Cuevas de Anzota

The cliffs south of Arica are undercut by the Pacific into a series of caves and arches, with sea lions on the rocks and Humboldt penguins and cormorants using the ledges. For decades the site was a municipal dump - the caves were filled with rubbish and the shore was foul - and it was cleaned and opened as a walking route in 2016, with a boardwalk along the cliff base and interpretation. Guano was extracted from these cliffs commercially in the nineteenth century, and the Chinchorro people used the coast here far earlier; shell middens and traces are recorded along it.

Highlights

• Caves and arches undercut by the sea - along a few kilometres of cliff.
• A dump cleaned up in 2016 - and turned into a walking route.
• Sea lions, penguins and cormorants - on the rocks and ledges.
• Guano workings and Chinchorro traces - the older uses of the coast.

When to go

Year round; the coast here is mild and dry in every season. Half a day.

Before you go

The walkway is exposed with no shade and it gets hot. Swell can close sections. The port and its industry are visible to the north. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Arica is north; the Morro stands above the city.

Key facts