San Pedro de Atacama

If given the opportunity, go to San Pedro de Atacama. It is unlike any other place that I've ever been, and I'd be willing to bet it's unlike a lot of other places on the planet. Getting there is a hassle--it's about 700 miles north of Santiago, which is either a two hour flight or a twenty hour bus ride. Strangely, these are around the same price. To get there, you have to fly to Calama, which Lonely Planet describes (verbatim) as a "honestly, kind of a shithole." As we landed, my friend in the window seat said "I think we're in Tatooine"--it only lacked an extra sun and moisture farms. San Pedro is about an hour away from Calama by bus, and honestly one of the cooler places in the world.

The Atacama, if you didn't know, is the world's highest and driest desert--there are parts there that have never had any recorded rainfall. The whole area is between 12,000 and 14,000 feet in elevation, so there are some unusual views. Incredible mountains and volcanoes everywhere, wild flamingos and vicuñas, geysers, thermal springs, and crazy rock formations. And at night, a view of the stars so expansive that it's impossible to not be moved. I could write more and more about this, but if a picture is really worth a thousand words, here's a ten thousand word essay:

This is downtown San Pedro de Atacama. Every building is white or brown adobe, and most of them are part of the tourism industry, which gives the whole town a resort vibe. It has a really laid-back feel to the place, and you see a lot of tourists eating at 5-star restaurants in Chacos and t-shirts. 

Rock formations in Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley). These are made entirely out of salt, and there are no plants or animals anywhere in the entire area. Supposedly, it's the closest you can get to a lunar surface without working for NASA. 

Chilean National Flamingo reserve. This is in the middle of the largest salt flats in the world. There are a few small lakes in this area, which supply an incredibly intricate ecosystem. Three of the five flamingo species in the world live in this area. And, those are volcanoes in the background. Yeah, awesome.

Altiplano Lakes. These are some of the highest lakes in the world, at about 16,000 feet. It was incredibly cold and windy up here, and the altitude was really bothering a few of the people in our group. I'm also wearing shorts and sandals in this picture. Our guide made fun of me, and I can't blame him. 

Tatiano geyser at sunrise. This is about three miles from the Bolivian border, and these are the highest altitude geysers in the world. I was kind of surprised, but you're allowed to wander up and stand over the geysers. I guess that's a benefit of living in a less-litigious society--the only warning sign said "Geysers are hot, be aware that the nearest hospital is in Calama." I love it.

There also were geothermal springs, which were tepid at best. That's me, Dylan, Nico, Alicia, Linna, and Joey swimming and trying to look warm. They were fun, but I exceeded my yearly old German man in Speedo quotient in one morning. It's impossible to not look weird in a Speedo, and I think the culture that has produced Wagner, Dresden, and the finest automobiles in the world should catch up on that.

Llama kebabs. I also ate a llama, egg, and potato empanada. It is a surprisingly delicious meat, and tastes a lot like a lesser cut of steak. Think flank steak, not New York strip. I really enjoy eating new animals, and this is one that I can cross off of my bucket list. 

Sunset from the back yard of our rental house. That's the Lincanabur volcano--it's about twenty miles away, and forms the border with Bolivia. Not a bad view to see every night. 

This trip was really one of the more enjoyable ones I've ever been on. Everything from renting a house to booking plane tickets to making bus connections went smoothly, everyone got along great, and the area was as incredible as it was supposed to be. I've been really blessed to have visited a lot of cool places in my life, but few have left me as ready to go back as San Pedro.