This desolate region is one of the most striking in Chile, with natural beauty ranging from dramatic desert, salt flats and volcanoes to coastal rock formations. Explore an ancient center of civilization and spend nights stargazing in the region’s perfectly cloudless skies.
The Atacama Desert, said to be one of the driest in the world, stretches out beyond the lively, sun-scorched mining cities of Calama and Antofagasta, for which the region is named. These cities might not be typical tourist destinations, but they are a gateway to the area and offer a taste of everyday Chilean life, plus interesting architecture, restaurants and bars. Make a stop here to discover the history and soak up the atmosphere of these important, active centers of industry. Take a tour to the vast open copper mine at nearby Chuquicamata.
The beaches near the city of Antofagasta are a big draw, too. Look for impressive rock formations off the coast. Don’t miss the famous Portada (Gateway), a natural white arch carved out by the Pacific waves, an 11-mile (18-kilometer) drive to the north of Antofagasta.
The region is blessed with some of the clearest skies in the world, usually experiencing no more than 20 cloudy days per year. This makes it a perfect place for stargazing, and the ideal location to build the Southern Hemisphere’s largest optical infrared observatory. See the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in action at the Paranal Observatory on Mount Paranal, 81 miles (130 kilometers) south of Antofagasta, by registering online for a place on a weekend tour.
Most visitors head straight for northern Chile’s biggest tourist attraction, San Pedro de Atacama, an ancient site settled long before the Spanish conquest and surrounded by an otherworldly landscape of rock formations and geysers. The town itself is a handful of picture-perfect streets surrounding a small main plaza. Take excursions into the nearby Atacama salt flats, the geysers of El Tatio and the Valle de la Luna, or Moon Valley, often said to resemble a lunar landscape.
To reach Antofagasta, fly to Cerro Moreno International Airport from the country’s capital city, Santiago, and other Chilean cities. Use buses to travel between towns.
See striking sights that will stay with you for a lifetime in Antofagasta.
