Laguna Chaxa

Laguna Chaxa is the accessible piece of the Soncor system on the Salar de Atacama, a shallow brine lagoon on a crust of jagged salt where Andean, Chilean and James's flamingos feed at the same time - three of the six flamingo species in the world, in one place, which is unusual anywhere. They filter brine shrimp from water that would kill most birds, and their numbers rise and fall through the year with breeding on other parts of the salar. A marked path runs across the crust to viewpoints, kept back from the water; the reserve is administered by CONAF with the Atacameño community of Toconao.

What you actually see

• Three flamingo species together - Andean, Chilean and James's.
• Feeding on brine shrimp - in water most birds could not use.
• A path over jagged salt crust - kept back from the lagoon edge.
• Co-managed with Toconao - the local Atacameño community.

When to go

Year round; late afternoon for light and activity. Two to three hours.

Honest expectations

Numbers vary widely by season and can be low. The viewpoints are set back, so binoculars or a long lens matter. There is no shade. Approaching the birds is prohibited and disturbs feeding.

Nearby

Toconao is north; Piedras Rojas and the high lagoons are east.