Why go
- City and Commune in Antofagasta, Chile.
- Served by El Loa Airport (CJC).
History
Calama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. Calama is one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just 5 mm (0.20 in). The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city. With a population of 166,334, it is the 2nd-largest city in the region.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 2 airlines, 4 direct destinations
- Sky Airline H2 (A319, A320) · 4 routes: Antofagasta, Copiapo, La Serena, Santiago
- LAN Airlines LA (A320) · 2 routes: La Serena*, Santiago
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.
Milder and quieter, with better value.
The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is El Loa Airport (CJC); 1 other airport serves the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: CJC has direct flights to 4 destinations on 2 airlines (incl. La Serena, Santiago, Antofagasta, Copiapo).
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Calama, Chile. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.