A travel blog about adventure and culture

Traveler´s Buddy

  • HOME
  • TRAVEL 101
  • TRAVEL JOURNAL
  • DESTINATIONS
    • Africa
    • America
    • Asia
    • Europe
  • TRAVELBUZZ
  • MORE
    • Write for Traveler’s Buddy
    • Work with me
      • Media content
      • Video Content
      • Photography and Video content
    • Contact me
    • About me
    • MediaKit
Danakil depression camel caravan
Avatar
Juan Martinez
Thursday, 27 June 2019 / Published in Destinations

Exploring exotic landscapes in the Atacama Desert

Atacama Desert Moon Valley Sunset Views

From the famous moon valley to the hidden lagoons of Baltinache. These are the best way to explore the beautiful landscapes of Atacama

The driest desert in the world is not only known for its aridity – here in the Atacama Desert, volcanos, geysers, salt flats and blue lagoons coexist in one of the strangest landscapes on earth.

No matter what time of the day I went out to explore, the Atacama Desert had a spot for me to visit. It could have been the stunning El Tatio geysers at dawn, the golden sunsets at the Moon Valley or one of the many locations for stargazing after midnight. These are the most beautiful landscapes of Atacama and how to get there:

The most extraordinary landscapes on Earth are in the Atacama Desert

Atacama is a destination to stay longer than just a couple of days. Here, I was able to see some of the most beautiful sceneries of South America on a single spot.

Geological formations created intriguing and spectacular landscapes for us to discover. Atacama is such an unusual place, that even scientists come here to explore the origins of life and how it could develop in other planets.

Views of the Moon Valley at the Atacama Desert in Chile
Views of the Moon Valley at the Atacama Desert

“Atacama is an analogy for other worlds”, said scientist Jennifer Leman while explaining the importance of the ecosystems at the Atacama Desert.

Yet, in order for travelers to explore the exotic highlights of this area, San Pedro de Atacama must be your base. Here, at this small urban oasis in the middle of the dessert, Atacama comes to life and welcome travelers from all over the world to explore it´s beauty.

Hot springs and geysers at dawn

“to really see the beauty of the geysers, you will have to arrive before dawn and enjoy the sunrise”, said a tour operator in San Pedro while I was asking about visiting the El Tatio geysers. Tours to the geysers are not very expensive and start very early in the morning (usually pick up time is between 4-5 am). The tour did not only take me to see the geysers, but also the Putana river, home for two types of flamingo, and the village of Machuca at 4000 meters above sea level.

View of El Tatio geysers in Atacama early in the morning
View of El Tatio geysers in Atacama

Weather in Atacama can be intimidating. Temperature differences between day and night can vary up to 30 degrees and while in the middle of the day they can reach up to 30 °C, that same night you can easily experience from 2 to 5 °C.

As a result, mornings in El Tatio are cold and visitors should arrive with proper clothing. At the entrance of the protected area I was able to get a view of the more than 80 geysers and fumaroles expelling stream up to 50 meters high.  

However, the real natural spectacle happens once the sun rises. At this time of the day, the temperature difference between the air and the steam coming out of the geysers is the largest. This natural phenomenon creates the most visible and impressive steam columns of the day – a visit to El Tatio geysers gave me a glimpse on how planet earth probably was millions of years ago.

Sunrise at the alien landscape of El Tatio Geyser
Sunrise at the alien landscape of El Tatio Geyser

Best places to visit in Atacama for sunrise

  1. El Tatio geysers
  2. Licancabur volcano
  3. Chaxa Lagoon
El Tatio Geysers in Atacama Desert in the morning
View of several fumaroles and geysers in El Tatio after sunrise

INSIDE TIP: A natural hot spring is located inside the protected area. Here I was able to get in and enjoy some minutes at the 35 °C waters, while everyone without swimming suit was freezing outside.

Colorful lagoons in the morning

Atacama is one of the driest places on earth (it receives only 15 millimeters of rainfall a year) and finding fresh waters for swimming seems rather to be an epic quest, than a reality. However, just some kilometers away from San Pedro, several lagoons are available to the public.

Miscanti and Miñiques in the highlands of Atacama, the Chaxa Lagoon, as well the Puritama hot springs are little natural oasis in the middle of an isolated landscape. While the hot springs are a good option for a warm bath, the other lagoon areas are protected and were available for simply enjoying the view.  

Chaxa Lagoon is part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve and its known for being the best place in Chile to spot the Andean and Chilean flamingo.

Puritama hot springs in Atacama - an small oasis in the middle of the desert
Inside the Puritama hot springs in Atacama – an small oasis in the middle of the desert

Still, for some of us who definitely wanted to take a swim in Atacama, the hidden lagoons of Baltinache and Seven Lagoons or the Cejar lagoon are the best options. These lagoons are located in the middle of a colorful and alien landscape, which makes the whole experience even more surreal.

These lagoons are also famously known for the high content of salt in its waters, which means, while swimming l was experiencing the same flotation effect as in the Dead sea – a very interesting feeling.

However, remember to take extra clothes and soap, since at the end of your visit you have to clean the waters´ salt out of the body – it can get a little bit uncomfortable after it dried.

Read more: Traveling to the Iguazu Falls in South America

View of Licancabur volcano at the Miscanti y Miñiques Lagoons in Atacama
View of Licancabur volcano at the Miscanti & Miñiques Lagoons in Atacama

Best places to visit in Atacama during the day

  1. Hidden laggoons of Baltinache
  2. San Pedro de Atacama
  3. Puritama Hot Spings
  4. Cejar Lagoon
  5. Miscanti y Miñiques Lagoons
Floating in the salt lagoon of Baltinache in Atacama
Woman floating in the salt lagoon of Baltinache in Atacama

Craters and gorges for the afternoon

Located just 10 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama, the Moon and Mars valley are probably the most popular attractions in Atacama. Here, weird rock formations, sand dunes and signs of former salt flats create one of the most striking sceneries on earth.

While many visitors come here by bicycle and spend the day wondering around these incredible landscapes, there are several tour companies offering day or half day trips to the valleys. They usually finish at the main canyon ridge right before sunset – one of the most popular spots in whole Chile and the place for getting the best view of the Moon valley, as well a majestic view of the volcanos Licancabur and Lascar.

Read more: How to find the cheapest flight tickets on the market

Sunset at the Moon Valley in Atacama
Sunset at the Moon Valley in Atacama

The Moon and Mars valley in Atacama were the locations for the movie A Space Odyssey. After wandering an afternoon in this lonely and silent landscape, I went for a moment back to my childhood and finally became an astronaut lost in a distant planet.

Read more: How to pack for a long trip around the world

Visitors waiting for sunset at the Moon Valley
Visitors waiting for sunset at the Moon Valley

Best places to visit in Atacama for the sunset

  1. Moon Valley
  2. Mars Valley
  3. Death Valley
  4. Tara Salt Flats
  5. Piedras Rojas
Sunset in Atacama Desert of Chile
Sunset in Atacama at route 23

Stargazing at night

While in most places complete darkness means the end of a day, at the Atacama Desert it means a new world is about to appear. Atacama has the clearest sky in the entire southern hemisphere and it´s probably one of the best places in the world to do stargazing. During my stay in San Pedro, I could go simply out of my hotel, walk to a dark spot and see a beautiful starry sky.

Atacama has also one of the biggest astronomical observatories in the world and stargazing night tours are a highlight in the region. Astronomical tours will take you to the outdoors of the city and tell you more about the constelations, as well teach you how to photograph a starry sky and use a telescope to see the planets nearby.

As a tiny Saturn emerged through the telescope lens in between white insignificant dots of the dark sky, I tried to comprehend the enormity of what my eyes were seeing. After five minutes of gazing at that same miraculous spot, I realized that this was my favourite hour to explore Atacama.

Read more: How to photograph the milky way when traveling

Photographing the clear sky in Atacama
Photographing the clear sky in Atacama

Best places for photographing the milky way in Atacama

  1. Lascar or Licancabur base or crater
  2. Anywhere along Route 23 or Route 27
The Atacama desert is one of the best spots in the world for stargazing and astrophotography
Stargazing in the Atacama Desert
  • Tweet

What you can read next

sunrise mount tirano -hiking-san-marino
The hiking routes of San Marino
How to make the best of your next stopover
Breaking cities: How much will cost me a day in Prague

See my work for Lonely Planet

Juan Martinez - Lonely Planet Berlin

See more of my work

Juan Martinez BBC Travel - Deutsche Welle

Follow me on Instagram

Instagram Juan Martinez Travelers Buddy

Follow me on facebook

facebook banner travelersbuddy

See my videos on YouTube

youtube channel Travelersbuddy

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

  • Which are the most beautiful waterfalls of Central AmericaWhich are the most beautiful waterfalls of Central America
  • Exploring Vítkovice: the industrial area of OstravaExploring Vítkovice: the industrial area of Ostrava
  • The green pledge you have to sign in your passport upon arrivalThe green pledge you have to sign in your passport upon arrival
  • Tips for renting a car in IcelandTips for renting a car in Iceland
  • Dumb, wild and free – The setbacks of a millennial jet-setter during a pandemicDumb, wild and free – The setbacks of a millennial jet-setter during a pandemic
  • A girls guide to traveling the world: 7 Handy tips for looking after yourself as a girl traveling aloneA girls guide to traveling the world: 7 Handy tips for looking after yourself as a girl traveling alone
  • 10 photos showing how magestic summer in Finland is10 photos showing how magestic summer in Finland is
  • I could enter Petra without paying entrance feeI could enter Petra without paying entrance fee
  • How Philadelphia sets an example as the “Mural Capital of the World”How Philadelphia sets an example as the “Mural Capital of the World”
  • 24 signs you are in a relationship with traveling.24 signs you are in a relationship with traveling.

RECENT POSTS

  • Castle in Germany

    What is the 9-Euro Ticket – A perfect pass for traveling across Germany this Summer

    One transport ticket that is valid for an entir...
  • How many blank passport pages do you need to travel to each country

    How many blank passport pages do you need to travel to each country

    Every country has different regulations on how ...
  • Best things to do in Nouakchott

    Best things to do in Nouakchott

    Far off the bucket list of many travelers, Noua...
  • Which are the best national parks in Uganda

    Which are the best national parks in Uganda

    From dense forests hiding mountain gorillas to ...
  • climbing lions at Queen Elizabeth National Park - How to plan a trip

    How to plan a trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda

    Grasslands, savannah, forests, wetlands, and la...
  • These are the best things to do in Windhoek

    Best things to do in Windhoek

    From great culinary and cultural experiences to...
  • Tracking chimpanzees in Uganda‘s Kibale National Park

    Tracking chimpanzees in Uganda‘s Kibale National Park

    Whether you go tracking or for a habituation to...
  • All you need to know before visiting the Devil’s Pool in Victoria Falls

    All you need to know before visiting the Devil’s Pool in Victoria Falls

    Located at the edge of Africa’s greatest natura...

WRITE YOUR STORY

We accept guest posts from bloggers, journalists or travel enthusiast about anything what motivated you to travel and experience new things

CONTACT ME HERE

WORK WITH ME

Last year we worked with over 10 different tourism boards from all over the globe. Learn more how we can work together and present how awesome your destination is

CONTACT ME HERE

COME AND SAY HI

Don't be shy and just drop us an email. It´s free

CONTACT ME HERE
Travelers Buddy Mountains Footer
  • Home
  • Travel journal
  • About me
  • Contact me
  • Write for Traveler’s Buddy
  • Imprint
  • More about Traveler´s Buddy
  • Travel journal
  • Home
  • About me
  • Work with me
  • Write for Traveler’s Buddy
  • Contact me
  • GET SOCIAL

www.thetravelersbuddy.com© 2021. All rights reserved

TOP