The Atacama Desert: What to See

Located in northern Chile, the Atacama Desert is the most arid, non-polar place on Earth. Despite being incredibly dry, this desert is full of beautiful landscapes that you should have on your bucket list. That’s why today at Civitatis, we’ve put together a handy list of what to see in the Atacama Desert!

The town of San Pedro de Atacama is the gateway to the best natural landscapes in the Atacama Desert. If you’d like to visit the places on our list below, we recommend finding accommodation in this town. In addition, San Pedro de Atacama is among the places with the cleanest and clearest skies in the world, making it a prime spot for stargazing!

Salar de Atacama

First up, the Salar de Atacama, the largest salt deposit in Chile! The area’s dry and special climatic conditions make it the ideal place for sodium chloride to form and collect. Did you know that, despite its high level of salinity, this antiplano is incredibly biodiverse? You’ll find a huge colony of flamingos and other Andean animals here, such as guanacos and vicuñas!

Although the Salar de Atacama is beautiful and well worth a visit at any time of the day, we recommend visiting either at sunrise or sunset. The reflection of the sun’s scarlet and orange tones at these times of day on the white surface of the salt flat creates a truly postcard-worthy landscape. Don’t forget your camera!

Join us and enjoy the beauty of the Salar de Atacama on this excursion to Piedras Rojas, Salar de Atacama, and the Altiplano Lakes.

Valle de la Luna

Only 13 kilometres (8 miles) separate the town of San Pedro de Atacama from the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), one of the main tourist attractions in the Chilean desert. As its name suggests, this valley’s landscapes look a lot like the moon. You only need to walk through the valley to sense how vast and desolate the terrain is!

Over the years, the wind and other erosive agents have shaped the rocks, resulting in an otherworldly landscape, with stones and cliffs of incredibly diverse shapes. If you let your imagination run wild, you might even make out the figures of various animals and other objects!

To see the Valle de la Luna in all its glory, why not enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon ride over San Pedro de Atacama?

Cordillera de la Sal

The Cordillera de la Sal (Salt Mountain Range) is another of the great natural gems in the Atacama Desert. Located next to the Valle de la Luna, this mountain range extends through a terrain of salty and totally arid soils. It’s also a karstic landscape, meaning it’s composed of soluble minerals. You can’t miss this truly magical and peaceful landscape if you want to get up close and personal with nature.

As with the Salar de Atacama, the Cordillera de la Sal is also worth a visit at sunrise or sunset. Plus, the absence of human constructions for miles around means you can admire the landscapes without any obstacles blocking the view.

Join this excursion to the Cordillera de la Sal to experience its beauty and discover how a bus once became stranded in one of the most arid deserts in the world!

Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache

You’ve definitely got to visit the Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache, a group of 7 small saltwater lakes, famous for their intense turquoise waters. Unlike the name suggests, they’re not so hidden anymore, but they’re still a stunning sight to see!

When you wade, you’ll feel weightless as you float on the surface of the salty waters. The surrounding area also has a striking colour contrast, where the deep turquoise blue lagoons contrast against the bright white salty ground.

If you fancy a dip in these waters, don’t miss this excursion to the Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache from San Pedro de Atacama!

Rainbow Valley

Another must-see in the Atacama Desert is Rainbow Valley. Its name certainly lives up to expectations! You’ll encounter a huge variety of colours on these hills, from ocher to blue and red to green. These colour contrasts are due to the huge diversity of rocks and minerals that are found in this unique desert terrain.

The Rainbow Valley is a magnet for photography lovers. Wherever you look, you’ll find a unique perspective from where you can capture extraordinary views of the landscape. See these colourful mountains in person on this excursion to Rainbow Valley!

Piedras Rojas of Atacama

Looking for even more colour in the Atacama Desert? Find shades of red and crimson at the Piedras Rojas (Red Rocks) site! The rugged and reddish terrain feels like you’re on Mars. The red rocks sharply contrast with the clear, blue Chilean sky, creating a truly unique and beautiful landscape.

In sum, the Atacama Desert isn’t just an arid and inhospitable terrain. It’s also a beautiful, extraordinary landscape with incredible natural gems that you’ve got to see at least once in your lifetime. Let’s go!