Both the Bolivian capital of La Paz, 300km to the north, or Arica on the Chilean coast, 180km to the west, are possible starting points for a Parinacota climb.

BBC: How to climb a South American volcano

Over hundreds of years, earthquakes have rocked the agricultural Arica and Parinacota region, slowly destroying nearly 100 old adobe missions built by Spanish missionaries in the 16th and 17th Centuries.

BBC: Reviving Chile's Andean heritage

The foundation also implemented the successful rural film festival Arica Nativa, now in its seventh year, with screenings and musical performances held in the restored church and plaza each October.

BBC: Reviving Chile's Andean heritage

Thanks to its strategic location between the Andes, the Atacama Desert and the Pacific Ocean, the Arica and Parinacota region was once the home of three major empires -- Tiwanacu, Inca and Spanish.

BBC: Reviving Chile's Andean heritage