Lascar: A Deep Dive into the Atacama's Most Active Volcano
Rising from the high desert of northern Chile, Lascar is the most active volcano in the Atacama region, one of the driest places on Earth. Its dark, ash-streaked cone stands above a stark landscape of salt flats, lagoons, and Andean peaks near the tourist town of San Pedro de Atacama. Lascar's frequent eruptions, including a powerful event in 1993, make it a standout in a region of high, remote volcanoes.
A volcano in the driest desert
Lascar reaches about 5,592 metres in the Andes of northern Chile, on the edge of the Atacama Desert. The extreme aridity of its surroundings gives it a barren, otherworldly setting, with little vegetation and a landscape shaped by salt and volcanic rock. It rises near the high-altitude tourist hub of San Pedro de Atacama, which serves as a base for exploring the region's volcanic and desert scenery.
The most active volcano in the region
Lascar is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes, with numerous eruptions recorded over the past two centuries. Its activity ranges from persistent gas emissions and minor explosions to larger, more violent eruptions. Its active crater frequently emits gas and steam, a constant reminder of the volcanic energy beneath the arid surface.
The 1993 eruption
Lascar's most significant modern eruption occurred in 1993, when it produced a powerful explosive event that sent an ash column high into the atmosphere. Remarkably, ash from this eruption drifted across the continent, reaching as far as the Atlantic coast of South America. The 1993 eruption demonstrated the volcano's capacity for far-reaching impact despite its remote desert location.
A landscape of salt and lava
The setting of Lascar is one of striking contrasts: dark volcanic rock against pale salt flats, high-altitude lagoons coloured by minerals and microorganisms, and the backdrop of the Andean cordillera. This combination of volcanism and desert creates one of the most visually dramatic landscapes in South America, drawing scientists and travellers alike to the Atacama.
A challenge for monitoring
Lascar's remote, high-altitude location in a sparsely populated desert poses challenges for monitoring. Its eruptions can occur with limited warning, and its ash can affect regional aviation and the scattered communities of the area. Chilean volcanologists track its activity as part of the national monitoring of the country's many Andean volcanoes, using seismic and satellite data to watch this distant peak.
Volcanism and the Atacama's appeal
The volcanoes of the Atacama, including Lascar, are a major part of the region's appeal to visitors. From San Pedro de Atacama, travellers explore geysers, hot springs, salt lakes, and high volcanic peaks, experiencing a landscape shaped by both extreme aridity and intense volcanism. Lascar, as the most active of these volcanoes, is a focal point of this dramatic terrain.
A high-altitude natural laboratory
For scientists, Lascar offers a chance to study a persistently active volcano in an extreme, arid, high-altitude environment. Its behaviour, including its cycles of gas emission and explosive activity, contributes to the broader understanding of how Andean stratovolcanoes work and how they can be monitored in remote and challenging settings.
Explore on the map
Lascar stands among the volcanoes of the central Andes, in the high desert of northern Chile. Explore it on the interactive map — filter by country to see Lascar among Chile's volcanoes and to appreciate the striking volcanism of the Atacama Desert.