Fishing in Lauca National Park

Lauca National Park sits on Chile's altiplano in the far north, roughly 145 kilometres east of Arica, at elevations that range from around 3,200 metres up into the volcanic peaks.

The water here is high-altitude and still for the most part — lakes and lagoons fed by Andean snowmelt, with rivers threading through the puna. The park is governed by Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF).

The two waters that anchor the park's lacustrine zone are Lago Chungará and the Laguna de Cotacotani. Lago Chungará sits at 4,517 metres above sea level at the foot of the Payachata volcanic group.

It is among the highest lakes in the world by any measure, and the altitude is not incidental — it shapes everything about how you fish here, from how your body performs to how the water behaves across seasons.

Laguna de Cotacotani lies nearby and is part of the same lacustrine complex. The Río Lauca has its headwaters within the park, and the Río Lluta borders the park to the west.

These rivers, along with the quebradas that feed the main water bodies, complete the park's hydrography.

One significant note for anyone planning a trip: the Chungará sector of the park was subject to an indefinite closure following a major oil spill that affected fish, amphibians, and other aquatic life.

Before making the drive up from Putre or Arica, confirm current access and conditions directly with CONAF, as the situation may have changed.

Sport fishing in Chile requires a license issued by Sernapesca — personal, non-transferable, and required to be on your person while fishing.

Check with CONAF and Sernapesca for any park-specific conditions that apply to these waters before you go; rules in protected areas can differ from general continental water regulations. The park is open year-round.

The driest, most stable window runs roughly March through November, with the December–February period bringing the possibility of Bolivian Winter rains and increased humidity from the Amazon basin. Nights at this elevation are cold in any month.

Fishing here is secondary to what most visitors come for. But the water is real, the altitude is serious, and anyone who does wet a line in Lago Chungará is doing so in one of the more unusual fishing environments on the continent.