This Altiplanic village is located only a few kilometers south of Colchane in the region of Tarapacá, beautifully set on the flanks of the peak Nevado Cariquma or “Mama Huanapa”. It is the main cultural center for the indigenous Aymaras.
Within the community of Colchane, Cariquima is the one referential place for Aymara culture. The town has its own infrastructure with shops, basic services and the community organized as artisans or quinoa producers. It even has a small museum which naturally serves as a place for reunions, due to its location on a main crossing of many different highland roads.
The buildings in Cariquima are predominantly made out of adobe and stone which portray a slow and old ambience. In contrast to the many other villages in the region, which are only inhabited during festivities and families flock in from Iquique or Alto Hospicio, Cariquima is inhabited all year round.
In the proximities of the town, about 8km away, lies the village of Chijo, consisting of small houses covered with straw roofs. From here, you have a beautiful panoramic view over Colchane, the surrounding villages and connecting roads, and also the picturesque salt lake Coipasa, most of which belongs to Bolivia.