Vast, silent and almost otherworldly, the Atacama Desert hardly feels real at times. One moment you are standing beside mirror-like lagoons filled with flamingos, the next surrounded by steaming geysers or endless stretches of burnt orange rock. Days are built around the landscape here, whether that means sunrise in the valleys or stargazing beneath some of the clearest skies on earth. San Pedro de Atacama acts as the main base, though the true appeal lies far beyond the village itself. Remote and dramatic, this is a place that leaves a lasting impression.

