The Travesia Atacama – Uyuni With Explora
It’s no secret that one of the best perks of being a Virtuoso travel advisor is having the opportunity to experience some of the most incredible tours and hotels on the planet.
These “familiarization” trips provide us with valuable insights into destinations, products, and what’s new and exciting. In turn, we use these journeys to craft the perfect experiences for each client.
And every once in a while, these happen to include personal bucket list destinations. Think the Travesia Atacama – Uyuni with Explora.
My Bucket List Dream: The Travesia Atacama – Uyuni
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I’d dreamed about visiting the Atacama Desert in Chile and the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia for a long time. So, I was absolutely thrilled and honored to be invited by Explora to experience their “Travesia” – a private journey from Chile to Bolivia in a 4×4, led by an expert Explora guide and a local driver.
In The Atrocity Exhibition, author J.G. Ballard mused, “Deserts possess a particular magic, since they have exhausted their own futures, and are thus free of time. Anything erected there, a city, a pyramid, a motel, stands outside time.”
It’s hard to deny the timelessness and magic of the desert, especially when traveling to places like Chile’s Atacama or Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats.
In fact, the Atacama and the Uyuni Salt Flats are among the most photographed locations in South America. In other words, if you haven’t already seen them, I recommend adding this remote and unforgettable adventure to your bucket list.
Where to go? What to do? Keep reading for the full scoop on this incredible trip to the Atacama and the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Explora Atacama
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We started our adventure in the Atacama. There are direct flights from the US to Santiago, Chile, and several daily flights from Santiago to Calama.
The lodge is located within walking distance of San Pedro de Atacama but feels intimate and secluded. The common areas offer a sleek and contemporary design. Modern, yet cozy.
In terms of explorations, the Atacama Lodge offers something for everyone. From hiking to mountain biking to overland excursions. It is perfect for families with kids of all ages. That said, I’d recommend it for kids six to eight years old and up, given the high altitude and long distances.
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I loved all our hikes, El Tatio Geysers, and the Puritama Hot Springs. But my favorite excursion was mountain biking in San Isidro, a challenging, yet visually stunning adventure.
Biking Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat Canyon) came with extraordinary beauty. Just over 11 miles, the ride is relatively flat and navigates a narrow, winding canyon through the Cordillera de la Sal mountain range to the north of San Pedro de Atacama.
Atacama’s Moon Valley
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Where the Atacama and the Andes meet, you’ll find one of San Pedro de Atacama’s most visited landscapes, Moon Valley. This renowned location boasts surreal and dreamy landscapes you and your family will never forget.
It includes four hiking areas offering access to incredible vistas. One of our favorites? The 40-minute hike to Duna Mayor Viewpoint, where you’ll admire crystal-clear views stretching into infinity. Other notable hiking trails include Victoria Mine, Tres Marias, and Ckari Viewpoint.
The Atacama Salt Flat
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The Atacama Salt Flat remains one of the driest places on the planet, receiving little more than 0.039 inches of rainfall each year. As a result, the environment is highly unique and unforgiving. Despite the aridity, pockets of life persist, including Chile’s famed and flashy flamingos, which visit seasonal bodies of water. Besides the Andean flamingo — one of the rarest birds in the world — you’ll also enjoy chances to scope out varieties like the James (puna flamingo) and the Chilean.
The Salt Flat is bordered on the west by the Cordillera de Domeyko and to the west by the Andes Mountains. The region contains volcanoes like the Lincancabur, Acamarachi, and Aguas Calientes. Besides surreal landscapes, the Atacama Salt Flat was also the site of the War of the Pacific. During this conflict, Chile gained this mineral-rich area, also prized by Peru and Bolivia.
The Puritama Hot Springs
In a canyon swathed in tall decorative grass, you’ll find the Puritama Hot Springs. Containing eight pools, thermal waters range between 82.4 and 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit, making them perfect for the whole family. Apart from bathtub temperatures, the Puritama Hot Springs contain a revitalizing combination of calcium, sodium, magnesium, and boron minerals.
Each of the eight pools boasts a unique character and contains water of various heights. But the fifth pool is the friendliest for little kids because of its shallowness. The second pool is also noteworthy because of its idyllic surroundings interspersed with tall grasses. The hot springs are soothing, and don’t forget your phone to snap plenty of photos.
The Atacama’s Valle de la Muerte
The Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) is another fantastic excursion your kids will enjoy. It includes a stunning hour-long walk across the top of the valley, giving way to smooth-hilled sand dunes. Your kids will fall head over heels for these large sand mounds, which invite visitors to kick off their shoes for climbing and running fun.
This is also your spot if you’re looking for an ideal place to savor an enchanting desert sunset. No matter when you visit, come ready to snap pics, as the stark landscapes and expansive views are Instagram-worthy in every direction. For especially adventurous families, the dunes also represent an excellent place to try sandboarding.
El Tatio Geysers
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On a trip to the Atacama, you’ll enjoy seeing the world’s third-largest geyser field. Arriving at the site around dawn affords incredible views and plenty of time to see the geysers in action. In the morning air’s chill, the steam from the geysers is at its most abundant and photogenic. And you’ll avoid the scorching heat of the day.
Another fantastic reason to visit El Tatio Geysers early in the morning is to take advantage of your kids’ natural sleeping schedules. Ideally, they’ll snooze during the drive, which is circuitous and contains its fair share of bumps. (Don’t forget the Dramamine if you or your little ones are prone to car sickness.)
Of the 500 geothermal features in the region, 80 are active geysers. A good guide will point out which ones to watch when it’s time for huge water sprays. Interested in more kid-friendly excursions in Chile? Check out our 11-day Atacama Family Adventure.
The Travesia – Chile to Uyuni Salt Flats
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After three incredible days in Atacama, it was time to bid farewell to our Chilean guides and drivers and cross into Bolivia on to Uyuni Salt Flats. The journey involves a picturesque desert crossing from Chile to Bolivia in rugged 4×4 excursion vehicles. Along the way, survey a stunning landscape transition from the terracotta deserts of the Atacama that reminds us of Mars to the stark, moon-like white playa of the Uyuni Salt Flats.
The days in Bolivia were long, but each was more special than the last. We walked around countless beautiful lagoons, of multiple colors. We enjoyed delicious picnic lunches, saw plenty of flamingos and llamas at Laguna Colorada (and others) and felt surprised and awestruck by the salt flats
We also did several photo shoots, hiked incredible landscapes, and biked over the salt flats. The trip also afforded us chances to visit small villages maintaining age-old traditions, like quinoa plantations.
Explora Lodges in Bolivia
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The mountain lodges, Ramaditas and Chituca, and Uyuni Lodge in Bolivia were the perfect bases to explore these unique landscapes.
They are cozy, minimalist and perfectly integrated with the environment. Much thought was put into the details and modular construction helped minimize the impact on the surroundings.
Best of all, the lodges were established in partnership with local families and communities. The staff is all local, and they provide impeccable service.
The menu for the Travesia was designed by La Paz chefs Sebastián Giménez and Mauricio López. Local cooks did a beautiful job putting together consistently great meals.
Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats
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The Uyuni Salt Flats are the byproduct of extinct lakes that dominated the region 40,000 years ago. As the waters of these ancient bodies receded into oblivion, they deposited a thick crust of brine rich in lithium. Those visiting the Uyuni Salt Flats after precipitation (the rainy season runs from December to February) will see the area transformed into the world’s largest mirror. During these periods, the Bolivian Altiplano serves as an essential breeding ground for flamingos.
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If you visit the Uyuni Salt Flats during the arid season, as I did, you won’t have ready access to large flamingo flocks. But you will have the chance to drive (and bike ride!) across the Flats and access the flats islands to soak up panoramic views. These “islands” rise dramatically from the surrounding white salt flats, an amalgamation of giant Trichocereus cacti and rugged, mountainous terrain.
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The most popular is Isla Incahuasi (Incahuasi Island), but in true Explora fashion, we explored a more off-the-beaten-path option. We rode bikes from the lodge — a stunning ride over the flats — to a smaller island. There, a short climb brought us to breathtaking views of the surrounding salt flats. It’s one of the best ways to survey this one-of-a-kind landscape.
The Travesia Atacama – Uyuni With Explora
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The desert landscapes of Chile and Bolivia are magical locations for a one-of-a-kind vacation. From Chile’s dramatic El Tatio Geysers to Bolivia’s surreal Salt Flats, you are in for an unforgettable experience.
Depending on when you visit, you may see flashy flocks of flamingos and vast plains of reflective water or travel across a surreal landscape. Travelers will enjoy different activities, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, overland crossings and stargazing, which range from basic to advanced level.
The Travesia Atacama – Uyuni with Explora is perfect for the more adventurous traveler looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations and experiences combined with comfort and luxury. It is also ideal for more serious hikers who want to visit Atacama and Uyuni but are interested in more remote high mountain ascents. (You have the option to hike at least two volcanoes).
The minimum age is eight. But peruse Explora Atacama reviews like this and you’ll soon realize the Travesia is better suited for older, active teens.
Whether you have younger kids and want to focus on exploring the Atacama desert or are looking for a more unique and off-the-beaten path experience, like the Travesia, we’re here to help.
As a bonus, Explora is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and is offering up to 30% off for stays until October.
Contact us today to learn more about our curated journeys designed for adventure-seeking families just like yours.
