Parque Nacional Nevado Tres Cruces lies about 145 kilometres east of Copiapó, high in the Andes at altitudes between 3,700 and 6,893 metres. It protects a stunning high-altitude landscape of salt flats, volcanic peaks, and shallow lakes that attract flamingos, Andean condors, and vicuñas. The three salt lakes — Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna del Negro Francisco, and Laguna Verde — each have their own character; Laguna Verde is famous for its intense colour, caused by algae and mineral salts.
The roads into the park are unpaved and require a 4WD vehicle, especially beyond the first laguna. The altitude makes acclimatisation essential — most visitors stay in Copiapó or at least at intermediate altitudes before pushing into the park. The reward is one of the most otherworldly landscapes in Chile, with almost no other tourists and the permanent sense that you are at the edge of what the world can sustain.