Set between the Andes and the Pacific, the Atacama stretches the length of northern Chile – a vast, stark wilderness that feels like nowhere on Earth.
This is the driest non-polar desert on the planet, a high-altitude plateau of salt pans, smoking volcanoes and mineral-rich lagoons that shift from turquoise to rust in the course of a day. Light plays tricks here; so does time. It is a place of extremes, yet one where life has found extraordinary ways to adapt and thrive.
Over the years, we’ve vetted its lodgings, road-tested its experiences and collaborated with expert guides, astronomers and archaeologists to shape a more thoughtful way of experiencing the Atacama. One that’s deeply rooted in its geography and culture, and that ventures well beyond the usual circuits.
What follows is our guide to exploring the Atacama at its most rewarding.
A Vast Landscape
The Atacama is not a single place, but a vast, shifting expanse, covering more than 100,000 square kilometres. Beyond the better-known sights lie little-visited valleys carved by volcanic activity, remote petroglyphs etched into stone, and isolated villages where Aymara and Atacameño communities continue to practise centuries-old traditions.
Most travellers base themselves in San Pedro de Atacama, a weathered adobe town that once thrived at the heart of Inca trade routes spanning Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Today, this desert oasis serves as a springboard into near-uninhabited reaches of the altiplano -the immense Andean plateau that defines much of what people associate with the Atacama. Here, lithium-rich salt lakes glow pink with flamingos, vicuñas graze beneath volcanoes and geysers hiss away.
Travelling west towards the coast, the terrain changes again. In Copiapó, fog-fed ecosystems known as lomas appear suddenly among the rocks, supporting unexpected bursts of life. And where the desert meets the Pacific, cliffs plunge into the ocean and small fishing communities harvest seaweed and shellfish as they have for generations.
Those after a true frontier adventure can make the multi-day crossing into into Bolivia via Paso Sico or Hito Cajón – high-altitude routes that wind through the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve to the Uyuni salt flats. It’s a demanding journey, but one of the most exhilarating in South America.
Where to Stay
Behind unassuming mud walls, San Pedro de Atacama hides some of the continent’s finest lodgings – thoughtful, architecturally sensitive spaces designed to be in tune with the landscape. Three stand out.
Awasi Atacama feels more like a private home than a hotel. With only a dozen suites and a one-to-one guide and vehicle model, there are no fixed schedules here; every experience is shaped around the guest. The architecture nods to pre-Inca forms, with volcanic stone, thatch, and, interior courtyards, while service remains light-touch and intuitive.
Explora Atacama is the most expansive of the three, with 50 sleek, minimalistic rooms, a stable of desert-trained horses, and one of Chile’s finest private observatories. Its ambitious menu of daily explorations makes it the natural choice for those who want to cover serious ground. True to the Explora ethos, adventures are usually small group affairs, though private outings can be arranged.
Tierra Atacama, recently reopened after renovation, is a masterclass in modern desert architecture: polished concrete, native wood, and expansive views of Licancabur Volcano. The lodge runs entirely on solar power and hosts a spa focusing on Andean treatments, including volcanic stone massages, high-altitude infusions, and soaking tubs poised for sunset.
For deeper solitude, fully serviced private tented camps can be set up in isolated corners of the desert: along riverbanks, on canyon rims, or beside rock formations carved by centuries of wind. These camps are atmospheric rather than ostentatious – think bell tents with proper beds, solar lighting, llama-wool blankets, gas-heated showers, and hot water delivered to your tent in copper basins. Dinner is served by a private chef on a candlelit table beneath the stars; in the morning, wake to dawn rising over the nearby volcanoes.
Experiences of a Different Order
The Atacama Desert is a landscape that lends itself to stillness and observation – but it’s also a playground of adventures for those who know where to look. Here, a few of the experiences that we return to time and again.
STARGAZING & SKY PERSPECTIVES
Long before the Atacama became a lodestar for space agencies and global observatories, its clear night skies guided the agricultural calendars of ancient Andean cultures. Several lodges maintain private observatories, where astronomers – many of them locals trained in both scientific and Indigenous sky knowledge – guide guests through constellations, cosmic mythologies and pre-Columbian celestial systems.
For the technically inclined, private visits to the ALMA Observatory (home to the world’s most advanced radio telescope array) can include access to the control room and conversations with resident scientists mapping the origins of the universe.
Alternatively, take to the air at first light: hot air balloons launch before dawn, drifting silently over the Cordillera de la Sal and the salt flats below, with views of Licancabur’s smoking cone. After landing, a breakfast is served in the open desert. The silence is near-total, save for the burners and the wind.
EXPLORING THE LANDSCAPES OF THE ALTIPLANO
Journeys through the Atacama’s landscapes take many forms. Rides with Atacameño horsemen follow old caravan routes across dry riverbeds and open plateaus. Walks range from gentle canyon hikes to full-day treks to remote lava field and high ridge lines. With the right preparation, it’s possible to summit volcanoes like Lascar, which continues to vent smoke into an otherwise still sky.
The desert also draws those with a keen eye for life in unlikely places. Wildlife outings, guided by biologists and field naturalists, focus on the salt flats, wetlands and shallow lagoons that sustain rare species. At Putana Bofedal and the Tara salt flats, flamingos feed in mirrored pools, Andean foxes cross the grasslands at dusk, and silence is broken only by birdsong and wind. Photographers are well looked after, with spotter scopes, hides, and early access arranged to make the most of the light.
For those drawn to speed and adrenalin, there are quad bikes, desert dune buggies, and downhill mountain rides from high lakes to salt flats.
ATACAMEÑO HERITAGE & ARCHAEOLOGY
The Atacameño people have lived in this region for millennia, developing systems of water capture, farming, and astronomy that long pre-date the arrival of the Spanish.
Visit villages like Toconao and Socaire, where traditional farming continues on ancient stepped terraces. The 10th-century Pukará de Quitor fortress, partly built into the hillside from mud and white volcanic rock, offers a glimpse into pre-Columbian defence strategies. Local archaeologists can share insights into how early societies traded and survived in such a harsh environment.
Further afield, vast geoglyphs, some over 100 metres in length and rivalling the scale of the Nazca Lines, are etched into desert hillsides. The Gigante de Atacama is the largest prehistoric anthropomorphic figure on Earth. These are not roped-off museum pieces, but living symbols embedded in the land.
Private visits to textile weavers, silversmiths and potters can be arranged in their homes and studios, offering quiet exchanges without the filter of commercialised tourism.
Beyond the Border: A Journey into Uyuni
For those drawn further off-grid, the Atacama can serve as a launchpad for a private, multi-day overland journey into Bolivia’s remote southwest, ending on the Salar de Uyuni.
Travelling in a private 4×4 with guide and support team, cross a lunar-like expanse dotted with sulphur lagoons, steaming geysers and the abstract rockscapes of the Salvador Dalí Desert. The route is raw and breathtaking: pink flamingos feeding under snow-capped volcanoes, ochre-red lakes edged in borax, and windswept plains where Andean condors wheel over empty valleys.
Nights are spent in simple, characterful lodges, chosen for their location and comfort. Each day is paced for acclimatisation and exploration. Stops are spontaneous – made upon spotting an unmarked hot spring to bathe in, or a sudden sighting of condors soaring overhead.
The expedition culminates on the Salar de Uyuni. In the dry season, it is a salt crust as far as the eye can see; in the wet season, it becomes a mirror reflecting the clouds. Accommodation here might be a salt-brick lodge, or a luxury Airstream placed directly on the flats, with a chef flown in from La Paz to serve a candlelit dinner beneath the stars.
The Best Time to Go
The Atacama is a year-round destination, though each season offers something slightly different. Autumn and spring tend to be temperate and least crowded. Summer brings warmer days and the occasional rainstorms high in the altiplano, while winter offers bone-dry days and stargazing conditions at their clearest – though temperatures can fall well below zero after dark.
Why Book with Plan South America
Our experience in the Atacama comes from years of careful planning and close work with local guides and specialists.
The terrain can be challenging, distances long, and many routes unmarked. Success comes down to good timing, detailed planning, and local knowledge. We collaborate with trusted guides and hosts to create experiences that are only possible through our deep connections, from private al fresco dining with one of Bolivia’s leading chefs to a Gaston Ugalde-inspired art and dance installation amidst the salt flats.
You travel at your own pace; we handle the details.
CONTACT US
Considering a journey to the Atacama Desert? Speak to our specialists today.
Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
