Wonders of the Atacama Desert
Itinerary Ideas
An arid plateau in Northern Chile: vast, mineral, lunar with dark, clear night skies.
Licancábur Volcano
A 5,913‑metre stratovolcano which rises above the town of San Pedro de Atacama. On the summit lies one of the world’s highest lakes and Inca archaeology. NASA once used the volcano for research as a stand‑in for Mars.
Climbed only on dedicated high‑altitude treks (Get Your Guide link)
Stargazing
The Atacama Desert is the premiere stagazing destination on earth due to its high altitude, extreme dryness and lack of light pollution. Excursions operate from San Pedro de Atacama: from casual guided night walks to professional-grade observatory tours. High-end hotels like Tierra Atacama have their own on-site telescopes for guests. Indigenous guides offer readings of the sky shaped by Andean cosmology.
Walking with Llamas
A slow, way to understand the Lickan Antay (Atacameño) relationship with land and livestock. Llamas move with a calm, deliberate rhythm, and the walks trace old caravan routes around San Pedro. One of my most memorable experiences in the Atacama.
Get Your Guide have a selection of tours.
Ceramics Studios in San Pedro de Atacama
Two studios working with desert clay in very different ways. Fernando Alfaro (Taller de Cerámica Amerindo Studio at Calama 430) recreates archaeological forms with exacting care. Soledad Christie shapes minimalist vessels at her studio that hold the desert’s scale and stillness. Both worth seeking out.
Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoíris)
About 90 km from San Pedro, a basin of mineral colours — greens, reds, whites, yellows, greys — exposed by erosion. Quieter than the headline sites. Often paired with nearby Yerbas Buenas, home to the region’s largest petroglyph collection.
A worthwhile trip.
Jere Valley (Quebrada de Jere)
A narrow oasis near Toconao, fed by Andean streams. Orchards, petroglyphs, shaded paths, and a small river running through the driest desert on earth. Bring lunch and sit under the trees: a vivid contrast to the surrounding aridity. Toconao is a 12,000 years old, historic oasis settlement and is worth a visit for its church.
Tulor Archaeological Site (Aldea de Tulor)
A 2,800‑year‑old settlement west of San Pedro, offering a sense of early life in the Atacama with circular reconstructed dwellings. Managed by the Coyo community, whose guides bring the site’s history and ethnobotany into focus. Often combined with the Pukará de Quitor fortress.
Get Your Guide link.
Wild Guanacos and Vicuñas
These wild camelids are the largest wild land mammals in Chile and roam the high-altitude plains and rocky terrains of the Atacama. They can live without direct water for weeks by extracting moisture from the cactus flowers, mushrooms, and hardy grasses they eat. Frequent sightings occur near: Laguna Salada, Salar de Tara, La Silla Observatory, and the Chajnantor Plateau.
Laguna Tebinquiche (El Origen)
Laguna Tebinquiche is often called "El Origen" because the pale, knotted formations along the shore are descendents of the earliest microbial life on earth. Walking along the wooden paths, you aren't just seeing a pretty lake; you are standing in a place that looks and feels exactly like Earth did billions of years ago, long before humans or even dinosaurs existed.
PRACTICALITIES
San Pedro de Atacama is the base for almost everything. Fly into El Loa International Airport (CJC), Calama.
Tours
Easy to arrange in town. Observatory visits are the only experiences that usually require advance booking.
Independent travel
Pre‑book a vehicle at Calama if you want freedom to explore. A 4×4 opens more of the desert. Hiring in San Pedro is pricier, with limited insurance options.
Stay
Tierra Atacama - a polished Chilean desert hideaway
Poblado Kimal - authentic, rustic desert aesthetic
Don Thomas - adobe architecture with a modern feel