---
type: "Article"
title: "Atacama – excursiones en el desierto màs seco del mundo"
description: "Aquí una breve reseña de los viajes y excursiones mas impresionantes en el desierto:"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/chile/atacama-excursiones-desierto"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 14
tags: ["Landscape", "Nature", "Rural", "Chile"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/chile"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/rural-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2026-07-04T14:17:06+00:00 }
verified:
  - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2014-09-14T17:09:38+00:00 }
sources:
  - id: photos
    resource: atacama-excursiones-desierto.md#photos
    title: "Original photography by Walter Schaerer"
    author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:17:06+00:00
---

# Atacama – excursiones en el desierto màs seco del mundo

> The Atacama Desert in northern Chile — the driest desert on Earth — offers a remarkable range of excursions, from erupting geysers and salt lakes to lunar valleys and world-class stargazing.

## What to see
- **El Tatio Geysers** — At 4,300 m elevation, spectacular steam columns erupt at dawn; temperatures can drop to -6°C in the morning.
- **Salar de Atacama / Laguna Cejar** — One of the largest salt flats on Earth at 2,300 m, with salt crystals that shimmer like diamonds and reflections of nearby volcanoes.
- **Valle de la Luna** — Famous lunar-like landscape of salt rock formations, including the 'Las Tres Marías' formation, with a large dune offering sunset views toward Valle de la Muerte.
- **Pucara de Quitor** — Historic hilltop lookout on the outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama with panoramic views and a large commemorative cross.
- **ALMA Observatory** — The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, inaugurated during the authors' stay, is one of several major international research observatories in the desert.

## What to do
- **Swimming in Laguna Cejar** — The salt water is seven times denser than fresh water, allowing visitors to float effortlessly like a cork.
- **Canyoning in Cardone Gorge** — A hike through a desert gorge with foxtail plants and cacti, requiring use of hands to climb sections of the cliff face.
- **Stargazing with a guide** — Clear desert skies allow naked-eye views of the Southern Cross and Magellanic Clouds, and telescope views of Saturn's rings and Neptune's moons.

## Good to know
The El Tatio excursion requires a very early start (around 05:00) as the steam display fades after 09:00 when temperature differences diminish. Layered clothing is essential — mornings can be -6°C even in summer, while afternoons exceed 20°C.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Walter-Schaerer-Katja-Birrer-Geysir-del-Tatio-Mallku1.jpg"
    caption: "Walter & Katja en los géiseres del Tatio"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Tatio-geysers-Atacama-Desert-Chile1.jpg"
    caption: "Géisers del Tatio al amanecer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Laguna-Cejar-Atacama-Desert-Chile1.jpg"
    caption: "Actividades en el lago de sal Cejar"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/salar-volcano-Atacama-Desert-Chile.jpg"
    caption: "Reflexiones del volcán en el Salar de Atacama"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Tourguide-Jorge-Corantes-Fernandez-Walter-Schaerer1.jpg"
    caption: "Guide Jorge und reisememo’s Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Katja-Birrer-Walter-Schaerer-Salzsee-Cejar-Atacama.jpg"
    caption: "Katja y Walter flotan en el lago salado “Cejar”"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Touristenbus-Mondtal-Atacama-Wueste.jpg"
    caption: "Bus de turistas en el Valle de la Luna en Atacama"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Las-tres-Marias-Salzformation-Valle-de-la-Luna-Atacama-Wueste.jpg"
    caption: "Formación de sal Las Tres Marías en el Valle de la Luna en el desierto de Atacama"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Licancabur-volcano-sunset-Atacama-desert-Chile.jpg"
    caption: "Puesta de sol en el Valle de la Luna con el volcán Licancabur al fondo"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/foxtail-candelabro-cactus-Cardones-gorge-Atacama-Desert.jpg"
    caption: "Cola de zorro en el desfiladero Cardones"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Katja-Birrer-Walter-Schaerer-Cardones-Schlucht-Atacama.jpg"
    caption: "Katja y Walter in el desfiladero Cardones"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/view-Pucara-de-Quitor-outlook-Atacama-Desert-Chile.jpg"
    caption: "Punto de observación Pucara de Quitor"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ALMA-observatorium.jpg"
    caption: "Observatorio ALMA: Los telescopios están situados más atrás en la meseta"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/stargazing-Southern-Cross-Atacama-Desert-Chile.jpg"
    caption: "Cruz del Sur vista del desierto de Atacama"
```