From the coastal cities in the north of Chile, the ancient
trading routes of the Incas lead into the remoteness of the
Andes and into the vastness of the Altiplano with its mountain
villages, lakes and salt flats plus snow-covered volcanoes. We
commence our journey in Arica, the northernmost and fifth oldest
city in Chile. In the sixteenth century, silver treasures from
Potosi was transported by mule caravan and loaded onto Spanish
ships. The Valle De Azapa is a valley of the Rio San José that
is a fertile oasis. The green valley and its many olive trees
has a long history. The earliest people to live here grew crops
and today the plantations contain olive trees, bananas, mangos,
passion fruit and dates. Putre, the only large settlement on the
old Inca route, lies at an altitude of three thousand five
hundred metres above sea level. It lies sheltered on a mountain
ridge at the foot of the snow-covered peaks of the Andes. The
plaza is the centre of the town’s administration and also
contains the Iglesia De Put