The more I travel, the more I come to realize that I am a sucker for natural wonders.
I am astounded, excited, and sometimes perturbed by what nature has created without the help of man.
While man-made structures like the Eiffel Tower impress me, it is the sometimes bizarre, sometimes unimaginable natural structures that really get me.
This is why I enjoyed Chile’s Atacama Desert, and do not hesitate to say that it has the most interesting physical geography of any place that I have ever visited.
My first day in the desert, I arrived in San Pedro de Atacama and embarked on a tour of two valleys: Moon Valley and Mars/Death Valley. The eerie landscapes, which resembled something out of the Mad Max movies, destabilized me with their sheer size and barren-ness.
My second day in the desert, however, involved a day-long tour of the Salar de Atacama and a few surrounding lagunas.
The Salar de Atacama roughly translates to the Atacama Salt Flat and is, in fact, the largest salt flat in Chile. Pictures I had checked online revealed that I would be in store for something very different looking from the previous day’s jaunt around Moon and Death Valleys.
The previous day’s brown, hot, and dusty landscape had made way for the very white and cold landscape you see above. Though it resembled ice, we were told that what we were walking on was indeed salt, hardened and accumulated over time. While I was astounded by my surroundings, the climate was equally boggling to me. Just yesterday I was sweating away and peeling off layers of clothing, while here I shivered and actually felt inadequately dressed! My thin gloves and fleece barely shielded me from the cold and I was thankful that I had thought to bring my scarf. Funnily enough, that very scarf, which had protected me from blowing sand the day before, was now serving to keep my ears and head warm! We were about 7000 feet above sea level, which would explain the drastic downward drop in temperature.
The tour, comprised of nine other tourists and myself, navigated the craggy, salty terrain and tried to distract ourselves from the cold that bit at our exposed pieces of flesh. Our very knowledgeable guide, the very charming Marcel, explained the physical and chemical composition of the salt flat, but since I don’t understand Chilean Spanish, I caught very little of what he said. Rats.
No worries because in the distance there was the Laguna de Chaxa, where we saw pretty flamingos preening themselves in the chilly water. Apparently, these are a special breed known as the Andean flamingo, which have, through evolution, adapted to the high altitude and chilly temperatures in this hostile, near-barren environment.
After visited a few of the surrounding areas, we ended up at the noteworthy Laguna Atiplanica. I think my description will end here. I simply don’t have the words, and while these pictures barely do the place justice, they provide a slightly better representation of how gorgeous this place is- better than anything I could tell you verbally. Keep in mind that I have not altered or edited these pictures in any way.
If you don’t find this place stunning, I’d have to wager that you don’t have a pulse. Or a heart. Seriously.
Bowled over by beauty, and out of breath from the high elevation and lack of oxygen, the tour neared its end and we started our descent. As we went down in altitude, the temperature went up, and we found ourselves peeling off all the layers of clothing we had so diligently put on before. I stripped down to my little tank top (“singlet” for you Brits), and marvelled at just how quickly I went from cold to hot. A brief bathroom stop in Toconao, a little town known for its pretty church, netted not only the place of worship, but two pleasant surprises:
This adorable cactus,
And these even more adorable llamas(!) in the backyard of the artisan shop that graciously let us use their toilet.
Because, if the landscapes don’t call your name and beckon you to see Chile’s Atacama Desert, cute cactuses (cacti?) and llamas surely will. Right?
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
sheer beauty…looks like it would be quite a spiritual experience. Scenes like this take me there..like seeing the Indian Ocean in Zanzibar at sunrise. This is AMAZING and now on my short list of places to see.
The contrast of the sand with the lagoon is just perfect!
Well done! Because, yep, I wanna go to Chile!
OMG…it looks like a surreal picture where you are standing..God is amazing. and i love the first picture. beautiful!
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Wow. Those photos leave me speechless. Like you, I've always preferred natural wonders to man made ones. This is why I tend to gravitate towards places with beautiful scenery and as few people as possible when planning trips. This is also why I won't miss Paris one bit lol.
I'm definitely going to add Chile to my list of places to go. I think I'd love it.
Oh and are those llamas wearing earrings?? Too cute!
Eeek! Maybe I need to go to Chile. That looks absolutely beautiful.
Yay, new post and with beautiful pics to boot.
I love the way the snow is still settling in the cracks of the mountain.
And hooray for alpacas! Always makes me think of Emperor Kuzco from Emperors New Groove.
I am so with you, natural wonders totally impress me more…you should of seen me with the giant trees in New Zealand. their like 9 meters in DIAMETER.
These pictures are lovely! What an amazing place!
Your photos are amazing! I didn't make it to the salar when I was in San Pedro in 2005 – obviously I need to get back up north asap.
Nature wonders…I love…this is so beautiful.
You do post the most amazing pictures. Absolutely beautiful!
So beautiful! And the llamas so cute!
I can't believe I went there without a camera. What was I thinking? WHO WAS I?!?!! Your pictures are GORGEOUS. I need to get back ASAP.
@raven: When were you in Zanzibar? I went for at the end of 2009 and agree that the sunrise there is gorgeous.
@Ashley: It doesn't seem real!
@Teresa: Glad I was able to convince you!
@Mrs. Pancakes: Cool huh?
@PAPS: Thanks for the follow.
@Crystal: Never noticed that but I think they ARE earrings! As for natural landscapes, you are certainly in luck now that you live in the French Alps!
@Terri: You should go!
@Aritul: Thanks!
@Hannah: Aren't they adorable?! Apparently they spit though…
@Deidre: I am DYING to go to NZ and jealous of your upcoming trip to Vanuatu. Those places look amazing from the pics.
@Emily: I agree, it's definitely worth another trip back. If you have time you should go into Bolivia and see the Salar de Uyuni as they have 4 day trips there and back from San Pedro.
@'Lara: I know, right!?
@Monique: I'm no photographer- it's all the sights!
@Laura: They are adorable!
@Kyle: Maybe we can go to the Salar de Uyuni together with Emily and take a side trip to Atacama so you can get your pics!
Gorgeous photos! The Atacama Desert is my favorite place in Chile. It has such stunning landscapes, and you captured them well!
Wow, what stunning photos Oneika! I agree with you, architecture is one of my great loves but natural beauty takes my breath away and rejuvenates me. I love llamas!