Cuevas de Anzota | Arica’s Stunning Sea Caves in the Desert
Arica is a city that lies on the border in northern Chile. While most travelers simply transfer buses to or from Peru, there is a beautiful cave system hidden along the nearby arid coastline. These sea caves, known as the Cuevas de Anzota, are worth at least a quick pitstop. They can be reached by bike, via taxi, or by a guided tour.
Once you’ve reached the Cuevas de Anzota, grab a hardhat before strolling through a few of the lovely caves. Explore the caves system and maybe even wander on the sandy beachside trail. It’s easy to view the sea caves in just a few hours. So, if passing through Arica, don’t miss this otherworldly landscape of the Cuevas de Anzota.
Here’s all you need to know when planning a trip to the Cuevas de Anzota.
Table of Contents
- How to Reach the Cuevas de Anzota
- Visiting the Spectacular Cuevas de Anzota
- Arica | Where to Next?
- Don’t Miss the Cuevas de Anzota
How to Reach the Cuevas de Anzota
Although the caves are less than 7 miles from downtown Arica, it can still be a little bit of a challenge to reach them. There is no public transportation, so it can take a little planning to reach them.
Get to the caves via bike, taxi (or car for over-landers), or through an organized tour. All have their pros and cons, so decide what works best for you.
Bike to the Cuevas de Anzota
Moment of truth, I biked to the Cuevas de Anzota and don’t know if I would recommend this means of transport.
The bike ride to the Cuevas de Anzota is not as epic as you may think. The bike trail follows along the coastline, which in theory, you would think is awesome, right? However, there is no separate bike path, so you must feel comfortable sharing the road with cars zooming past. The road is bumpy and not in the best shape, so you will have to be extra mindful of the terrain.
One of the worst things about the road is that it passes by a giant fish packaging plant. This is not only a large industrial eyesore, but the smell is quite atrocious. The road is long, hot, and will take around just over an hour, and that’s if you don’t stop along the way. Remember, there’s not really any shade coverage for those biking to the caves.
On the other hand, if biking to the Cuevas de Anzota, you can independently explore the caves on your own time. That means you can avoid the large crowds, wander inside as many of the caves as you wish, and even take the sandy path that leads to the beaches. If you want to brave the intense sun, take a dip in the chilly ocean, but remember, there is no shade at these desert beaches.
Although taking a bike is the cheapest mode of transportation and allows for the most flexibility, it might be better to take a taxi.
Bike Rental Information
There are a few places to rent bikes in the downtown area of Arica. If planning to visit the Cuevas de Anzota on a Sunday, almost all the bike rental shops will be closed.
There are some tour groups and hostels in downtown Arica that rent bikes. It’s kind of hit or miss, but a bike rental for 4 hours should cost around $5,000 CLP ($6.75 USD).
Remember, it takes at least an hour to bike to the Cuevas de Anzota from downtown Arica
Another bike rental option is found near the popular Chinchorro Beach. The shop is Base Camp Arica, but it’s farther away from the caves and downtown, and also a little more expensive.
Base Camp Arica (Bike Rentals) | Cost: $12,000 for full day ($16.25) | Hours: Daily 9:30 – 19:00, open on Sunday | Find them here: Avenida Ing. Raúl Pey Casado 2125
Take a Taxi to the Cuevas de Anzota
Another popular option is to take a taxi to the Cuevas de Anzota. It’s important to note that at the Cuevas de Anzota there is no cellphone service, so all taxis should be prearranged.
The taxis waiting at the caves to return to Arica charge at least double the price.
The cost of a taxi to the Cuevas de Anzota should run from $7,000 – $10,000 CLP ($9.50-$13.50 USD). Negotiate with the taxi driver to wait while you explore the caves and return you to Arica. If taking a taxi, you should easily be able to visit the site in an hour or so.
The people at the entrance stand might be able to call a taxi for you when you’re ready to depart, but remember, the taxis that are waiting at the entrance will charge double or triple fare for a return ride to Arica. With no cellphone service, Uber rides are not possible.
Here are some taxi numbers in Arica. Remember, the country code is +56 and almost all dispatchers only speak Spanish.
- +58 222 2222
- +58 225 6000
- +58 223 3333
A taxi takes around 15 minutes to reach the cave entrance from Arica
Tour Groups to Cuevas de Anzota
Many tours include a stop at the popular Cuevas de Anzota. There are no English speaking tours at this time. For logistic purposes, it still may be more convenient and just as cheap to take a tour.
Try Orange Tours, which offers a 4 hour tour that includes the Cuevas de Anzota, highlights of Arica, beach stops, and bird watching for $10,000 CLP ($13.50 USD).
Visiting the Spectacular Cuevas de Anzota
Ahhhh! You made it to the lovely Cuevas de Anzota. Enter the park and head to the small register booth. Here, show your ID and grab a hardhat! If you biked here, there are plenty of racks to lock up your bike.
You’ll need to sign a risk waiver before entering the actual park entrance. These caves are right next to the coast, and you’ll see that wind and waves are causing erosion, so the protection is cautionary for the every changing landscape caused by falling rocks.
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The Cuevas de Anzota are completely free, which is an added bonus. There are some interpretive signs along the walking route, but they are all in Spanish. There are photos on the signs, which help interpret them for non-Spanish speakers.
Two hours is plenty of time to appreciate the site and stroll on the boardwalk trail and venture out a bit on the sandy beachside paths.
Cuevas de Anzota Logistics | FREE | sign the waiver & grab a hardhat | Hours: Daily 9:00 – 19:30 | Download the risk waiver here
The Boardwalk Trail
Follow along on the concrete boardwalk trail. This trail section is fantastic and is less than a mile and a half long. Wind through the caves via the well marked path and hear the crashing waves smash into the jagged cliff rocks. These caves were important to the first people that inhabited this desert region.
Along the pathway are some excellent visualizations of the importance of fishing and the extraction of guano. Notice all that white stuff, yep that is guano, or poop from birds and cave bats. Yes, the trail doesn’t always smell the greatest, but it’s played a vital role in the ecosystem and to the Chinchorro Culture, who may have inhabited this region almost 9,000 years ago.
Keep your eyes peeled for lizards and of course many variety of birds. Wander inside the caves where you may see, or at least smell, the traces of bats. Appreciate those views from the sea caves that have taken millions of years to transform.
At the end of the boardwalk trail, there’s the option to continue along a sandy trail.
The Sandy Trail
Follow along the sandy trail, which is a little less traveled. Obviously, no tours continue on this route. The sandy path cuts through the desert dunes. There’s no sun protection once you leave the last cave. This path offers some great panoramic views of the contrasting sand dunes, rocky cliffs, and the deep blue ocean. Look out into the distance, there might be sea lions sunbathing out on the rocks. Listen closely, you may even be able to hear them squawking away at each other.
There are some nice rocky beaches along the trail. To make the most of a beach time dip, bring your own shade coverage, as there’s no escaping that sizzling desert sun. The ocean currents can be strong and the beaches are close to rocky shorelines. Water-shoes can come in handy here.
When ready, return back to the caves and the boardwalk trail.
Arica | Where to Next?
As stated earlier, Arica is a large and busy border-city. Most people visit the Cuevas de Anzota or relax for a day on the beaches. The beaches are crowded, and in my opinion, aren’t as nice as the beaches farther south.
Since Arica is a border town, there is a whole bunch of opportunities to explore. Which direction will you go?
Heading South?
Welcome to Chile! Move south to the laid-back beach city of Iquique. Oftentimes referred to as the “Miami of Chile,” the city itself has lots of different types of beaches, a bustling fish market, and is the gateway to some nice day trips, like the eerie and worthwhile abandoned ghost town of Humberstone.
➜ Book a place to stay on the beach in Iquique
Iquique makes a great place to relax before heading to the worthwhile and diverse Oasis desert city of San Pedro de Atacama. This small city is the gateway to all things adventure in the Atacama Desert and the Antiplano Chile. Explore the “out of this world” Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley), wander through a Pre-Inca hilltop fortress, or bike through the incredible Catarpe Valley.
➜ Find the perfect place to sleep in San Pedro de Atacama
Heading North?
Welcome to Peru! It’s easy to take a public bus directly into Tacna. Don’t forget about the 2 hour time change!
Covid Travel Update | As of March 16, 2020 all land borders between Peru and Chile have been closed. Flights are the only way to enter or exit the country. There is no official open date between the land borders, but possibly April 2021.
You may want to visit Lake Titicaca before continuing onto Cusco. The Imperial City is incredible and is the gateway to Machu Picchu and the unmissable Sacred Valley.
Know Before You Go | The Ultimate Guide to the Sacred Valley in Peru
The trip to Cusco can be long, so maybe head to Arequipa, the “white city.” This underrated city has tons of awesome things to do, but also has a truly unique food scene with its own regional cuisine. Arequipa is also the gateway to the popular Colca Canyon.
Don’t Miss the Cuevas de Anzota
In short, if passing through Arica, don’t miss the stunning Cuevas de Anzota. These seaside caves can be visited by a taxi, guided tour, or by bike. The caves themselves are free, and can be independently toured in a couple of hours. However you reach these caves, the panoramic views of the jagged cliffs, whimsical sand dunes, and the vivid blue ocean are worth the effort.
Arica is a busy border city, so it is a convenient transit hub to explore all that Chile has to offer; however, it’s equally easy to zip up north and discover all the magic that Peru has to offer. Either way, make sure to at least stop by the beautiful Cuevas de Anzota.
Have you been to Arica? Did you get to visit the Cuevas de Anzota? Can you believe these seaside caves are free? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments below!
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