Arid, remote and irresistible: not much grows in Chile’s Atacama Desert except your appreciation for its wonders

The Atacama is the driest non-polar desert in the world. The landscape is so vast and dry that NASA conducts Mars expeditions there.

When a carpet of purple flowers began to grow from the earth in October 2022, Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font declared the diverse area a national park, giving it the most protected status the country has to offer.

Brightly colored flowers aren’t exactly what you’d expect in a place like this. But there are more than 200 species of flowers in the Atacama—a 105,000-square-kilometer area that’s spotted with every shade of color.

I fly into Calama, the nearest airport, amid an orange-colored night sky. In the days that follow, I see the bronze regularly interrupted by a touch of lush green grass or a cobalt lagoon.

Guanacos, native wild camelids known as the “gardeners” of this blooming desert, nibble away, while tagua cornudas (or horned coots) squabble in the water. Peaches, lemons and oranges grow here, sweetened by minerals in the soil.

Charlotte Lytton explores Chile’s Atacama Desert, the driest non-polar desert in the world – a landscape so vast and dry that NASA is conducting Mars expeditions there

Charlotte begins her adventure at Laguna Chaxa (pictured above), where flamingos stroll almost silently through the water

The number of tourists in Chile is growing rapidly, by 84 percent between 2022 and 2023. Many tourists choose to travel to the north of the country.

Excursions include hikes through rocky valleys, watching the sunrise over hot springs and a swim in a buoyant lagoon that keeps you floating on the water.

We begin our own pick ‘n’ mix adventure at Laguna Chaxa, where flamingos peck almost silently through the water on a clear morning. There are three species of flamingo here: James’s, Andean and Chilean (the latter distinguishable by their bright pink tails). They are surrounded by passing vicuñas, another camelid whose numbers are swelled by the extreme remoteness.

To reach every corner of this desert, you will have to spend a fair amount of time on the road. However, the bumps are greatly improved by the drivers and guides from the regions.

Andante Travels provides tours in partnership with Tours by Locals – and they are.

Charlotte notes that there are three species of flamingo in the area: the James’s, Andean and Chilean. Above are two birds of the Chilean variety

The photo shows Terrantai Lodge, a boutique hotel in the center of San Pedro (the capital of Atacama)

We stop in the town of Machuca, where our guide knows everyone we meet by name and introduces them to us. He encourages us to try the local goat cheese empanada (delicious) and the barbecued alpaca (chewy).

The extremely dry climate also makes Atacama a wine paradise. For a full-bodied red wine, Carmenere is the best choice.

At Terrantai Lodge, a boutique hotel in the center of San Pedro (the capital of Atacama), you can sample all the local wines every evening during organic tastings in the beautiful courtyard.

Since Chile is one of the best wine producers in the world, it is a matter of due diligence when tasting the wines here.

If you’re enjoying a glass (or several) of an evening, be wary of the altitude: The Cerro Toco hike reaches a summit of 18,386 feet on a trail that’s harder to breathe than walk. But if you prefer to take it easy, there’s plenty of flat terrain to explore, too.

Moon Valley, seen here, ‘offers the most photogenic desert view in the region’

Charlotte visits the Tatio Geysers (above), where she witnesses white clouds of steam shooting up

Moon Valley offers the most photogenic desert scenery in the region, with golden dunes and rolling rock formations carved by wind and water, with part of the area covered in bright white salt.

A sunrise trip to the Tatio Geysers will also see white plumes shooting up – the cold air illuminating the steam from the hot springs as they spout.

The 4am drive is of course annoying, but a cup of coffee at the end, with a view of the spectacular Andes Mountains, makes it worth leaving before sunrise.

Things started off well when we reached Ojos del Salar, a mini lagoon where the blue sky and fluffy clouds were perfectly reflected in the calm water.

Later, a short drive followed by a hike through tall green fields brought us to Laguna Cejar – an easy favourite for minimal effort and maximum buoyancy, where the super-high salt content has you bouncing on top of the water. Like so much of the Atacama, it’s incredibly remote and peaceful – the only sounds you’ll hear are the peals of laughter of those trying to swim as they bob up and down in the lagoon. It feels like a fitting end to the afternoon with a pisco sour as the sun sets over this unique corner of the planet.

As we sip, our guide tells us about an emerging scientific theory: that the origins of all life lie here in the Atacama. With tamarugo trees towering above the scorched ground and viscachas—rabbit-like animals with enormous whiskers—scurrying past, it might not seem so far-fetched.

Charlotte says the ‘peaceful’ Laguna Cejar, pictured here, is an ‘easy favourite for minimal effort and maximum buoyancy, where the super high salinity keeps you bouncing on top of the water’