2015 - Atacama Desert, Chile
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Lunar landscapes, llamas and geysers in northern Chile
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest places on Earth, and it's a truly amazing place! It stretches all the way from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Andes in the east. We started our tour in Calama, made a quick detour to the coast near Tocopilla, and then set up our home base in the heart of the desert in the charming oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama.
Just outside San Pedro are the valleys Valle de la Luna and Valle de la Muerte, which are both rugged and absolutely gorgeous. The deep blue lagoons Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques, which are home to flocks of flamingos, are located on the high plateau around 100 km away. If you want to catch the sunrise at the El Tatio geysers, you'll have to get up quite early, but it's totally worth it! The area is already quite popular with tourists, so it can feel a bit crowded. It's a shame because it's such a beautiful place. Despite the barrenness, the landscape is home to lots of wildlife. There are flamingos, of course, but there are also lots of other birds, dragonflies and lizards that feed on the abundant insects in the salt lakes in the Salar de Atacama. You might even see a vicuña or nandu along the way!