Ollague

Ollague sits at about 3,700 metres on the Bolivian border, a village of a few hundred people that exists because of the railway - the line from Antofagasta to Bolivia runs through here, and it was a locomotive and customs stop. Beside the tracks stands what the place is best known for: a line of abandoned steam locomotives, engines that worked the high-altitude route and were left where they stopped, rusting in air too dry to rot them quickly. Above the village is Ollague volcano, one of the few in Chile with visible persistent fumarole activity from its flank. Vicuña and flamingo lagoons lie in the surrounding altiplano.

The main sights

• A railway border village at 3,700 metres - on the Antofagasta to Bolivia line.
• Abandoned steam locomotives - left beside the tracks and rusting slowly.
• Ollague volcano above - with persistent fumarole activity.
• Altiplano lagoons around - with flamingos and vicuña.

When to go

April to November; the summer rains close the roads. A full day.

Practical notes

This is remote high altitude with almost no services, fuel or signal. The drive from Calama is long on rough surface. Nights are far below freezing. The locomotives are decaying and are not a maintained museum.

Nearby

The Bolivian border crossing is here; Calama is south-west.