Machuca

Information

This is a very small village in the Andean area of Chile, situated at about 4000 metres above sea level. It is a group of houses with a church and a few stalls selling handicrafts and food.

About 250 metres from the village there is a wetland full of birds. It is a highly recommended place for those who wish to see local species. You can see the Puna teal (Spatula puna), the grey-breasted seedsnipe (Thinocorus orbignyianus), Andean goose (Chloephaga melanoptera) and the Andean coot (Fulica ardesiaca).

Machuca can be reached from San Pedro de Atacama by a 45 km dirt road (Route B-245) going north. It is a passing place on the way to the geysers of El Tatio.