DESTINATION GUIDE
Atacama at a Glance
The driest desert on Earth — a landscape of salt flats, geysers, and altiplanic lagoons beneath the clearest night skies anywhere.
The Atacama is the driest desert on Earth — a landscape of salt flats, geysers, and altiplanic lagoons beneath some of the clearest night skies on the planet. Vast distances and stark colors define the terrain, from bone-white salt pans to volcanic reds and the deep blue of high-altitude lagoons.
San Pedro de Atacama is the base for unhurried days of exploration: sunrise at the geysers, afternoons among flamingos on the salt flat, and nights spent beneath skies so clear that astronomers built some of the world’s most advanced observatories here.
HIGHLIGHTS
Six landscapes, one desert
Moon Valley & Death Valley
Otherworldly landscapes sculpted by wind, salt, and time. Towering dunes, rugged rock formations, and golden light create one of the Atacama’s most memorable sunset settings.
El Tatio Geysers
One of the world’s highest geothermal fields, where columns of steam rise dramatically into the crisp morning air at more than 13,000 feet (4,000 m) above sea level.
Chaxa Lagoon & the Atacama Salt Flat
A shimmering saltwater lagoon where Andean, Chilean, and James’s flamingos feed against the vast backdrop of the Atacama Salt Flat.
Miscanti & Miñiques Altiplanic Lagoons
Twin high-altitude lakes of deep sapphire blue, framed by snow-dusted volcanoes and the expansive silence of the Andean plateau.
Red Rocks & Salar de Talar
A striking volcanic landscape where crimson rock formations meet turquoise lagoons, creating one of the Atacama Desert’s most extraordinary color contrasts.
Baltinache Hidden Lagoons
A series of crystal-clear salt lagoons tucked within the desert, where the water’s exceptional salinity allows visitors to float effortlessly.
WHY ATACAMA
Some of the clearest skies on Earth
High altitude, near-zero light pollution, and hundreds of cloudless nights a year make the Atacama one of the best places on the planet for stargazing — guided by professional astronomy guides and, on select nights, working astronomers.
Experiences in this region
Multi-day journeys that feature Atacama & the North are designed privately, around your dates and interests. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll craft a proposal.
Suggested Itinerary
Our Atacama Astronomy & Discovery journey (7 days) is built around this desert’s exceptional night skies — the highlights above, guided stargazing, and a closing stretch through Casablanca and Valparaíso before you head home. Request a quote or tell us what you have in mind and we’ll craft a proposal.
From the Journal
Before you go
Practical guidance on when to visit, what to pack, and getting around is in Before You Travel.