1. Valle De La Luna

Moon Valley as it is known in English, has some fascinating rock formations that have been carved out of thousands of years by wind and water. Its landscape is often used by NASA for testing their new rovers due to the environments tough terrain and rocks. Today, many visitors come from all over to see these strange rock formations. They are stunning and many look like man-made sculptures. Interestingly enough, much of the area used to be a salt lake that dried up and now looks the way it does. It is also impossible for humans or animals to live in this area due to the complete lack of humidity. One thing Moon Valley does have going for it is its incredible sunsets. Honestly, I do not think I’ve seen a more beautiful sunset. Imagine beautiful rocks covered in a fiery, orange hue as darkness falls upon the desert. The sunset alone is worth coming to Moon Valley for.

2. El Tatio Geysers

You know when they say the expression, “The early bird gets the worm”, they are talking about getting up absurdly early. Well, I’m pretty sure the person that made this expression up was talking about the El Tatio Geysers because you have to arrive early to get a glimpse of this unique natural phenomenon. You’ll have to get up early. 4 AM early. With all this being said, the geysers are well worth the trip. El Tatio (The Oven), the third-biggest geyser field in the world, is home to over 80 geysers. While the geysers may be warm, the air is freezing cold so you’ll want to wear as many layers as possible. (Now you may ask why it is so cold in a desert. Great question! The Atacama Desert is about 4,000 meters or 13,000 feet above sea level.) Regardless, just getting to the geysers is a journey. You will go over incredibly bumpy dirt roads and it will be completely dark out except for the bright stars. Once you do arrive around sunrise, you’ll see the geysers steaming and suddenly the entire area will be filled with steam. Think of the geysers as a natural Jacuzzi. Once it warms up a bit, it is time to take a dip in the hot springs that are also on site. The combination of getting up early, going for a refreshing swim in hot springs, and fresh breakfast makes for a morning well spent!

3. Stargazing

It’s no coincidence that the driest place on planet Earth also has some of the best stargazing known to man. Wherever you are staying in town, it’s hard not to see the incredibly bright stars, but to get the best view you have to go on a tour outside of town. The Atacama is home to the largest public observatory in South America and you can find tours. The two and half hour tour that is lead by a local astronomer will run you through how to look for constellations, tell you about the history behind each Zodiac, and will go more in depth about specific stars in the sky. The best part is that there are 10 different telescopes on site that allow you to see constellations, nebulas, and stars close up. Funny enough, the only time the tours do not run is when there is a full moon out because the moon is too bright to view others stars. Problems that only occur in the driest place on Earth.

4. Laguna Baltinache

 

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20 minutes outside of the town, lies a secret lagoon. In fact, there are seven of these hidden lagoons. The best way to describe the area would be to tell you to imagine Lake Louise from Banff National Park in the middle of a desert. The water has the same aqua blue color that Canada’s Lake Louise has. The best time to go is in the morning before tour groups arrive during the day, but you have to rent a car and go. The best part about the lagoons is that you can take a swim in them to cool off and enjoy the otherwise bizarre scenery. Be sure to check out Laguna Baltinache when visiting the Atacama Desert.

5. Chacabuco Nitrate Village

 

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Another interesting fact about the Atacama Desert—as if there were not enough already—is that it is home to some of the largest nitrate reserves in the world. Nitrate was known as White Gold and many came to the desert to get rich quick. Eventually, all of the countries in the surrounding area when to war over the region. Eventually, scientists figured out how to mass produce nitrogen on an industrial level and the mining was rendered useless. Today, there are tons of these nitrate ghost mining towns all over northern Chile. Unfortunately, many of the former mining towns became prisons for political prisoners during Pinochet’s ruling during the 1970’s. The most well known of these mining towns is Chacabuco that was shut down in 1938. Located only about an hour and a half drive from the Atacama, Chacabuco is spread out, but remarkably, still has quite a few buildings that are standing to this day. The town had everything you needed for daily life from food halls to entertainment. The sites were designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2005.

Suggested next reading: Why A Visit To Pucón, Chile Is An Absolute Must

The post 5 Incredible & Unique Experiences In The Atacama Desert appeared first on Modern Trekker.

Villarrica Volcano

Villarrica is breathtaking and looms large over Pucón, but is considered to be one of Chile’s most active volcanoes. The volcano’s activity is monitored and there are daily reports made by the national park. If they deem it too dangerous to climb due to activity or poor weather such as a rain or snowstorm, no tours are allowed to operate. It last erupted in March of 2015 so the risk of it happening again is very possible, but makes climbing the volcano that much more thrilling. It is not possible to climb it on your own so you must go with a licensed guide. In town, it is easy to find tour operators and they all offer the same thing. It all comes down to price and who you feel the most comfortable with. In peak season, groups fill up fast so if you know you are going to be in the area during a certain month, book ahead of time to save yourself any frustration that may arise from waiting last minute. The hike is no joke (you’ll be feeling sore the next day) and you’ll be equipped with all of the necessary equipment to get to the top. The hike up takes about four hours while the way down, which you sled for a good section of it, takes only 45 minutes. Getting to the top and seeing the lava bubbling up was one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had in my life, and so if you ever find yourself in Chile, hiking Villarrica Volcano is a can’t miss adventure.

Winter Activities

While hiking Villarrica is thrilling, can you imagine skiing down the volcano? Pucón is Chile’s cold weather adventure destination. It’s well known to all Chileans. That can be done during the winter months, May to August. The skiing and snowboarding are considered to be some of the best in Chile and South Americans come from all over the continent to ski and snowboard in Pucón. It’s the go-to place for winter activities in South America. If you really want to have a unique experience, you can try your hand at dog-sledding. While dog-sledding may be associated with Alaska and other freezing Arctic regions, you’ll find the practice alive and well in Pucón. Of course, if you need a spa day from all of those cold weather activities, that can easily be accomplished in any local spa, which Pucón has many to choose from within the city center and its outskirts. It’s hard to beat a nice, warm sauna session while overlooking Villarrica Volcano.

Summer Activities

It is only within the last few years that Pucón has been known as a warm-weather destination, thanks to the marketing done by Chile’s tourism department. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can hike a snow-rich volcano in the morning and be lounging on the black sand beach and taking a jet-ski out for a spin in the afternoon. That’s a hard combination to beat when you have the best of both worlds. One of the most well-known summer activities in Pucón is river rafting, some of the best in the country. The guides that navigate these dangerous waters are some of the most experienced and well respected in the world. They even work the offseason in the US, Canada, and other countries around the world. The Trancura River rafting is the most intense and is the most popular among visitors. The lower Trancura River has Grade III rapids which are perfect for beginners. The higher part of the river, however, is another story. It contains Grade V and even Grade VI rapids. These are expert level rapids and should only be attempted under the direct supervision of professional guides. If you are looking for a more relaxed experience, head to the Termas Geometricas. The natural hot springs situated about an hour from Pucón is well worth the trip if you are looking for complete relaxation. The Japanese inspired hot springs are tucked away in the forest and there are 17 pools in total at the spa. The hot springs are a maze to navigate, but that’s part of the appeal of getting lost in the experience. Finally, a fun experience in Pucón is to horseback ride to a hidden waterfall in the forest with a local guide. The waterfall is a 20-minute ride into the forest but is breathtaking once you arrive and see how massive it is. It’s hard to fit in all of the activities in Pucón with this much to do.

Delicious Food

Pucón is a resort town which attracts people from all over the world that want to try local Chilean food. Surprisingly, for such a small town, Pucón’s food scene is well worth taking a bite out of. A local treat that must be had is the trout. The rivers all around the town are filled with trout and it is a favorite food of locals, found in pretty much every restaurant. You may never have fresher fish in your life! Another must-try food is the Chilean empanadas. They are portable so often times they are a great food for hikes. Try the ones stuffed with cheese and shrimp. They are to die for! Finally, you can’t miss trying Choripan. It is a simple sandwich that consists only of sausage and bread, but its flavor packs quite the punch. Other countries in South America may be more well known for their food, but Chilean dishes are nothing to sleep on and are well worth trying as you visit Pucón.

Suggested next reading: 7 Unique South American Dishes You Definitely Have To Try

The post Why A Visit To Pucón, Chile Is An Absolute Must appeared first on Modern Trekker.