A trip to the arid Atacama Desert is not for the faint of heart. Spanning over 600 miles in northern Chile to the border of Peru, this region is considered one of the driest places on earth. The massive Atacama Desert offers a wide range of captivating geologic features, including salt pans, coastal mountains, alluvial fans, thermal lakes, and volcanic cones. Despite having such a dry climate, the desert is also home to a shocking 80+ geysers. The terrain is so dramatic and otherworldly that it’s often compared to the surface of both Mars and the Moon. And ironically, due to its perfectly clear skies and high altitude, the otherworldly desert is a popular observation site for astronomers.
Making it Happen
The small town of San Pedro de Atacama is considered the best place to stay for tourists, primarily because of its luxurious resorts and modern hotels. Whether you want to stay in town for a spa vacation or just have a home base for exploring the region, San Pedro de Atacama offers hotels for every budget and taste. Due to the amount of time it takes to travel to Atacama a stay of at least five days is recommended.
The most common way to get here is to fly to Santiago, Chile and then hop on a two-hour flight to Calama, a small mining town. It’s a two-hour car transfer to San Pedro, but you'll find that many of the hotels in the area include the airport transfer with your stay.
When you're ready to explore more of the region, try venturing out to Machuca, just 30 miles northeast, which is on the way to the popular El Tatio geyser and features a beautiful adobe church on a hillside. Tocanoa, another small town about 23 miles away, features beautiful buildings made of white volcanic stone.
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