Cheap Car Rental Calama

Visit a great city in Chile, Calama

The city of Calama belongs to the de Antofagasta region in the northern part of Chile. In the middle of the Atacama Desert, Calama is the driest spot on earth. The annual rainfall is 0 inches. This also means that the areas surrounding Calama don’t have any vegetation at all.   Be an independent traveler thanks to your rental car.

The city used to be called Chiu-Chiu and was a part of Bolivia. Today it is known for its copper mine Chuquicamata. Surely a tour of the gigantic copper mine will be impressive, but other than that Calama is not your typical tourist destination. The city is situated at an altitude of 7382 feet and the center is neatly arranged. Life is mainly played out between the train station in the eastern part of the city and the Avenida Santa Maria in the west. Both sides are connected by the main streets Ramirez and Sotomayor. In between you’ll find the tranquil Plaza 23 de Marzo, where you’ll be able to enjoy a shady spot on one of the benches. Get your rental car to experience memorable vacation in Calama.

Be your own tour guide in Calama and explore the sourrounding regions

Next to the plaza you will find the Iglesia San Juan Bautista. It is worth taking the rental car for a trip and driving 1.2 miles to the south until you reach the Parque El Loa.  This is home to small replicas of the church of the city Chiu Chiu, which clearly illustrates the religious architecture of the desert villages. Here you will also find the Museo Arqueologico y Etnografico, where a collection on pre-Columbian desert cultures is displayed.

Don’t miss out on trips to the areas surrounding Calama, such as, for example, to the copper city of Chuquicamata. To get there you drive 10 miles on a straight expressway until you reach Avenida Jose Miguel Carrera. Here you will find the PR office, where you will need to show up in person in order to go on a tour of the largest copper mine in the world.  Some things have to be kept in mind here: For the tour you should wear closed shoes, arms and legs have to be covered, video cameras are not allowed and children under twelve are not allowed to go on the tour for safety reasons. With buses you will then drive for two hours into the mining area, where around 8,000 people work. 
Drive with your car rental and discover the landscape.

Chiu Chiu

The oasis Chiu Chiu located to the east is another destination that you can reach from Calama. The 21 mile distance is most easily, quickly and independently covered with the rental car. In Chiu Chiu you now have the opportunity to marvel at the original most beautiful colonial church of the region, which is duplicated in Parque EL Loa. The church was built in 1672 and has lime brick walls that are a few feet thick. The inside of the church was partially lined with cactus wood. With your car rental, enjoy your freedom.

With the rental car you quickly come to the restored fortress of Pukara von Lasana, which was built 5 miles to the north of Chiu Chiu by the Indios.  If you are interested in further exploring the area around Calama then it is worth driving to the village of Caspana that is 29 miles away and which is a fertile valley in the desert landscape. Those interested in culture can go to the local museum of the area where you can listen to the historical background of the city or you can enjoy the colonial church of San Lucas.
Book your car rental and discover the area.

Further to the north and northeast of Caspana you will find lonely desert towns, like Ayquina or Toconoce, which have a lot of historical monuments to offer.
It is recommended to take trips and drive with the rental car to nearby Bolivia and to the southern Salar de Atacama.

Enjoy your stay in Calama and the surrounding area!


Be enchanted by the view while driving your rental car.