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L
ocated at the bottom of South America,
Chile extends 2,650 miles from southern
Peru to the icy waters of Cape Horn
and its diverse landscapes vary from
the world’s driest desert, the Atacama, to the
granite towers of Patagonia.
On its southwestern coast tiny islands splinter
into the Pacific, while 2,182 miles away lies its
Polynesian satellite, Easter Island, one of the
most remote inhabited islands in the world.
Chile requires the longest direct flight in British
Airways’ schedule but the 14 hours are well
worth it.
Over the years I’ve visited Chile throughout
the seasons, travelling through most of its 39
degrees of latitude, and the country never fails
to charm and amaze me with its many scenic
wonders, enhanced by the generosity and
warmth of the Chilean people.
Arrive in Santiago during our northern
hemisphere winter and you’ll find a delightful
southern summer.
An hour west of this cosmopolitan city is the
Pacific Ocean, an hour south the winelands,
and east takes you quickly to the Andes for
summer resorts or winter skiing.
Forsaking the pleasures of Santiago on this trip
I headed north with a two-hour flight straight to
the Atacama Desert, one of the most unique
and varied regions on the continent.
Just a short drive from the airport is the oasis
town of San Pedro de Atacama where Awasi
Atacama stands out from other hotels for its
native architecture; a construction of adobe,
wood and stone with thatched roofs.
Immediately on arrival the stunning interior
details and the warmth of the welcome are
striking.
Each room is assigned a private guide and
vehicle and the menu of tours included makes
a four or five-day stay essential.
Within an hour I was exploring ‘downtown’ San
Pedro with my guide.
The Archaeological Museum here contains
the eerie remains of lost civilisations including
ancient mummies that have been preserved in
the dry desert air. The museum is impressive
and a good starting point for exploring the
surrounding desert, supposedly the world’s
most arid region and renowned for its profound
beauty – and this is where the guides of Awasi
truly excel.
Rising early at 4am when it’s close to freezing
is not a pleasant prospect in most parts of the
world, however, encouraged by my excellent
guide Juanjo, the morning felt full of promise.
I’ve travelled with dozens of guides over the
years but Juanjo and his colleagues have a
love for the Atacama which is as contagious as
it is inspiring.
We drove out of town through valleys and
passes in the dark to be rewarded with the
view of geysers bursting from the frozen earth
at sunrise.
The altiplano, or high plain, is bare of trees and
myriad colours of iron ore and rust contrast
in the glorious sunshine with the blues and
greens of the springs and the brilliant white of
the nearby salt flats.
This is also home to the flocks of pink
flamingos that made their debut ‘ballet’
performance so hilariously on the BBC series
Planet Earth
.
More than a
taste of Chile
Now is the time to spring into a South American adventure and
RICHARD LAKER gives you a taste of the perfect itinerary
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