Chile: Atacama Desert: Tierra Atacama

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.

This dry and at first sight inhospitable desert has been, throughout history, surprisingly well-populated and vestiges of the pre-Conquest San Pedro culture are to be found everywhere. Tierra Atacama was built on a former cattle corral, the adobe walls of which have been preserved.

The hotel has a cutting edge, neo-minimalist contemporary style which nevertheless reflects aspects of this cultural history. The rooms have private terraces and views over the Licancabur volcano and offer a serene environment (no TV) with good hotel amenities.
 
Guests at Tierra Atacama are encouraged to mingle in the lounge or bar in an informal atmosphere. You can relax around the swimming pool in the landscaped garden or on a sunken sofa on the terrace, warmed by open fires.

The management is proud of the restaurant, which uses fresh local ingredients including vegetables from the hotel’s own garden. Meals are taken communally so that you can easily make new friends.

There’s a choice of daily excursions, including hikes, a day trip to the Tatio Geysers and bike rides through Atacamenian villages. On return, you can wind down at the spa, Jacuzzi or with a massage.

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