Tierra Atacama: Atacama Desert

On arrival at Calama Airport, you will be met and transferred to Tierra Atacama Lodge.

On arrival, settle into the comfortable Tierra Atacama Lodge. High in the northern desert of Chile, the Tierra Atacama lodge encapsulates exquisite design, authentic experiences and an intimate, home-away-from-home atmosphere, where a sense of both adventure travel and pure relaxation lingers in the air. In the evening you will be briefed on the excursion options for the days ahead.

**Tierra does include most activities but may have a limited number of “extra cost” activities, which will be at your own cost and paid locally.

The small oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama lies on an arid high plateau in the Andes Mountains in the heart of some of northern Chile’s most spectacular scenery. Sitting high up in the Altiplano, the Chile desert is known for its captivating landscapes of sand dunes, hot springs, canyons and geysers. Here, glowing sunrises and mind-blowing sunsets are the norm. After dusk, the sky is illuminated with a canopy of blinking stars, a sight unmatched anywhere else in the Southern Hemisphere. Come morning, noon, or night, the Atacama’s natural splendor and enigmatic energy are inescapable.

At Tierra Atacama, there is a range of interesting excursions for you to choose from. Local guides will get to know your interests and physical activity level, helping create a bespoke journey for you to explore the Atacama Desert your way. Below are suggested options you may like to choose from throughout your stay.

High up in the Altiplano lie the glistening lagoons of Aguas Calientes and Tuyajito, whose mystical, tranquil aura can be grasped during a full-day tour. Arriving at the remote Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, at more than four thousand meters of altitude, for an excursion with a surprising backdrop featuring the peace and quiet of the desert and colorful salt lakes. Visiting the town of Socaire and two lookouts over the Salar de Talar, also known as the “Hot Waters.”

The Atacama Desert is also known to be one of the best places on earth for stargazing. So, armed with the largest public telescope in the region and help from expert guides, you’ll enjoy a fascinating evening of astronomy, something not easily forgotten. Look up to the jet-black canopy, studded with glittering stars and their constellations, easily visible to the naked eye thanks to the Atacama’s lack of artificial light and endless expanse of untouched desert.

At Tierra Atacama, there is a range of interesting excursions for you to choose from. Local guides will get to know your interests and physical activity level, helping create a bespoke journey for you to explore the Atacama Desert your way. Below are suggested options you may like to choose from throughout your stay.

Feast your eyes on the Tatio Geysers, one of the world's most impressive geothermal sites and certainly an icon of the Atacama Desert. You’ll set off early this morning to reach the Tatio Geysers just as the sun begins to emerge above the horizon, casting an ethereal glow on vapor columns which tower over us at heights of up to 12 meters. Spending some time appreciating the wonder of this geothermal field, home to over 80 active geysers which protrude from bubbling pools of boiling water.

Or unearth ancient petroglyphs and admire a kaleidoscope of color at Rainbow Valley, on an exciting half-day excursion in the Atacama Desert, a geological and archaeological treat. Heading first towards Domeyko Mountains and the Rainbow Valley, whose stripes of copper, silver, jade, violet and everything in between lend this sacred place its name. A 30-minute walk will you time to marvel at the terrain, the result of erosion and environmental processes that created this mineral-rich rock face.

This morning say goodbye to the Atacama Desert, in preparation for your departure transfer back to Calama Airport. Departure times will be confirmed directly with you the night prior.

This is a suggested itinerary. All Tailor-Made journeys can be customized to suit. Add in additional highlights, spend more time in areas of particular interest to you, or extend your journey to visit other regions of Latin America or Antarctica.