Arica

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Arica is a city in northern Chile, 18km from the border with Peru with many residents active on couchsurfing. The big hill next to Arica's city centre, known as the morro has a Jesus statue and a military museum with active people in uniform on duty. It's therefore not a good freecamping spot.

Hitchhiking out

To Hitch south from Arica you can take a shared taxi colectivo (number 8) to "el agro" this is like a market on the edge of town. Ask the taxi driver to stop at the shell gas station. (You could also walk, it's about an hour from the center) From there all trafic is going far south. I waited less than 10 minutes for a ride directly to Iquique.

To go north, to Peru or lake Chungara, take a bus number 1 from center, last stop is off the city limits. Walk to the circle to get a good position to hitchhike.

To BOLIVIA: find any bus going to the end of the city, close to the roundabout "Rotonda Juan Guillén Canales". You can then walk or hitchhike until the next roundabout where the road to Bolivia starts. There is space to stop and trucks usually parked, so you could also talk to them. The border with Bolivia closes at night. You could still find truck drivers that accept you if it's late but you will probably have to spend the night in the cabin with them or sleep outside (the border lies at 4300m, cold at night). If you get stuck in Poconchile, you can ask nicely for the Carabineros to help you get in a truck.

DO NOT TRY to use the other road (A-27 then A-191) on the map that leads to Santa Rosa / Poconchile, no one uses it and you could get stuck in the desert.

Nomadwiki & Trashwiki

Check Nomadwiki for info on accommodation, showers etc. or Trashwiki for dumpsters...and share your wisdom :)