Destination San Pedro de Atacama - The Tierra Atacama Experience
​(Tour Report July 2014 - Updated Sept 2017)
​Travelling to the Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa in San Pedro de Atacama is a journey from the familiar world to an exotic oasis in the midst of the driest desert on Earth.  The contrasts between San Pedro and Santiago cannot be greater, also reflecting the enormous contrasts that you will find in the land of the Atacama, where the unique magic of its oasis contrasts with the surrounding mountains and desert.  While San Pedro is in the middle of a vast, seemingly barren land, one discovers that it is a land filled with hidden treasures for the avid traveller to unveil.  Here, with Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa ​as your exclusive home from home, you will find magic beauty, unique flora and fauna, and sublime tranquillity! 
Whispy clouds and sun greet us as we land at Calama and head for San Pedro.  Later, as rare rains fall (due to the "Bolivian winter"), our guides rejoice at the welcome blessing of water.  When we then see fresh snow on the distant heights of Volcan Licancabur, we share their amazement and joy at the special beauty.  From the moment we arrive at the airport and are greeted by our friendly driver, we feel pampered.  The air-conditioned car has chilled bottles of water and soft drinks ready for us, and our driver, Luis, offers advice, information and the odd tip about San Pedro as he transports us safely to our Hotel.  He explains that we will cross the “Cordillera de Domeyko” en route, an amazing geological formation squeezed between the coastal range behind us, and the Andes, ahead.  Later, in the "Cordillera de la Sal", we will visit the mysterious sounding  “Valle de la Muerte” and “Valle de la Luna”!
 Past Atacamenos lived in small communities of extended families called ayllus.  They used canals to share water, pooled labour and employed other means of communal life.  Tierra Atacama’s land is part of the Ayllu de Yaye, and is built where a cattle corral existed in ancient times.  The adobe walls surrounding the resort are part of the original corral, and are preserved today as a monument to history, an exclusive feature of Tierra Atacama Hotel.  Hidden behind walls of rocks, the hotel rises from among vines, fruit trees, flowers, lizards, and bees.  In the lobby we are greeted by the manager of the Hotel, and after seeing our lovely room and freshening up, we go to meet Paula, our tour coordinator.  Sitting in front of a magnificent map, Paula explained what tours were on offer - so many - then carefully tailored tours to suit our interests and abilities.​​
Then  it was time for lunch!  Lunch is always a choice of two or three starters, main courses and desserts.  Everything looks delicious making it very difficult to choose, but finally I make up my mind hoping not to regret it.  I don’t, it is just the right thing!  Dessert is easy; just choose the most exotic one of the three!  After this welcoming meal, we go to our room where we have time to rest a little before embarking on the first of our adventures that afternoon:  visiting the village of Toconao and then Chaxa Lake, home to 3 of the world’s 4 species of flamingos.
Although we have Wi-Fi in our room (& throughout the Hotel), there are no TV’s in the rooms.  You are thus invited to relax, switch-off, and enjoy your visit, whilst retaining the possibility of staying connected to the outside world if one so wishes.
Tailor made excursions offer time for adventure and Paula, our coordinator, suggested what were the best times for each visit.  So, she suggested visiting Chaxa Lake during sunset, the best time for photographs.  The guides, in turn, are very cheerful and all speak some combination of English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and/or even some Italian or German!).   They spare no opportunity to show us around, and clearly feel a great deal of pride and love for San Pedro and its environs.   En route to Toconao village, we pass an area planted with Tamarugo trees and scent their soft, sweet fragrance.  They are unique to Chile and can survive without rain, using dew to obtain their moisture.  These trees were planted here in the 1960’s to prevent further desertification of the land.  The trees are slowly yielding to the harsh conditions of the land and climate; only the stronger ones survive. 
Finally we arrive at Chaxa, a large salt lake that is home to flamingos.  Visiting Chaxa just before sunset is ideal, as the flamingos are more active then, and are feeding or flying overhead.  The soft light from the fading sun highlights the flat land, making one appreciate the fact that we are now standing on the bottom of an ancient lake, once measuring 320,000 hectares in size.  Today, only a percentile of this is protected as the National Flamingo Reserve, itself a micro-biosphere within the “Salar de Atacama”, located at 2,300m above sea level, that has been formed by the constant accumulation of crystals produced by the evaporation of underground water.  Returning to the Hotel for dinner, we have already made friends with other guests and share a pleasant time joining tables and talking about the highlights of this day and the plans we have for tomorrow!
Today it is time for us to visit Valle de la Luna ​(Moon Valley) and Valle de la Muerte​ (Valley of Death)!  Only a half-hour drive from our hotel takes you to a far distant environment!  Strolling down an ancient dry watercourse or playing like kids among the sand dunes, we admire the beauty and splendour of this desert world.  The intensity of the colours, brilliance of the light and bizarre, almost unearthly, formations leave one stunned at the beauty.  Tired and satisfied, we return to the hotel, just in time for a refreshing drink in the bar followed by a relaxing and enjoyable lunch.  We chose to spend the afternoon visiting the warm waters of Puritama, sharing a pool with dozens of little fish swimming around us.  The green of the small oasis at the Puritama Hot Springs contrasts amazingly with the steep lifeless walls of its narrow valley.  Upon our return, dinner is waiting, with another fabulous menu!
Day 3, we are up at 5:00 am for one of the highlights of the trip: a visit to the Tatio Geysers.  Coffee, tea and coca tea await us in the dinning room; there’s cake as well!  Each of us grabs a bite and some liquid, then we set off for the 90 kms ride to the Geysers.  The Tatio Geysers are at 4,400m AMSL, so the road climbs steeply upwards as it winds out of the Salar.  Some start feeling a bit breathless at 3,400... But we’re still 1,000 mt short of reaching the altitude and some 55 km away from the site!  Our guides are extremely safety conscious, and keep an eye on all of us to be sure no one has any difficulties.  The Tatio Geysers offer scenery that seems taken from a sci-fi movie – comprising a wide area with many geysers, boiling pools, and steaming vents.  All eerily come into view in the early morning light.  At the Geysers, a simple breakfast is offered, with hot drinks to ward off the chill.  The return is equally wondrous, with the Andes range, birds and vicuña to be seen.​
Many different excursions are possible with Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, so varied that you will want to come back for more!   Such as: 
  • A lake where you can wade and not sink; they have yet to have the first immersion victim in Lago Cejar, just 17 km from the hotel.  With turquoise waters and surrounded by salt crystals it is an experience not to be missed!  
  • Miscanti and Miñiques are two Altiplano lakes situated at more than 4,000 m of elevation, really worth a visit.   Here also is Laguna Verde at 4,325m, with waters a deep emerald green.
  • Take a horseback ride to discover the desert scenery (2-5hrs).
  • Bicycle to Cejar Lagoon, or through the Devils Canyon, or to another ayllus. 
  • San Pedro itself beckons, with its tiny, unique shops; a square with some of the oldest buildings in Chile, and a famous church. 
  • In the distance, protecting the town from above, one can visit the Pukará de Quitor (Fort Quitor), an ancient fortification built by the Atacameños 900 years ago, and equally old Aldea Tulor.
​When the many excursions offered by Tierra Atacama Hotel and Spa, only a few of which I have mentioned here, make you feel the need for a little pampering, you can also experience the lovely Uma Spa at the hotel, with its swimming pools, or massages, at your leisure!  Floating under the wide desert sky, or soaking in a hot tub beckon at any time.
One of the most pleasant and enjoyable aspects of visiting Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa was certainly the guides provided by the hotel.  They were uniformly knowledgeable and articulate (in multiple languages!), well able to provide local insight for every visitor.  Their love of the area, and their pride and care for its unique and fragile environment left us with a lasting appreciation of this unforgettable trip.
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