Ideas for Your Itinerary Through the Landscapes of Atacama

Someone once said, “The desert is the theater of the human struggle of searching for God.” Religious or not, I think we can safely say that being in that vast expanse of uninhabited, mostly empty land touches upon something much deeper in our core being. I have always felt a strong affinity for the desert. I have always felt that it calls to me. It may be a strange thing to say, since I have not actually visited that many deserts in my life. There was the camel ride in the Sahel desert in Tunisia, one of the very first countries I visited many years ago. Then there was the Nyiri desert in Kenya, where I got the chance to go on my first safari and see the African wildlife from a very close distance…And otherwise I cannot think of any other deserts I have seen and experienced. But perhaps those were the times when I caught “the desert bug” and the desire to see more of these dry, mysterious places awakened in me. Perhaps the feelings that arose when I looked upon the empty dunes laid before me permanently etched a longing to return to such landscapes…And to explore not only the physical terrain but the spiritual territory of my own being as well.

That’s when I started dreaming of Atacama. I never thought I’d be able to see it so soon after discovering its existence, but when the opportunity knocked on my door, I answered it. If there is anything that my trip to Chile meant to me, it is this: the chance to see Atacama with my own eyes and to experience its mysticism firsthand.

This part of our trip took a little bit of preplanning beforehand, as we really didn’t know much about the place, other than it being otherworldly beautiful. A brief search on the internet brought us to San Pedro de Atacama – the only town in the province where you can stay anywhere from a fancy hotel to a budget friendly hostel. We opted for another Airbnb and it worked out perfectly for us. Ilenia, our host, was as lovely and welcoming as they come. The hut we rented from her had its own fully stocked dine-in kitchen, a private bathroom and a bedroom with a twin and full size bed ready. There were two other huts on the property, but we hardly saw anyone else. The place was located slightly off the main road, which meant more peace and quiet for us. And the stars at night! There were no road lights almost anywhere in town so all you had to do was look up for a private planetarium show after dark.

I hope San Pedro de Atacama never loses its desert charm. The clay huts, the dusty unpaved roads, the open air markets selling pottery, local textiles and trinkets…The free roaming doggies everywhere, taking midday naps in the shaded areas of the street, barely lifting an eye to many a passerby. Did the dogs even belong to anyone? Most of them sure looked like they did, although a few could definitely have used a bath and a good cut of their matted fur. There were also horses and chickens and children in school uniforms all mixing in with the touristy crowd. Everything felt natural and raw and organic, perfectly blended in with its desert surroundings. In San Pedro de Atacama, one could get a glimpse of what life might have been like before all the technology and development moved in…Everything there still seems to move somewhat at nature’s pace: rise with the early morning sun, work throughout the day and sleep when it gets dark…Unless of course you want to go stargazing, then yes, definitely stay that little bit longer to see the magic of the universe light up before you against the pitch black sky.

From San Pedro, most of the main attractions in Atacama are easily accessible. Your options are to rent a private driver and guide (a bit expensive option), sign up with one of the many local tours leaving the town daily (too crowded) or rent your own car at the airport in Calama and drive yourself everywhere at your own pace and time (just right). That’s what Monia and I did and I must say, it was one of the best choices of the trip. We paid for the car online prior to departure from the USA and picked it up at the airport counter the morning we landed in Calama (main city in the Atacama region). They gave us a brand new mid-size SUV that handled the rough desert roads perfectly and actually burnt little gas comparatively speaking. I was a little worried about the challenge of driving in a place I knew so little about, but it actually ended up being quite enjoyable and the flexibility associated with having our own car was worth every penny.

Most of the main Atacama attractions are located relatively close to San Pedro. We didn’t have to travel far to visit Valle de La Luna or Valle de la Muerte, for example. Because of the summer heat, we elected to stay out of the desert until late afternoon and even then we still had plenty of time to explore. I’m not going to go into details of what each place looked like, but I will tell you this, each place is so unique from the next, that you may find yourself wondering whether you are still in the same desert. The only constant that followed us every step of the way was the impressive view of the Licancabur volcano visible pretty much from every angle around the desert and the town. Monia and I would be driving and Licancabur would lead the way. It was so achingly beautiful I’d turn to her and say, “Can you really believe this view? Is this for real? Are we really here seeing this?” I don’t know if any of my photos can even convey the exquisiteness and magic of this volcanic mountain presiding over the desert of Atacama…But you can be the judge of that.

In summary, Monia and I visited the following places:

• Valle de La Luna
• Laguna Cejar
• Valle de La Muerte
• Moon Valley

True to our slow travel manifesto, we didn’t drive each other crazy trying to cover as much terrain as possible, but to take in every minute spent in this beautiful setting and of course, leave plenty of time for photography. I can’t tell you what our favorite spots were, because they really were all different and stunning in their own unique ways. I could photograph in every single space, around every single corner countless of times and still create inimitable images every time.

The desert calls to me and calls me in…It “undulates with almost imperceptible tides like the oceans” (Frank Waters) and “shatters the soul’s arrogance and leaves body and soul crying out in thirst and hunger” (Dan B. Allender).

When I enter the empty desert, I shall leave a richer man…