Day 9, Geyser del Tatio, Atacama Desert, Chile, February 20, 2018
Our guides, Daniel and Mariano, picked us up at 6:30 am. We drove 90 minutes in the dark to Geyser del Tatio.
This area of the Atacama Desert is over 14,400 feet above sea level and has intense geothermal activity. We arrived before dawn and the temperature was 23 degrees F.
So you might wonder why we had to arrive in the pre-dawn darkness to see these geysers. It's because the water of the geysers boils from 181 degrees F
and condenses almost immediately when it comes in contact with cold air. As dawn is the coldest time of the day, the plumes of steam from the geysers are the greatest.
Geyser activity occurs when water is contained in deposits within the volcanic rock and covered by impermeable rock layers. Jets of water emerge through the faults in the rock which allow it to reach the surface when it is heated by the magma of the volcanoes. Since the heat causes the pressure in the rock deposit to increase, the water is vaporized and a geyser shoots up steam and boiling water.
10 meters is nearly 33 feet.
Some of the geysers are separated from the visitor by simple stones; but others, the larger ones are sheltered behind a stone wall about knee high. As sad as it is to think about, two visitors were recently killed when they fell into a geyser. This has caused one of the largest geysers in the geothermal field to earn the dubious name of "killer geyser" and its fumarole is the most impressive of all around.
There was still frost on the walkway from the parking lot over the first geyser!
Daniel had breakfast prepared for us in fine Chilian style, toast, mashed avocado, cheese, orange juice, coffee or tea.
"Follow me and watch your step" is something Mariano didn't have to mention twice.
We hiked past some mighty impressive thermal pools.
and then we saw them...wild vicunas! Six of them! It was such a thrill to follow them as they walked along.
These miniature cinnamon-hued cousins of the llama are doe-like creatures which only inhabit the chilly Andean plateaus, such as the Atacama Altiplano.Vicuna produce fleece so fine that it was considered cloth of gold. In Peru, only Inca royalty was permitted to wear it.
In today's market, as reported a few years ago by the Wall Street Journal, "Kiton, an Italian tailor and vicuna specialist, makes only about 100 pieces from Vicuna wool every year, and an off-the-peg sports coat costs upwards of $21,000 US dollars, while a made to measure suit starts at $40,000!"
We followed the vicuna's trail which led us higher up. Animal trails, we have found, are the best trails to follow for they are the most direct and least resistant.
More vicunas across the stream bed.
Here's one little geyser you wouldn't want to step on or into! It made quite the ominous gurgling sound.
until at last, we were nearing the end of our day's high altitude hike.
From the top looking back one way
and then looking the other way
Daniel was waiting for us and drove us down to the freshwater lagoon where vicunas and wild birds co-exist. It was a serene and surreal experience.
This area of the Atacama Desert is over 14,400 feet above sea level and has intense geothermal activity. We arrived before dawn and the temperature was 23 degrees F.
So you might wonder why we had to arrive in the pre-dawn darkness to see these geysers. It's because the water of the geysers boils from 181 degrees F
and condenses almost immediately when it comes in contact with cold air. As dawn is the coldest time of the day, the plumes of steam from the geysers are the greatest.
Geyser activity occurs when water is contained in deposits within the volcanic rock and covered by impermeable rock layers. Jets of water emerge through the faults in the rock which allow it to reach the surface when it is heated by the magma of the volcanoes. Since the heat causes the pressure in the rock deposit to increase, the water is vaporized and a geyser shoots up steam and boiling water.
10 meters is nearly 33 feet.
Some of the geysers are separated from the visitor by simple stones; but others, the larger ones are sheltered behind a stone wall about knee high. As sad as it is to think about, two visitors were recently killed when they fell into a geyser. This has caused one of the largest geysers in the geothermal field to earn the dubious name of "killer geyser" and its fumarole is the most impressive of all around.
We walked between the columns and curtains of steam carefully following Mariano's guiding footsteps.
As dawn was breaking, the light on the mountain tops became brighter.
Then, here comes the sun at 14,400+ feet!
Mariano's, along with my and Jeff's shadows appeared in elongated forms.
After the sunlight appeared, so did the charter buses and vans loaded with tourists! Many decided to soak in the one non-lethally heated thermal pool. But you should have seen them getting out in the 23 degree air!
There was still frost on the walkway from the parking lot over the first geyser!
As the morning progressed, the plumes of steam from the geysers became substantially smaller.
After breakfast, we left the congested parking lot and went off to higher ground for our hike thru another thermal field.
"Follow me and watch your step" is something Mariano didn't have to mention twice.
We followed the river thru the thermal field
and then we saw them...wild vicunas! Six of them! It was such a thrill to follow them as they walked along.
These miniature cinnamon-hued cousins of the llama are doe-like creatures which only inhabit the chilly Andean plateaus, such as the Atacama Altiplano.Vicuna produce fleece so fine that it was considered cloth of gold. In Peru, only Inca royalty was permitted to wear it.
In today's market, as reported a few years ago by the Wall Street Journal, "Kiton, an Italian tailor and vicuna specialist, makes only about 100 pieces from Vicuna wool every year, and an off-the-peg sports coat costs upwards of $21,000 US dollars, while a made to measure suit starts at $40,000!"
We followed the vicuna's trail which led us higher up. Animal trails, we have found, are the best trails to follow for they are the most direct and least resistant.
Here's one little geyser you wouldn't want to step on or into! It made quite the ominous gurgling sound.
We hiked onward over the rocks
There were several stream crossings
until we came to an ancient dwelling/shelter where there are still to this day painted pottery shards that can be found on the ground!
We crossed one last thermal field and then it was
onward and upward over another stream crossing.
until at last, we were nearing the end of our day's high altitude hike.
Daniel was waiting for us and drove us down to the freshwater lagoon where vicunas and wild birds co-exist. It was a serene and surreal experience.
We rode back to town, passing the indigenous village of Machuca. It was a beautiful ride back for we were able to see the striking scenery of the Atacama altiplano that had been cloaked in darkness when we left home so many hours before.
