Chile: Atacama Desert: Kimal

The Atacama desert, at first sight harsh and inhospitable, was in fact home to a thriving pre-Columbian culture, of which many vestiges remain to this day. It stretches down the western flank of the Andes from Peru to northern Chile and has the reputation of being the driest in the world.

The small oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama is the main starting point for trips into the Atacama Desert with its dramatic and varied landscapes: vast sand dunes, glistening white expanses of salt flats, bubbling geysers and hot springs, rugged canyons and volcanoes 

Kimal has an excellent location just a stone’s throw from the centre of town. It is nonetheless a peaceful little place set within an old orchard.

Certainly, the small circular swimming pool and Jacuzzi are very welcome after a day’s escapades into the desert. The building is constructed solely from local materials. There are 19 rooms differing in size, with earthen-hued adobe walls, wooden floors and reed ceilings. Locally-woven rugs and tapestries add a splash of colour. Most rooms have an outside seating area. There is also a largely al fresco restaurant serving local fare.

Our Comment

An excursion to Moon Valley is a must – a short drive followed by a 1½-hour walk through a lunar landscape of dunes, gullies and canyons. A gentle ascent towards the end rewards hikers with a magnificent, unforgettable view over the valley, especially at sunsetomment goes here
David Nichols, Product Manager

  Kimal pool
Kimal pool

Kimal's rustic restaurant
Kimal's rustic restaurant

Kimal adobe walls
Kimal adobe walls


 
 
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