Flamingos National Reserve – Chaxa Lagoon
About Flamingos National Reserve
Flamingos National Reserve (locally known as Los Flamencos National Reserve), is located within the Atacama Desert in the Antofagasta Region of Chile. The reserve covers 290 square miles and includes seven different sections. During my visit, I visited many of the sections without even realizing they were part of the actual reserve. For example, I did not realize that sub-regions of the Valle de la Luna and Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques were part of the Flamingos National Reserve.
Those parts of my visit are covered on their own pages as I found their topography to be unique.
This section only covers my visit to Salar de Atacama, which is the largest Salt Flat in the Atacama Desert and home to the Chaxa Lagoon. To see the other regions of Flamingos National Reserve, you can go down to the related content section by clicking HERE.
Flamingos National Reserve Table of Contents
Disclaimer: At Buzzin’ Around the World, we do our best to offer the most factual information that was available to us at the time of posting based on our research. If you believe something on our site is incorrect or misleading, please email us.
We follow all local, national, and international laws and ordinances based on our best interpretation at the time of posting. If you are a representative of an organization that believes one of your ordinances has been violated, please know it was not intentional. To have content removed, please email us.
Finally, under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
We use affiliate links to help pay for fees associated with our website. When you book a service (i.e. flight, hotel, tour) or purchase a product through any of our links, we may/will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Buzzinaroundtheworld.com may be compensated for reviews posted on this website. We always review each product truthfully.
Buzzin’ Around the World uses our individual travel experiences to write our content. All photos and content are original. Buzzin’ Around the World sometimes uses AI to generate titles, summaries, or descriptions of our original work.
For more information, please click HERE to visit our private policy page. We can be reached at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.
Flamingos National Reserve - Visiting the Chaxa Lagoon
During my visit to the Atacama Desert, I went on two-day tours. The first part of my second-day tour took me to visit the Flamingos of the Chaxa Lagoon. The Chaxa Lagoon is part of the Salar de Atacama Salt Flat and has brackish water where flamingos can feed on brine shrimp.
When our tour arrived, I followed a path through a field of salt deposits to see the flamingos up close. The temperature was only a few degrees above freezing, and the flamingos were mainly in a tight pack, referred to as a “flamboyance.”
As spectacular as it was to see the flamingos, the surrounding area was just as breathtaking. The sun was rising against the salt flats, making them glimmer as the sun hit them at the right angle.
All around, it looked like there was ice on the salt flats. It was actually salt, and yes, I did taste it to make sure that it was indeed salt. Our guide explained that there is lithium under the salt flat and that the Chilean government is considering closing the park so they can harvest the lithium. He wasn’t sure if this would take place but said it was a good marketing technique to let people know that the park might not always be open.
It took over an hour of driving each way to get to the Chaxa Lagoon, and after spending about an hour exploring, we departed for the long drive to the Piedras Rojas and the Lagunas Micanti and Miñiques. You can read about that tour by clicking HERE.
Tours that Include the Chaxa Lagoon
Below are four tours that include Flamencos National Reserve. All of them include a stop at the Chaxa Lagoon. For visiting the Atacama, I recommend taking a tour. It is possible to rent a car and explore on your own, but roads can be difficult to navigate, and there is little to no cell phone service outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
I am an affiliate partner of Viator. If you book a tour using one of the links below, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider booking using one of my links.
Prices are accurate as of May 2023.
 Small-Group Tour to Altiplanic lagoons, Atacama saltflat & Flamingo reserve - $79.00 San Pedro de Atacama, a laid back oasis town on the edge of the direst desert on the earth. Little adobe houses, cozy restaurant are the base to explore one of the Chile's most spectacular sceneries. |
 Piedras Rojas Trekking in Atacama - $239.70 This walk is designed to enjoy the incredible landscapes offered by the Salar de Atacama basin and its high plateau. We can spend a nice day making gentle walks between salt flats and highland lagoons, passing through unique scenarios that the desert will give us. During the day we will share lunch and later a cocktail while enjoying the beautiful sunset. |
 3-Day Classic Atacama - Moon Valley & Geysers del Tatio - $396.74 Venture into the Atacama Desert, one of the most hostile places in the world on a 3-day tour and skip the hassle of dealing with logistics as we take care of your Calama airport round-trip transportation. Get to know San Pedro de Atacama and explore some of Chile’s most spectacular sceneries: |
Buzzin' Around the World's Affiliate Partners
Affiliate Partner of the Month - Viator
Viator is my favorite website for booking tours and packages. With over 300,000 unique tours to choose from, everyone should be able to find something on Viator that interests them. I like Viator because anytime I have an issue with a tour company, Viator has intervened and helped on my behalf. I highly recommend using Viator for booking your tours and vacation packages.
Book Through the Link Below to Help Buzzin' Around the World Earn Commission
Earn $200 in Travel Rewards with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card is one of the few rewards cards that does not charge an annual fee. Cardholders can earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent while enjoying 0% APR for 15 months.
Currently, Capital One is offering a signup bonus of 20,000 points (worth $200 in travel rewards) when the cardholder spends $500 in the first three months. If you are interested in this card, I would appreciate it if you would sign up with the link below, as I earn a referral bonus of 10,000 points. Those points are worth $100 in travel rewards and will help me continue to bring great content to Buzzin’ Around the World.
Once again, the Capital One VentureOne card is one of the few reward cards without an annual fee and is the perfect card for someone who is just starting to get into the travel points game.