A Launchpad for Scenic Adventures

After I decided that I'd be going to Patagonia, I knew I could not miss including the Atacama Desert in the itinerary. Being a solo traveler and a very infrequent driver, finding a good deal was admittedly a challenge. But in the end, I was able to cobble something budget friendly together and have an amazing several days.

How did I get there? It all started with a 3am wakeup call to go to the airport - and as much as we try to avoid these hours, sometimes it's the best start to a day. Aside from driving or taking the bus to the Atacama from Santiago, one can fly inexpensively from Santiago to Calama, a nearby town. From there, you can rent or a car, take a bus - though albeit only a 2 hr ride, or take a transfer with Transvip when you land. For about $20 CAD, they'll drop you right at your hotel. You can also book a transfer back, though I opted for the bus but more on that later.

After a scenic drive, they dropped me off at the hostal. You can easily search hotels.com or bookings.com, any one of those sites. Me, I like staying right in the middle of the town. Even though there are nicer hotels about 10 minutes walking, those 10 minutes can seem far in the night, and you might find yourself out at those late hours. My room wasn't quite ready yet, which was fine. Right after I dropped my bag off, I headed off to the agencies to book myself my tours.

Prior to leaving, I'd only booked the Moon Valley tour through keteka.com . There didn't seem to be much online except through Viator and I'd heard from a friend I can easily book once I arrive. A lot of agencies only take cash though, so bring extra or be prepared to exchange money or use an ATM. It's almost overwhelming trying to pick an agency. You want a good tour and for a fair price, and it can be hard to pick. Through the grapevine, I'd later find out that there are only 3 companies who, if you book with them, guarantee that tour is actually run by them (Viva Atacama, Terre Extreme and Flamingo). Most, if not all the guides, are actually contractors too that work with varying companies. I spent a good part of the morning and early afternoon sorting out my next 3 days in the Atacama, and ended up booking 3 tours with Terre Extreme (Lagunas Altiplanica, Salar de Tara and the Rainbow Valley).

When the mid-afternoon rolled around, I was all set and ready to go on the Moon Valley tour through Keteka's local operator (White & Green). Be aware that nearly every tour you take will be bilingual (Spanish and English). Most tours follow similar itineraries but not won't be identical. Ours would turn out to be a really fun one as we made the short 10km drive out from town.

Our first stop would be the Three Marias, which also became the setting for a brief rainstorm in the driest desert in the area. Picture the surprise on our face as the raindrops started falling fast and furious before we ran back to the van for cover. Fortunately, the rain didn't last long, and soon enough we were back to climbing dunes, going higher and higher to take in the unusual lunar landscape. Later, we would also visit some salt caves (not everyone goes!) near the entrance. Remember to bring a headlamp and be a little careful with some tight spaces.

Finally, it was off to a viewpoint for sunset. Our tour had advertised sunset atop the Big Dune, but the way we spent our hours was perfect. I want to say we went to the Mirador de Kari, but writing this a few weeks later, I really can't be sure anymore.Read more