Overview
Chile's Atacama desert is the world's driest desert and is at once both an inhospitable rugged environment and a stunning lunar landscape. Volcanoes and geysers steam and hiss into life. Pink flamingos haunt the featureless white salt flats, cacti stride towards the horizon and oases splash the tawny landscape with vigorous vegetation, especially after rare flash rainfall.
The culture and settlements of San Pedro de Atacama echo the legacy of the desert’s pre- and post-Columbian inhabitants, with ruined temples and dusty colonial villages. There are some top quality hotels and the area is becoming a favourite for adventure activities such as volcano climbing and horse riding. If coming from Santiago or Patagonia, you may notice the high altitude as you explore the Atacama desert: however, all hotels are in San Pedro - at a comfortable 2,450m.
When it comes to things to do in the Atacama Desert, this will depend on where you stay. Whether you embark straight from your accommodation or choose to drive further afield, exploring the valleys and wildlife is akin to walking around on another planet. The lunar landscapes make a perfect backdrop for seeing something extraordinary, like erupting geysers, thermal pools, or colourful flamingos. The clear skies and unpolluted surroundings make stargazing in the Atacama Desert a truly magical experience, with dazzling constellations overhead.
Holidays Atacama Desert
Browse our selection of unique and memorable holidays visiting the Atacama Desert. Book now with Journey Latin America.
Private Journeys
Chile
Active Chile: Andean Skiing and Atacama Desert Adventures
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Group - Classic
Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia / Chile
Andean Flamingo: Andes laid bare
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Chile
Luxury Chile: Exclusive lodges and untamed landscapes
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Group - Discovery
Argentina / Chile / Bolivia / Lake Titicaca / Peru
Pato Andino: Panorama of the Andes
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Things to do
Enjoy a range of activities in the Atacama Desert, from seeing flamingos in the salt flats to exploring the Valley of the Moon, hand-selected by our travel experts.
Accommodation
After a memorable day exploring the rugged Atacama Desert landscape, relax in our selection of comfortable hotels. Browse our unrivalled accommodation portfolio today.
Where to go when - our guide to Atacama Desert
The Weather in the Atacama Desert
This lunar landscape is the world’s driest desert, where rain falls an average of six days a year. Its hissing geysers, sprawling salt flats and otherworldly valleys of magnificent amber rocks are accessible throughout the year, with daytime temperatures remaining mostly in the 20°Cs thanks to the high altitude. Though chances of rainfall are very slim, it is worth bearing in mind that January has seen some downpours in recent years which are best avoided as they may restrict access to the salt flats.
Chilean summer runs from December to February, offering warmer, sunnier weather by day and the best conditions for viewing the Milky Way at night. During this time flocks of wild flamingos, which are scattered across the salt flats year-round, gather together in huge numbers. The resultant haze of magenta feathers against orange and purple-hued mountains is spectacular. In the run-up to Lent, you may catch the regional festivities of el Carnavalón.
March-May and September-November are pleasant shoulder seasons with somewhat cooler temperatures and fewer visitors. The winter months of June-August bring chilly nights which reach below zero degrees, and the added possibility of snowfall in July means this could be a less ideal time to visit. Then again, July coincides with the Fiesta de la Tirana, where locals don flamboyant costumes for the dance of the devil in the Tarapacá region.
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