Atacama Desert

On arrival at the airport in Calama, you’ll be warmly greeted and escorted to your choice of luxury desert lodge. The scenic journey to either Explora Atacama or the Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa takes about 90 minutes and transports you from a lively Chilean town into a breathtaking wilderness of dramatic mountain ranges, hidden valleys and the bone-dry Atacama Desert. Settle in to your spacious, stylishly appointed guestroom and take in the mesmerizing views. This evening, you’ll sit down to a farm-to-table dinner prepared by our lodge’s skilled chefs and accompanied by fine Chilean wines.  Meals D

Choose from a wide variety of included excursions, and tailor your exploration to your own interests and personal taste for adventure. Led by experienced naturalists or culturally-savvy guides, you’ll be joined by just a small group of other Lodge guests so as to leave no trace. Cultural excursions usually combine traveling in a comfortable van and some walking or hiking; you can meet with villagers in the High Andes, discover ancient petroglyphs that reveal the development of the region’s ancient farming communities, or explore the archaeological site at Tulor.
 
Back at your luxury lodge, you’ll enjoy delightful dining accompanied by fine house wines, spirits and beverages. This evening, you might join an Astronomical Adventure! The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth; with such low humidity, nearly cloud-free skies, and the absence of ambient light, this is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. With a powerful telescope and an expert guide to enrich your star-gazing experience. If the moon is full during your stay at Alto Atacama, you can even join an exciting 2.5-mile night-time walk into the appropriately named Valley of Mars!  Meals B+L+D

With our luxury eco-lodge as your base, delight in another day of guided adventures and activities. Once again, you can choose from a variety of included excursions to pursue your personal interests. Guided excursions by van can take you quite far afield, if you wish… to explore a high-mountain geothermal field of bubbling mud pools, geysers and fumaroles; to learn about the geological forces that formed the ethereal landscapes of the Valley of the Moon, or to experience rural life in remote mountain villages. Longer, more challenging hikes and guided mountain biking expeditions are available for active travelers. In addition, our guests at Explora Atacama can explore the desert landscapes on a variety of horseback riding excursions.
 
Again, fine dining back at your lodge is accompanied by a selection of house wines, spirits and beverages. And in between meals and excursions, you might opt for a spa treatment, go for a swim, or just enjoy the magical desert ambience of your lodge. Meals B+L+D

After breakfast, we’ll take you back to the airport in Calama for your onward journey.  Meals B