The oasis without a desert is nothing more than a residential complex with a swimming pool. The oasis owes its importance to the desert as water owes its importance to thirst. Atacama, the driest area in the world, owes its importance to volcanoes and geysers.

It may not have the elegance of Versailles, but walking through the French garden is not comparable to exploring the Chilean dunes.

If you come, keep in mind that Atacama is the extension of the sun on earth. In this part of Chile it rains every 15 years, so you may not need a raincoat. Warm clothes, yes, because at night it gets a little cold: up to 25 degrees below zero are recorded in some points.

As for the heat, you don't have to worry. The thermometer does not exceed 50 degrees in summer. Not much for you.

The temperature is also an incentive. That's why you choose Atacama instead of Siberia.

If you opt for the Atacama Desert It is not to enjoy the storms, but rather its 12 volcanoes and 80 geysers that propel water over 10 meters high. And, of course, San Pedro de Atacama, the base camp, whose endemic vegetation, a consequence of the symbiosis between the river and the desert, is the first gift that this route offers you.

San Pedro de Atacama

The offer of excursions and adventure sports What you can hire in this town is enormous. I suggest six:

What to see in the Atacama Desert in Chile

1. Tatio Geysers 

It is the largest group of geysers in the southern hemisphere and is among the largest on Earth, along with those of Yellowstone, Kronotski and the Golden Circle of Iceland. Located at 4,200 meters, they are part of the geothermal field located at the highest altitude in the world.

Tatio Geysers

The journey from San Pedro lasts an hour and a half, so it is preferable that you start the excursion as soon as possible. My suggestion is that you do it at dawn, around four in the morning, because it is the time of greatest activity of the geysers.

Don't worry if getting up early leaves you exhausted because at the end of the visit you can relax with a bath in the warm waters of a thermal pool.

When you return you may come across flamingos, vicuñas and red foxes.

2. Death Valley and Moon Valley

You have, yes or yes, to travel through one of these two valleys by bicycle or horseback so that you can include this trip in your catalog of good times. You will surely include it if you look at the wonderful sunset from the Coyote stone, in the Valley of the Moon.

Coyote Stone © José M. Moya

If you want to live a new experience, attend the night party where you can practice snowboarding over the dunes to the rhythm of electronic music.

Sandboarding in Death Valley © José M. Moya

3. Night astronomical observation

Astronomers assure that there is no better place in the world to see the cosmos than northern Chile. Which explains why there are 42 scientific or tourist observatories installed here, which take advantage of a combination of factors that do not occur in other places: atmospheric stability, dry climate, clear skies and no pollution.

Astronomical observatory in Atacama

If you are passionate about astronomy you cannot miss this activity on Teide under the stars, in which you will discover one of the best places in Spain to enjoy the love of the stars.

4. Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) and Laguna de los Flamencos

Bolivia, a step away from San Pedro de Atacama, will not disappoint you.

Book a 3-day ATV tour. You will visit the Uyuni salt flat and the Incahuasi island. Also the Colorada lagoon and other points of interest on the plateau, such as the Verde lagoon, the Blanca lagoon, the Daly desert, the thermal water pools and the geysers of Sol de Mañana.

Uyuni Salt Flats from Incahuasi Island

If you start the excursion in San Pedro you can return to the point of origin or end in Uyuni, in case you decide to continue your adventure in Bolivia.

Flamingos in Laguna Colorada

The flamingo is also a frequent bird in the Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve; How can you check by doing a visit between flamingos and windmills in Mota del Cuervo, Cuenca.

5. The “Flowering Desert”

In it Atacama Desert Plant species with low water consumption survive for long periods in a state of dormancy, until a year of rain arrives, transforming an arid landscape of sand and stone into a miracle of corollas.

Thousands of Sispiros del mar, in violet and white tones, and Añañucas, yellow, join the usual flowers of the place: the lion's claws, in red, and the calandrinia, in red, purple or white.

Flowerful desert

The flowering It begins at the end of July and runs until November. It is significant in the territory that runs from the south of the Cuesta Pajonales to the southern limit of the Antofagasta Region. Also in the Atacama region.

6. Rise of the Láscar, Licancabur and Sairecabur Volcanoes

Don't let the height scare you. They are big, but not bullies. The rise to the Atacama volcanoes near San Pedro is an activity available to almost everyone. You don't have to be an expert mountaineer, it just requires some preparation, acclimatization and enough courage to embark on the adventure.

Of the wide range of volcano ascents in this area, I describe the climb to a hill, so that you can get some practice, and three spectacular volcanoes:

A) Cerro Toco 

Cerro Toco (ancient volcano) is one of the most accessible and easy to climb in the vicinity of San Pedro. However, before venturing out, I recommend that you take several routes at altitude so that you can achieve adequate acclimatization.

Climb to Cerro Toco  © José M. Moya

It is a climb for beginners. His ascension does not entail any difficulty. Not even when there is snow.

Its maximum slope is 15 degrees and it runs through a well-protected valley.

There is no risk of falling. Yes, on the contrary, there is something to be excited about once reaching the summit because the views of the Licancabur volcano and Juriques hill are magnificent.

Summit of Cerro Toco (5,604 meters above sea level)  © José M. Moya

B) Láscar Volcano

The Láscar impresses with its permanent fumarole, noticeable from San Pedro.

It is a highly active volcano, with volcanic ash eruptions almost annually.

The climb is especially dangerous during summer storms (December to February), since a change in wind direction can cause ash or even acid rain to surround you.

At its summit there are 6 craters. The central one is the one that has registered the greatest activity during the last centuries. It almost continuously emits gases with high sulfur dioxide content.

Láscar Volcano (5,600 meters above sea level)

Technically it is an easy mountain, with a maximum of 25 degrees of inclination.

If your physical shape is adequate you can climb it in a single day.

The ascent begins at Laguna Lejía. The goal is the crater, which is about 3 kilometers in diameter. From there, the summit is an hour long.

C) Licancabur Volcano

He is the king of Atacama volcanoes. It dominates the landscape due to its perfect pyramidal shape and its nearly 6,000 meters. of altitude.

Climbing it is a challenge, but you like challenges.  

Licancabur Volcano (5,917 m, left) and Juriques (right) under the Laguna Verde

It is an inactive volcano, which is accessed through the Bolivian border. It has loose material from ancient eruptions and a maximum inclination of 35 degrees. It is a demanding ascent, in which you will spend a couple of days, but without technical difficulty.

D) Sairecabur Volcano

The base is located just two hours by jeep from San Pedro de Atacama.

It is an inactive volcano, with two nicknames, La Teta and bad weather volcano.

By road, the highest in Chile, you will reach the point where the climb on foot begins. It is possible, however, that the accumulation of snow will make it difficult for you to ascend above 5,200 meters.

If not, up to 5,500 m the climb is gentle and rocky. At that level is the crater, whose diameter is 5.5 kilometers. You must cross diagonally to continue the ascent.

Sairecabur volcano. 500 m wall and top (6,040 m) 

From there, you will ascend a gentle slope to some sulfur mines. At that point a steep climb of up to 45 degrees to the top begins.

The steep slope, together with the presence of large rocks, which have to be climbed, makes the climb difficult.

It is a demanding climb and requires some technique, although you will not need to climb at any time or use fixed ropes.

Walking over the immense crater (5.5 km) 

If you are an expert mountaineer, I recommend two volcanoes that are close to 7,000 meters: Llullaillaco (6,760 m) and Ojos del Salado, which at 6,891 meters is the highest volcano in the world.

Climbing them requires more preparation and also time: the expeditions last around a week.

If you do not have much expertise or the means to get to Chile, you can do a simple route to see the volcanoes of La Palma, in the Canary Islands.

He Atacama Desert He is an unshaven man who does not need to shave to appear to be a good person. It is and that's it. The least friendly side of the earth is the most sincere.

Atacama awaits you so you can discover that the volcano and the traveler are made for each other.

The experience will be unforgettable, I assure you.