Chile may be better known for its wine, fruit, fjords, forests and lakes, but the northern part of the country has some of the most spectacular landscape in all of the Americas. It boasts the driest climate on earth and its 365 days and nights of cloudless skies are the reason the world's most important telescopic arrays have been constructed in the barren hills and desert scapes. The chinchorro mummies found here predate their Egyptian counterparts by more than 2000 years. The desert falls off into the ocean from rocky cliffs or mesas and sand dunes that stand far taller than the cities they dwarf below. The altiplano, which does see rain, is home to all sorts of diverse wildlife. In short, if you have the time to spare or can not make it to Chile during the Austral spring or summer months, you would be remiss if you did not consider visiting the north. It is a different world altogether.

The most-visited part of the north is San Pedro de Atacama. You should allow 6 days or so to visit that area thoroughly. We like to host trips to the Arica - Putre (Lauca National Park) area farther north, which can be visited with 4 or 5 days combining activities that range from sea level to 15000 ft (5000m). For people interested in anthropolgoy, arqueology, nature and photography, the north of Chile will certainly provide an unforgetable and rewarding experience.

Trips to northern Chile can be made virtually year-round.