Awasi Atacama is a sanctuary of quiet elegance set on the edge of San Pedro de Atacama, a small adobe town in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert.
This intimate Relais & Châteaux lodge has just 12 rooms and suites, each housed in earth-toned adobe structures that blend in with the surrounding desert. Every room comes with a private guide and 4×4 vehicle, allowing guests to explore the Atacama on their own terms, from flamingo-dotted altiplano lagoons and ancient petroglyphs to hidden hot springs and high-altitude hikes.
Days end in the shaded courtyard or by the firepit, with desert-inspired cuisine, Chilean wines and stargazing beneath some of the world’s clearest skies.
What we love about Awasi Atacama
- The rooms and suites are built from adobe, stone, native wood and thatch, and feel both luxurious and deeply rooted in their surroundings; each has a shady private patio and a solarium with an outdoor shower.
- Interiors are understated yet comfortable, with marble bathrooms, elegant wooden furnishings, and handwoven local textiles.
- Each room is assigned a private guide and 4×4 vehicle to use during their stay, giving guests freedom to explore at their own pace, with every excursion tailored to their interests.
- Meals at the open-air restaurant are light, inventive and have a deep sense of place, paired with excellent Chilean wines – often produced in nearby valleys.
- The shaded courtyard makes the perfect place to unwind with a cocktail in hand by the firepit after a day of adventure.
- Awasi has a genuine commitment to sustainability and community, and is proudly carbon neutral, with strong ties to the local Likan Antai people, low-impact architecture, and ongoing rewilding initiatives.
At Awasi, you set the pace – whether it’s a sunrise hike through Martian-red canyons or a slow meander through the boutiques of San Pedro.
Classic outings include the Moon Valley and Salar de Atacama, but guides can also introduce lesser-known routes: hot springs in the high plains, hidden petroglyphs, bubbling geysers, flamingo-covered salt lagoons.
Rides on horseback with local Atacameños take you out across the altiplano, following old caravan trails through cactus forests and up to panoramic viewpoints. There’s the chance to learn about desert foraging, visit archaeological sites dating back to pre-Inca times, or cycle to tiny hamlets with just a handful of residents. Birders and stargazers are well looked after; this is one of the clearest skies on Earth, and the hotel’s telescope comes with expert interpretation.
We recommend spending three or four nights at Awasi Atacama; the longer you are there, the more acclimatised you will become to the altitude, and the more excursions you will be able to do.
Awasi Atacama is located in San Pedro de Atacama, just over an hour’s drive from Calama airport. Despite being situated in the centre of San Pedro itself, Awasi feels like an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the town.
There are direct daily flights from Santiago to Calama, and the flying time is approximately two hours.
When to Travel
We recommend visiting the Atacama Desert between April and December, as some rain can be seen between January and March.
All year round, there is a noticeable fluctuation in the temperature between day and night.
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