Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar

Trip Start Nov 21, 2007
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Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Layton and I took a night bus from Calamaa and arrived at Chaņaral at 6 am. We both slept so hard that we were a bit drowsy when they woke us up. We grabbed our stuff and we walked off the bus to what we thought was just randomly on the side of the road (later we found out that it was across the road from the Tur Bus station, but we were out of it.) We saw another bus station open and we walked there to have some light and hung out until 7 am or so. Layton tried to go get us some more cash and on his way he ran into a tour van going to Parque Nacional Pan De Azucar. (the main reason we came to Chaņaral)

So we were off for a day of scenery with this guide and an older couple from Holland. The main reason we wanted to go here was becuase of having cactus and desert right next to the coast line. Pretty unusual. They had many different kinds of cactus and mountains, not to mention the rocky coast line too Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar
Parque Nacional Pan de Azucar
 . All in all it was pretty incredible...just a long day in a small toyota truck.

It was about a 30 km drive to the Park. There were some great beaches with big rocks along the drive. At the entrance, we had a 40 minute talk on the 22 different species of cactus. The Holland couple was VERY into this part...we could have been satisfied with 20 mins but that is part of it...right?

Then, there was a small fishing village where you could get a boat ride out to Isla Pan de Azucar. The island has pinquins, sea lions and other birds. Our friends for the day were very into birds too. You should have seen their binoculars! We did not get on a boat but went to the first of two look outs since the clouds were burning off from the morning fog.

El Mirador was a nice look out. We saw a little fox running around, and it was nice because we literally saw maybe 10 cars in the park all day long!! After El Mirador we drove about 30 minutes up into the park to Las Lomitas, which was quite a ways further up and have overlooks to tiny little shacks where fisherman and other people make a living by gathering seaweed that is exported over to Japan Cactus and Ocean, strange combo
Cactus and Ocean, strange combo
 !

After Las Lomitas we drove a ways inland and had a nice hike through the rocky hills, the landscape was very interesting, some lava rocks, and then the rocks would abruptly change to a totally different color. On the way back we climbed on the rocks themselves, it was a bit slippery and quite windy but pretty fun!

It is funny to see how languages go too...here is the break down:
Layton = Spanish, English
Holland wife = Spanish, Dutch
Holland husband = Dutch, English and some Spanish
Jana = English (smile)
Guide = Spanish
It was a funny day of conversations.

We came back to Chanaral for a late lunch, had some great fried fish and bread with some great Tomato (a bit spicy) salsa, one of the best things we've had in Chile so far.
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