Aguas Termales Manasaya is a geothermal spring in the high Andes of South America, its name rooted in the Aymara indigenous language that is spoken by the Aymara people of the altiplano — the vast high plateau shared by Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile. The spring emerges in the thin-aired, spectacular landscape of the Andean puna at high altitude, where the convergence of geothermal heat with the extreme cold and aridity of the altiplano creates a thermally active environment of singular geological and cultural significance. The naturally warm waters have been known and used by Aymara communities for centuries as a resource of practical and spiritual value.
Insider tip — Aguas Termales Manasaya sits in the geothermal corridor of the northern Chilean altiplano, where volcanic activity drives warm water to the surface among otherworldly landscapes. The thermal waters here are slightly less sulfurous than neighbouring springs and have a gentler mineral profile. This site is popular with Chilean and Peruvian travellers crossing the altiplano route through Arica. Altitude acclimatisation of at least one day is recommended before soaking, as the site lies above 4 000 m.
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