Atacama Desert

Terracotta canyons, salt-lakes and crumbling colonial villages under some of the clearest skies in the world, the Atacama Desert is a magical destination and the perfect foil to the granite and ice of Patagonia.

Three hours’ flying time north of Santiago, Chile’s Atacama is the world’s driest desert, a dramatic panorama of tiny, white-washed colonial villages amidst canyons, gorges and salt-lakes, all under the distant shadow of the high Andes. At is heart, sitting at 2440 metres above sea-level, the iconic oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama provides the perfect base for desert exploration. San Pedro has grown dramatically over the last 10 years since its early days as a hippy, backpacker stop and now offers a wide range of hotels, restaurants and tours. Its origins, however, date back to the Atacameno culture some 4000 years ago, remnants of which can be found in the town’s archaeological museum and in the pre-Inca sites of Tulor and the fortress of Pukara de Quitor.

For visitors, the key draw of the Atacama is the captivating landscape. The dazzling “Salar de Atacama”, the area’s vast salt-lake, provides safe haven to countless flamingo while higher into the Andes, cobalt blue lakes sit under smouldering volcanoes and geysers and hotsprings gently smoke under the midday sun. Closer to town multi-coloured canyons hide eerie, otherworldly rock formations while distant villages, lush oases surrounded by fruit trees, breathe life into the stark panorama.

Atacama Desert – Luxury Collection

Awasi Atacama$$$$$

A member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux hotel group, Awasi recreates the classic look of a traditional Atacameno village and blends natural woods and thatch with hand-crafted adobe bricks and volcanic stones. Beautifully decorated throughout, wicker chairs and snug chaises longue compete with genteel, wooden furniture while hand woven textiles add a splash of traditional Andean colour. Awasi is the most exclusive lodge in San Pedro de Atacama with a private, bilingual guide attribu...

Tierra Atacama$$$$$

The Tierra Atacama is a wonderful luxury hotel option in the Atacama, excellent for both families and couples alike. It has been beautifully designed to reflect the surrounding canyons and red rock spine of the Andes. From the outide, earthy tones merge with natural adobe and volcanic rock to create a feeling of light and space throughout while inside, modern contemporary fittings are softened with regional textiles, local handicraft and cowhides all with floor to ceiling windows bring the vi...