Visit Tatacoa Desert
Visit the startling red desert at Tatacoa, a starkly beautiful wilderness of arid, sculptured rock.
Yes it’s a desert – strictly speaking, it’s called dry forest, but there are certainly no trees in this well defined region of arid lava flows and sand dunes scorched by a relentless sun. Created as a result of an odd configuration of meteorological characteristics, it’s a crumbly, tortured, other-worldly landscape which would be well at home on Mars, with unexplained towers of vertical rock cut through by dry furrows.
You can wander along faint trails through the rust-red Laberintos de Cuzco closest to the village of Villa Vieja 37km away, or the peal white lava sculptures further on, maybe pausing at the look-out point at La Ventanas and one of a few basic countryside eateries.
You’ll be spellbound by the silence, disturbed by just a few fluttering birds, and, if visiting at sunset, the bright palette of colours from russet to gold. There’s time to wonder at the fact that close by are the foliage-choked banks of the Magdalena river and rolling hills blanketed with coffee plantations. If you manage to visit at night when the sky is clear, you can enjoy marvellous views of an explosion of stars, best viewed from the Observatory 6km from town.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.
