The big dunes, the white lava fields, and the stone carvings

We did head out for a 4×4 tour with our friend Walter to the Great Dune, the Campo de Piedra Pomez, and to see some ancient stone carvings. Driving out of Antofagasta you get a great view down the Alta Plana toward the white lava rocks from the white volcano.

The largest dune here has a trail up the lava field nearby. From the top the view is amazing of the other volcanoes and the white lava fields. The TMK had never been on a dune of this size before so were keen to run/ski down. Sara could barely walk up she was so sick with her cold.

In this area there are more than 200 volcanoes some are giant and some are very small. The Blanco or white Volcano erupted to form the Campo de Piedra Pomez or pumice stone field. This is a 16 mile area was formed by the eruption and sculpted by the wind and it looks like a sea filled with white icebergs or with white waves with pick crests. Thanks Ellen for the pictures, until I can get mine recovered.

The stone carvings here are from the same era 1000 ACE to 9000 BCE as the artifacts in the museum of Belen. Walter took us around to several sites that you would never find on your own as they are out in the middle of nowhere.