Chungará Lake, High mountain lake in Arica y Parinacota Region, Chile.
Chungará Lake sits within Lauca National Park at 4,517 meters elevation, a substantial body of water surrounded by snow-capped volcanic peaks. The lake reaches depths of 33 meters and occupies a significant portion of the protected park's landscape.
The lake formed between 8,000 and 17,000 years ago when debris from the Parinacota volcano's collapse dammed the Lauca River. This geological event shaped the landscape that visitors see today in this mountain region.
The lake's name comes from the Aymara language, where Chunkha means bearded, reflecting indigenous roots in this high mountain region. Local communities have long recognized this water source as central to their way of life in the altiplano.
Fill your fuel tank in Arica before heading out, as no gas stations exist along the route to the lake. Take time to acclimatize to the high altitude and bring warm layers, as weather conditions change rapidly at this elevation.
The lake serves as a rare refuge for Chilean flamingos and harbors wild guanacos, vicuñas, and pumas at this extreme altitude. These animals surprise visitors who expect such high mountain elevations to be completely barren.
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