Atacama Desert ~ Chile
The Atacama Desert, running over 600
miles between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains
is the most driest desert in the world. In fact it
has hardly ever rained here in recorded history.
Chile's Atacama Desert |
The eerie Moon Valley and unusually
colorful village of San Pedro de Atacama is located
at 6,600 feet above sea level. Surrounded by a green
oasis, San Pedro retains its colonial charm of narrow
streets and has a church dating back to 1577. The
village is the center of the Indian culture of Atacama,
who inhabited the desert long ago. The Father Le Paige
Museum has over 4,000 skulls, innumerable mummies,
weapons and pottery on display.
In the Atacama stay at the elegant
Explora
Atacama where no detail has been forgotten or
at the Hotel
Terrentai for more basic accommodations and a
closer proximity to the town of San Pedro. In either
Hotel all meals and activities are included. Activities
range from very active hiking and biking to scenic
tours of the area.
Days are filled with exploration of
this incredible world of soaring volcanoes, stark
lava fields, and huge rolling trackless dunes. El
Tatio Geyser, a geothermal field flanked by soaring
Andean peaks is the highest geyser field in the world
at 14,000 feet. At dawn, powerful spurts of steam
erupt out of the ground through various blowholes,
and the vision of the steaming geysers against the
deep blue desert sky may be one of your most enduring
memories of your visit here.
Contact
us to include the Atacama Desert in a customized
itinerary of travel in Chile.
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