Atacama Desert

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Introduction

Valle de la Luna - Atacama desert

Although the Atacama desert doesn't have the high temperatures you'd expect from a desert, it is certainly a desert in the true meaning of the word, as it has virtually no rain at all, especially along the coastal areas or just a few kilometers inland. Some cities like Arica has no rainfall at all, and the few drops of fluids are mostly of the foggy type. This fog can get kilometers inland and it acts as irrigation waters on the inland hills, where different crops can be grown while having almost no rain at all! The desert spreads out over two countries, Peru and Chile, the latter having the biggest and most impressive portion. Most of the desert is a narrow stretch along the coast but in the south, east of the seaport of Antofagasta it widens towards the Chilean altiplano near San Pedro de Atacama, the gateway to both the sanddunes of the desert as the altiplano itself. Also the spectactular Salar de Atacama, with it white salt flats and flamingo is actually part of the desert.
The desert is not a hot desert mainly because of its elevation, which averages over 2000 meters. Higher elevations see more rainfall as well, and in winter some snow falls, mainly on top of the volcanoes on the eastern edges of the desert. Other places of interest in the Chilean part of the Atacama desert are the cities of Iquique and Calama and the enormous coppermine near Chuquicamata, not far from Calama. From San Pedro, the El Tatio Geysers deserve a visit as well.