Page 126 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Volcano Tourism – Central and South American Examples 103

portion of northern Chile in the Atacama Desert. safer given their networks and resources, the tour
Precipitation in this desert is limited by the rain- groups leave in the early morning when it is still
shadow along the Andes Mountains, cold ocean dark, and arrive at El Tatio at sunrise when the
current upwelling, and atmospheric subsidence geysers are spectacular.
(Hartley and Chong, 2002). The high altitude and
climatic conditions make El Tatio one of the most Tourism climbing on active volcanoes:
extreme environ ments on Earth, and it is also one Villarica National Park (Chile)
of the world’s largest geyser fields. The valley is Situated on a lateral branch of the Andes mountain
home to approximately 80 geysers at present. The range, this park is characterized by its volcanoes,
salient feature of these geysers is that the average forests, caves, rivers and lagoons. Dominating the
height of their eruptions is very low (the tallest landscape, the Villarrica volcano is its major attraction
eruptions are about six metres). (Figure 7.5). At an altitude of 2847m above sea level,
Geothermal tourism provides local and with the reputation of being one of the most
employment and brings tourism money into this active volcanoes in South America, this volcano is
area of Chile. Geothermal tourism also promotes the centre of tourist activity in this area. The
public awareness and support for preserving such volcano also boasts a ski centre and volcanic caves
natural areas. In the geyser area of the Tatio steam worth exploring. Tourists can also climb up to the
spurts arise from more than 70 smokers, forming crater of the volcano to admire not only the boiling
about 60 pools of boiling water. Those have soft lava in the interior but also the view from above of
edges formed by mineral salts. The area is the surrounding lakes, lagoons and other nearby
unrestricted and people can walk anywhere they volcanoes. The park has an area of 63,000 hectares
like and visitors can even take a warm bath in (138,600 acres), with extensive forests of araucarias
thermal water pools. There are few safeguards at El and lenga in the higher parts, and raulí, long-leafed
Tatio, and there are no friendly park rangers to mañío and coigüe in the lower parts.
keep people from wading in the boiling pools Villarrica volcano is located in the recent
which apparently tourists do with alarming volcanic chain of the Southern Andes Volcanic
frequency. However, to walk around the geothermal Zone at 39°30´S. It forms a north-west–south-east
zone requires precaution and tourists are invited volcanic chain, with the Pleistocene-Holocene
to stay on the pedestrian signposted footpaths and Quetrupillán and Lanín stratovolcanoes oblique to
respect protection barriers. The associated boiling the recent volcanic arc and to the main structure
mud can cause serious burns, a reason why it is located in the region, the Liquiñe–Ofqui Fault
very dangerous to approach these steam spurts up Zone. Villarrica volcano is the most active volcano
close. People who desire to camp at El Tatio are of the southern Andes, with more than 54
asked to stay near the station, and there is a small recorded eruptions in the last 450 years (when the
kitchen for campers. The station is managed by first Spanish conquerors arrived in the area). It is a
locals from nearby villages. large stratovolcano, located in a lake district that
The nearest medical facilities to El Taito are has evolved in three stages, from Pleistocene to
located ~150km away in Calama. To adjust to recent times. During its postglacial eruptive history
working at high elevation, main tour operators (the last 14,000 years) it has produced a series of
stay either in Chiu Chiu (about 1.5 hours drive explosive eruptions with the emission of large-
from El Tatio, at 3000m elevation), or at San Pedro and small-volume pyroclastic flows and surges, as
de Atacama (about two hours drive from El Tatio, well as lava flows and lahars. The volcano’s most
but at a lower elevation). This makes accident recent historic eruptions, in 1948, 1963, 1964,
management extremely difficult in the more 1971 and 1984, have produced basaltic andesite
active areas of the park and is something that lava flows and tephra fallout, as well as a series of
visitors should take into account. In practice, lahars, which have travelled down the main river
however, tourists can drive up on their own, or valleys of the volcano. Some of the latter have
they can join one of the many eco-adventure caused serious damage to villages, roads and
groups out of San Pedro de Atacama. Marginally bridges, and killed about 100 people. Villarrica has

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