza Mall on Balmaceda.

Why? By checking in after you’ve visited a place you let others know this place is still functional. You can also add or correct any information.

Latest Check-Ins

Still the same. Office closed, no tours at the moment.

Tourist visits are still suspended. The guard at the entrance said they don’t know when/if it will reopen…

I did not get an email answer the whole day but I showed up. completely closed at the moment as for the corona virus situation. I specifically asked if they open again if this is over and he said yes, there is no other reason for a closure (such as protests or operation in the mine)

The tours are now on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, still starting at 1pm. They say there are some problems with the email, indeed I never got a reply. They take 48 people on the tour. For the time being best to go there in person to reserve your spot or add to wait list. Wear long sleeves and long pants if you want to go on the tour and bring some water.

Still suspended due to the Chilean instability just now. I emailed [email protected] and received a very quick (probably auto reply) from Renato. Disappointing but c'est la vie.

No tour since the Chilean crisis started in October. For security reason. They can’t tell when it will start again. Email first or phone. See other comments for details.

Visit to the mine have been temporary suspended.

we called at 9am Monday morning and we put on the waiting list. We got on the tour. Bus is comfortable and air conditioned. Bring water and snacks. Must wear long sleeves and long pants. Hard hat and vest provided.

we were lucky to get a spot but we also called them at 9am (when they open) to put us on the waiting list for the same day. Seems like there are always people canceling their reservation. this time there were quite a few people from the waiting list that got a seat. I would say just try and you might be lucky

Warning ! No place for visiting the place before february !

Attention il n’y a pas de place avant février pour visiter la mine. Il y a une liste d’attente. Nous avons essayé mais en cette période de vacances il y a beaucoup de monde sur les listes d’attente ! Et du coup aujourd’hui nous n’avons pas pu visiter ! Faut tenter sa chance mais sans trop espérer !

Visitação suspensa em chuquicamata por motivos operacionais,atendente é oficial da segurança muito amáveis

Really recommended free tour with Spanish-English speaking guide. In my understanding they do not just say nice things about their company -it's a state company and we only heard about its history and functioning, no marketing speech. Very interesting ghost town and impressive copper mine with its massive machinery and industrial buildings. Free secure parking at the offices. Indeed recommended to book tour 2-3 days ahead or call during the morning to see if there's space for the same day. . Tour gratuito y muy recomendable con guía hispano- y angloparlante. A mi entender no dicen sólo cosas bonitas de la empresa -después de todo es una empresa estatal y sólo nos hablaron de su historia y funcionamiento, nada de discursos marketineros. Ciudad fantasma muy interesante e impresionante mina de cobre con su maquinaria y plantas de procesamiento masivos. Estacionamiento gratuito en las oficinas. Efectivamente se recomienda reservar con 2-3 días de anticipación o llamar durante la mañana por si hay espacio para el mismo día.

Hello This. is the place to visit in Calama. Great an interesting afternoon in family. It's free but you can give a tip for an association of sick children. Take car, they don't take children under 7 years old. With our truck we have sleep to "Extraccion camping" The bus wasn't full, and we have make our reservation by mail the day before. Phone: +56552322122

Very interessting tour for free! we didn’t had a reservations so we wrote a email one day before so we were on the waiting list and had to be at the starting point at 13.00! We had luck and could do the tour! They said that almost every day people didn’t confirm their reservation so that a few places are left! So try it the same way if you don’t have a reservation! the mine overground will operate only till the end 2018 then they start underground...don’t know if they still do the tours in 2019? they have a secure parkplace with fence for free! absolutely recommended!!!

If you want to visit the mine you have to came to the place, or you make a reservation on the internet. It very interesting and for free.

Visits are again suspended. Don't know for how long. 😕

really interesting free tour. secure parking with guard and fences. reserve some days ahead.

The tours are available again. If you are not flexible timewise it is recommended to book well ahead. We wanted to book a week later and were already on a waiting list

Good news: it is open for tours. All the previous information is still correct. We were very lucky to show up at noon and because of cancellations could join the tour. Not everybody on the waiting list was as fortunate as we were and had to go back without a tour. So if you can plan your visit, please make a reservation to avoid disappointment by emailing or calling them.

As of today they are open.

although Internet said that they start tours as from September, the office was still closed

Still no tour

stiil closed, a sign says no tours anymore for operational reasons.

Closed at the moment. Tours will start again at may, 2nd

not open in March

depart pour visite mine : syndicat N 2 av granadero

it's a good Tour, guarded parking for tour member behind the office possible.

Correct e-mail address is: [email protected]

This is the meeting place for tours of the world's largest open pit copper mine, run by the state-owned Codelco. To reserve, email [email protected] . Tours are free. They are held at 1pm weekdays. A bus takes the tour group to Chuquicamata, the town where workers used to live, and to the mine itself. Then the bus drops you off back in Calama at 4:30. There is secure parking for your rig. We emailed and were told the tour for the day we wanted was full. But when we showed up, it turned out there were cancellations and we were able to join the tour that day. The Codelco Norte visitor office is on the north side of Calama, at the junction of Central Sur and Granaderos. This should not be confused with the Codelco Norte headquarters building opposite the Calama Plaza Mall on Balmaceda.

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Visit Chile: My hometown Calama

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There’s much more to Chile than what you read in the guide books. We want to share a little bit of the hidden Chile with you, including real tips from real people. So we’re taking a peep into the hometowns of the Cascada Expediciones’ staff. Our staff come from all over this rich and varied country, from Patagonia in the deep south to the Atacama Desert in the far north, so who better to ask for recommendations when visiting Chile? 

1. Where is your hometown?

I was born in Calama, a city in the Atacama Desert in the north of Chile, only an hour and a half away from the city of San Pedro de Atacama.

2. Tell us a bit about it!

Calama started out as a small city but it’s gradually getting bigger. I’m not sure of the exact history, but it more or less first came about as a kind of inn or waystation since it was at a crossroads of two Inca trails, and then it really developed with the arrival of the Spanish colonists.  

Along the years it’s kept growing because it’s very near to the largest open-pit mine in the world, called Chuquicamata. 2007 was an important year for Calama because the Chuquicamata mining camps closed and all of the workers and their families were moved to Calama city, where a kind of satellite town was built outside of the city (about 10 to 15 minutes away) and houses were given to all contract workers as part of the move. This move was made because the mine was getting bigger and eating up the land where the workers used to live.

3. What’s the best thing about living there?

The best thing about the city is definitely the evenings, the way you can see the stars and the moon in the very clear, dark nights. If there’s anywhere in the world that I can really relax and completely clear my mind, that’s the place... at the end of the day, home is where the heart is.

4. What are the top attractions in your hometown?

The important thing to remember when visiting this part of Chile is that you have to like deserts if you’re going to like Calama. The vast majority of Chileans, for example, are used to green cities, and in Calama everything is very dry and it’s really more of a working city than a tourist city.

But the area around Calama ...that’s something else entirely! For me, you really shouldn’t miss out on a tour of the Chuquicamata mine since it’s the best way to learn all about the story of copper mining, which is the main pillar of the Chilean economy.

It’s probably something you’d only want to do once, but if you’re interested in the culture of the country and you want to understand its current circumstances I’d 100% recommend it. Not to mention the fact that it’s the biggest open-pit mine in the world. 

If you’ve got time I’d also recommend a visit to an underground mine because it’s like visiting another planet... unless you get claustrophobic of course!

The region’s best and biggest attraction is undoubtedly San Pedro de Atacama , a town in Chile’s high Andean plateau where you can see people who still live a traditional way of life strolling through the streets and you can visit the museum in the centre of the city to see ancient mummies from the region in an extremely well preserved state.

I’d recommend you visit the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) and if you can be flexible with your dates make sure you arrange it so that you’ll be there on a night with a full moon; it’s an extraordinary adventure and you’ll never forget it.

Next to the Valle de la Luna is the Valle de la Muerte (Valley of Death!), which is the perfect place for adventure sports enthusiasts... and even beginners can have a go at sandboarding. It is really tiring but if you manage to stand up and sandboard just once it’s worth all the effort. 

*Insider tip: Bear in mind that you will end up with sand everywhere! And if you can, take along someone who’s more into watching than taking part, that way they can stay at the bottom of the sand dunes taking some great photos of you in action! 

The Tatio Geysers , Pucarás (the ruins of earthen fortresses built by the indigenous Andean people), altiplanic lakes...etc are some of the other major attractions that you could visit.

Those of us who live close to the Pozo 3 natural springs go there to enjoy this great attraction in summer (to take a dip and escape the heat) and it’s really a perfect place to switch off.

Best of all is the vibe that you get at night, which is both bohemian and rural at the same time . I’d recommend that you go to relax on the beach there and watch the people coming and going, there are lots of young people working there who speak great English and have decided to live there because of the pace of life and their daily contact with tourists. They’d be happy to answer any questions you have about places to visit or any tips you might need. 

5. Does your hometown have a special regional dish that you enjoy?

Personally, I absolutely love Calameñan sweetcorn. It’s whiter in colour and softer than regular sweetcorn... it’s amazing and really moreish!

6. Are there any special carnivals in your hometown?

Well one of the better known carnivals is the Our Lady of Guadalupe of Ayquina Festival, a religious festival which is actually even more well-known that the Carnival in San Pedro de Atacama. The village of Ayquina is around 70 kilometres (44 miles) from Calama and throughout the first days of September you’ll see a large number of people (pilgrims) walking towards Ayquina.  

The celebration has pre-hispanic roots related to the fertility of the Earth. It’s a festival that is mingled with the celebration of the apparition of the Virgen of Guadalupe who, according to tradition, appeared to a boy in the Tiara region.

7. Where’s your favourite place to eat in your hometown?

I don’t think there’s anywhere in Calama itself that serves regional dishes, so what I’d recommend is that you travel to San Francisco de Chiu Chiu around 30 to 40 minutes from Calama. It’s a small village with a river running through it and its own vegetable gardens, just imagine eating vegetables harvested from the driest desert in the world! That really is an experience! Near to the main square you’ll find restaurants, I think there are about four of them and they’re really very good.

What I recommend you try are obviously the traditional regional dishes like patasca (a stew made from corn, potatoes, vegetables and meat), a barbeque of grilled llama meat and river trout (unmissable!).

When you’re done eating you can go and visit the church in the town, which is one of the oldest in the whole of Chile.

8. What do people do on the weekend in your hometown?

Since the city is in the middle of the desert we don’t have many parks or a beach to go to but there are some options. Normally people go to El Loa Park which is a pretty park in the Calameñan style and it’s where most of the main activities take place, such as El Loa Province Festival, El Loa Jazz Festival, Calama’s Anniversary Festival and the Chilean Independence Celebrations.  

The park also has games for children, a lookout tower inspired by the Pucará (a pre-hispanic culture from the region) and handicraft shops. It’s also home to the city’s Archaeological and Ethnological Museum.

9. If you could describe your hometown in one word, what would it be?

10. What’s the weather like in your hometown?

I think it’s great! The climate is really dry and the best thing is sitting outside in the middle of the day enjoying the sun, but the nights on the other hand can be really cold so it can be tricky to decide what to wear!  

You might go out to work in the morning with your coat, gloves, scarf and everything covered up but by midday you’ll see that it can get up to 30°C (86°F) and then at night the temperature drops again and can dip below zero. In September we get a lot of wind that picks up sand from the desert and then in summer we get what’s called a “Bolivian Winter” where rain storms come over from Bolivia. My essential top tip no matter what time of year you visit is to use a lip protecting cream or salve as your skin can get very dry.

11. If I visited your hometown for a day, where would we go and what would we do?

Well I’d recommend that we go for a tour of the Chuquicamata mine and then go for a bite to eat in San Francisco de Chiu Chiu before taking a walk in Loa park. Obviously you’ll then want to travel on to San Pedro de Atacama.

12. Tell us one thing about your town that most people don’t know!

The Calama region and the surrounding areas used to be part of Bolivia!

Thanks to Lorena for her spectacularly detailed report of life in Calama! Check out Cascada’s tours in the Atacama and Altiplano to experience some of these highlights for yourself. Look out for future articles in this blog series, from our Cascada Expediciones team!  

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Updated October 4th, 2022

Dear Traveler,

We are very happy to announce that there are currently no travel restrictions in Chile. Together with the above mentioned, it is mandatory to comply with the following requirements:

• You only have to present the vaccination certificate issued in your country when boarding to Chile. Those who do not have their vaccinations must present a negative result in a PCR test dated less than 48 hours from departure to enter Chile. Those who are under 18 years of age do not have any requirements to enter Chile
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Mina de Chuquicamata

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Mina de Chuquicamata - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

• (3.39 km) Geotel Calama Hotel
• (1.15 km) Hotel Don Alfredo
• (1.52 km) Atankalama Hotel
• (0.22 km) Hostel Huaytiquina
• (1.50 km) Hotel Rustico Calama
• (0.57 km) Terrayan
• (0.70 km) Ping ji
• (0.99 km) Nan-King
• (0.69 km) Restaurante Ping JI Comida Peruana
• (0.80 km) Sol Gourmet Restobar

• 1 Understand
• 2.2 By plane

Calama is in the region of Antofagasta in northern Chile .

Understand [ edit ]

Calama is just the gateway to San Pedro de Atacama for the most tourists.

• -22.48066 -68.92954 1 Tourist Office ( at Parque El Loa (south part of city) ). Access to the office is from Avenida O'Higgins (not from inside the park). ( updated Jul 2023 )

Get in [ edit ]

By bus [ edit ]

At least two major bus stations exist in Calama:

• -22.4503 -68.92898 1 Terminal de Buses . All regular national buses (Turbus, Pullman, etc.) stop here, coming from Arica and Iquique (overnight), or Antofagasta (every 2 hr or so).  
• -22.4596 -68.9278 2 Bus stations along Calle Antofagasta . More frequent (at least every 2 hr) and cheaper (3,000 pesos ) bus companies of KTur, Atacama2000, etc. serving San Pedro and other nearby places.  
• -22.460035 -68.929115 3 KTur Bus Station , Calle Antofagasta , ☏ +56 552924660 , +56 228958331 , +56 552438833 . To San Pedro: 07:30, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00. From San Pedro: 07:30, 10:45, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 20:45. To Toconao: 07:30, 17:00, 19:00. From Toconao: 07:00, 10:00, 20:00. 3,000 pesos from San Pedro . ( updated Apr 2018 )
• -22.459147 -68.926447 4 "Frontera del Norte" Station . To San Pedro: M–F 07:50, 09:40, 10:45, 13:15, 15:30 and 18:00 (similar on the weekends). From San Pedro: M–Sa 07:30, 10:00, 11:40, 13:30, 16:30 and 18:00 (similar on Sunday). ( updated Oct 2022 )

If you are heading to San Pedro, transferring in Calama is mostly cheaper and faster. But make sure that when arriving you get off in the center near the cheaper bus stations before your bus heads to Terminal de Buses . Otherwise you will have to walk back into town 1½ km to catch the more frequent San Pedro Buses.

Normally, overnight buses arrive from Iquique or Arica in the early morning hours, but the bus company will let you sleep on the bus for a few hours until morning so there is no need to book a hotel or hostel.

By plane [ edit ]

Calama is served by three airlines:

• JetSmart from Concepción , La Serena , Santiago
• LATAM from La Serena and Santiago
• Sky Airline from Concepción and Santiago

Get around [ edit ]

Calama is not large and most of the city centre can be covered on foot. Collectivos (shared taxis) run fixed routes and cost 700 pesos, while buses, named with letters of the alphabet, cost about 300 pesos.

By 4WD [ edit ]

Renting a truck here or in Antofagasta is a great idea if you are 3-5 people and want to explore the region on your own. This will save you a lot of money on expensive tours in San Pedro de Atacama , and rental cars are much cheaper here and even more so in Antofagasta. Due to the rough terrain, it is strongly recommended to get a 4WD or truck.

See [ edit ]

• -22.533672 -68.795692 4 Memorial for '73 Disappeared . In the desert on the way to San Pedro you can find this memorial. ( updated May 2018 )

Do [ edit ]

• There's a small amusement park for children off the main square in town.
• And you can go to the mall. There's a movie theater , but be warned, all the movies are in Spanish.

• Explore the region in a 4WD – Head to San Pedro de Atacama , and on the way go see Chiu-Chiu, Lasana, and the geysers de Tatio. For around 40,000 pesos per day, you can rent a truck. Chiu-Chiu is about 35 km northeast of Calama. There are interesting ruins, a lagoon, and some old churches. Lasana is a beautiful canyon winding through the desert. It is green and really different. Then, a several hour drive across the salt flats and through some very rugged roads brings you to the Geysers of Tatio . If you camp on the north side of the geysers, and come down in the morning, you can get in for free (otherwise around 16,000 pesos for a truck and four people). The geysers are at about 4,200 m, and you hit about 4,700 m coming in from the north. So, it is a good idea to get well acclimatised ahead. In May, it is very cold at night, up to -15 °C, be safe. A very cool experience.

Buy [ edit ]

• -22.45864 -68.92532 1 Feria Modelo . Great for shopping, food and cloths. ( updated May 2018 )

Eat [ edit ]

Drink [ edit ], sleep [ edit ].

• Hostal Nativo , Sotomayor 2215 ( at junction with Granaderos, close to the city centre and bus terminals ), ☏ +56 55 310377 , [email protected] . Check-out: noon . Clean rooms with hot shower available. Wi-fi is available in both the lobby and the rooms. 9,000/18,000 pesos for a single room with/without bathroom, 23,000 pesos for a double room with bathroom, 30,000 pesos for a triple room, 2,500 pesos for parking .  
• Hotel Aymara , Abapoa 2120 A . Nice hotel near the city centre. Big room, clean shower and toilet, TV, wifi. Price includes breakfast. 30,000 pesos .  

Go next [ edit ]

• San Pedro de Atacama – Just 2 hr away by bus.

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“If you’re looking for a heart to break/Then break mine,” Brothers Osborne sing on their new song “Break Mine,” which doubles as the title of their just-released four-song EP. The sibling duo of vocalist TJ Osborne and guitarist John Osborne dropped the project early Friday morning, as a complementary follow-up to their self-titled 2023 album .

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Still Closed as of Mid Feb - Mina de Chuquicamata

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• Mina de Chuquicamata

The tour starts at 1pm at the office of the mines in Calama. You should boom the tour in advance... read more

We went to the office today (29 December) to visit the mine on a tour (as described in the other... read more

Still Closed as of Mid Feb

Following last review we went to the Tour Booking Office (corner of Granaderos / Central Sur) today. It was shut but there was a lady unloading stuff who told us that the tours still are not happening, apparently as bits of the mine are closed due to something to do with the weather. Unfortunately she didn't have a timeline for reopening. I'd also tried emailing the email address and hadn't got a reply so we thought we'd just try our luck. If anyone else is looking to follow in footsteps I'd try emailing the adress [email protected] and if you dont get a reply I'd assume tours aren't happening. There's nothing else in Calama so no reason to go if mine tours aren't running.

We went to the office today (29 December) to visit the mine on a tour (as described in the other reviews). The office is there but they told us they will only start the tours again in January, we are a few days too early. It was not available all this time because of COVID-19.

To our disappointment, the mine visits no take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. The email [email protected] is no longer monitored.

We booked this in November 2019 and turned up having planned our schedule around visiting the mine, only to be told that the tour was not taking place due to ‘operational problems’. This also happened to us a year ago, so I expect it is a regular occurrence. Just don’t bank on the tour actually taking place. The official was apologetic but I don’t think really cared very much. Calama then has nothing else to offer, so we ended up in the Mall watching the film 1917 in Spanish!!!

The tour starts at 1pm at the office of the mines in Calama. You should boom the tour in advance (at least 1 week in high season). You are equipped and then a bus takes you to the mines and guides you in there. The guide is really great and brings some really interesting information about the place. Be ready to discover something totally unrealistic as everything is so huge! Note that lo is pants and lo g sleeves are mandatory to enter the mine. The mine you visit is an open mine, and therefore you won't get under the earth. The tour is free, at the end you will have the opportunity to make a donation to a children's association. This is totally free and you don't feel pressure to give money for the association, which I really enjoyed.

We wanted to visit the mine before taking the night bus. In the morning we wrote a mail to : [email protected] We got a reply straight away and we went to their offices in Calama for the 13.00 departure. From there we got onto the company bus and visited the site. The view of the open mine is very impressive. It doesn't cost anything but you are asked to donate to their charity. After the visit we crossed the road and ate at the little restaurant Perucho. Menu at 4000. Good day in Calama. You could do better and have lunch before the visit. There is only the 13.00 slot per day finishingat 16.30. Enjoy.