Azapa Valley

The Azapa valley runs inland from Arica, watered by the San Jose river in a desert where nothing else grows, and it has been farmed continuously for thousands of years - now producing olives, mangoes and the small Azapa olive that is a national product. Halfway up it is the San Miguel de Azapa museum, run by the University of Tarapaca, which holds the principal collection of Chinchorro mummies along with textiles, tools and the material of the coastal and valley cultures. The valley also carries geoglyphs on the hillsides, figures of llamas and humans laid out in stone by caravan people, visible from the road.

Background

The valley is a narrow, fertile oasis 3 kilometres from Arica, framed by two arid hills and split by the San José River, which flows in summer. Its climate allows fruit and vegetables to be grown all year, and it is known for Azapa olives, violet and bitter, which also give a rich oil. Many ruins of the Chiribaya culture, from 900 to 1400 CE, lie in the valley, and between 1000 and 1400 one settlement grew to as many as 500 houses.

Source: Wikipedia, "Azapa Valley"

What to look for

• A green valley in absolute desert - watered by the San Jose river.
• The San Miguel de Azapa museum - the main Chinchorro collection.
• Azapa olives and mangoes - what the valley grows now.
• Hillside geoglyphs - llamas and figures laid out in stone.

When to go

Year round. Half a day.

What to expect

The mummies are human remains and the museum handles them with restrictions, including on photography. The museum has been through closures for building work. The valley road is agricultural and unremarkable between the sites.

Nearby

Arica is at the mouth of the valley; the Lluta valley and its geoglyphs are north.

Key facts