Traveling The Atacama Desert

For the past several days I've been sharing some of my experiences of traveling in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, both here and at Gadling.com. I gave a bit of an overview of the place and even talked about climbing an 18,000+ foot volcano there. This has obviously sparked some interest from readers, who have e-mailed me inquiring about how they could go to the Atacama themselves and where they can stay while they are there. Today, I thought I'd share a few travel tips for those interested in visiting the desert for their own adventures.

First off, in terms of getting to the Atacama, there are a number of airlines that fly to Chile and you'll have to book a flight into Santiago. I flew LAN on an overnight flight from Miami, and arrived early in the morning of the following day. This isn't a bad option provided you can sleep on a plane, but if you're like me, who doesn't catch much sleep in transit, it can make for a long trip and leave you exhausted on your arrival. If you're lucky, you may find other options to get you to Santiago sooner, but it seems the over night flight to South America is a popular approach. Fortunately, flying from the U.S., I only crossed one time zone, so there was no jet lag to deal with.

Once you're in Santiago, the capital of Chile, you still need to hop a domestic flight to Calama, located on the edge of the Atacama to the north. I flew LAN domestically as well, and there were regular flights to the city by at least one other airline as well. Calama is quite small and their regional airport is tiny, but it allows access to the region without any issues.

Before making that domestic flight however, you'll need to get your visa so that you can clear customs. Coming from the U.S., the visa cost $140, which seems rather high compared to other destinations. But, that visa is good for the life of your passport, so you can come and go from Chile in the future without having to buy another one. Considering the wealth of travel options that the country has to offer, such as a visit to Patagonia or even Antarctica, it could end up being a very good deal. Unfortunately for me, the "life of my passport" is just another three months, so I'll most likely need another visa on my next visit.

Once you're in Calama, it is a short one hour drive to San Pedro, which is where you'll likely want to stay while visiting the Atacama. You can rent vehicles at the Calama airport, and it is easy to navigate to San Pedro on well paved and marked roads. Along the way, you'll catch a glimpse of what you've come to the desert for as well, as you'll pass along the edge of the Valle de la Luna on your way into town, and the snow capped peaks that ring the area are on prominent display.

Where to stay while in San Pedro is a bit of a trickier question to answer. I was fortunate enough to stay at the Tierra Atacama resort (Gadling review here!), which is on the luxury end of the spectrum, but there are plenty of other options for other budgets as well. While strolling around the town I spotted numerous hostels, and there were plenty of nicer hotels and resorts along the edge of San Pedro, not far from my resort.

If you've rented your own vehicle, it is easy enough to drive around the Atacama and see many of the sites on your own. But much of the region is a protected area, which means you'll need proper permits before you can enter. Because of this, I'd recommend higher local guides to help usher you around. In the long run, it'll probably save you time and money, and you'll get a richer experience during your stay. Guides and tour operators are easily found in San Pedro and they are more than willing to show you the wonders of the Atacama.

Traveling in the region can be as active or as relaxed as you'd like. A good portion of the natural wonders there are easily visited by motorized vehicle, but you can also explore many of them on horseback or by mountain bike as well. Day hikes are popular options as well, and high altitude climbs of varying degrees of difficulty are always an option for the fit and truly adventurous. I did my climb near the end of my stay to help with the acclimatization and allow myself time to adapt to the altitude.

Speaking of altitude, it should be pointed out that even San Pedro sits at about 8000 feet (2438 meters). That means that unless you already live or spend time at altitude, you'll likely notice the thinner air. Give yourself a day or two to adapt before doing anything too physical, and perhaps even longer if you're planning on going even higher. Staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest also helps immensely.

Other than that, travel in the Atacama is a fantastic, rewarding experience, and one that I highly recommend to those who have the inclination to go. Obviously it isn't a place for everyone, but the beautiful landscapes will leave a dramatic and lasting impression on anyone who visits the region, and that alone is reason to go.

If you have any specific questions, be sure to let me know. I'll do my best to answer any and all that come my way. Thanks and happy traveling!

Climbing Volcanoes In The Atacama Desert

A third story about my travels in the Atacama Desert went live this morning on Gadling.com. This one is about my climb of El Toco, a 5650 meter (18,645 foot) volcano that falls along the borders of Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina.

The climb was non-technical in nature, and a simple walk-up, with altitude being the only real challenge. As I note in the story however, I was feeling quite under the weather the day before and I wasn't sure if I should even attempt to go up to such an altitude when not feeling well. Fortunately, I recovered quite nicely, and while I wasn't completely recovered, I felt strong enough to give it a go.

El Toco is about an hour and a half drive away from San Pedro, the largest town in the region. Most of that drive is spent climbing upwards. San Pedro sits on the floor of the Atacama at a respectable altitude of 2450 meters (8035 feet), but the trail that would take us to the summit of Toco began at 4800 meters (16,500 feet). That's quite a gain in elevation before you ever begin to exert any effort.

Fortunately, I had been in the Atacama several days at that point, and had acclimatized somewhat to the altitude. But when we arrived at the trailhead, my guide asked if I wanted to take the longer or shorter roue to the top. Thinking that the shorter route would probably have a steeper approach, I elected to take the longer route instead, just to be on the safe side. Later, I would learn that the shorter route wasn't steeper at all, it just started higher on the mountain and we would have driven to a different point. I was glad that I chosen the longer route when I heard that bit of news.

Gustavo, my guide, has been on Toco many times in the past, so he knew the route well. Before setting off, he said that it would take somewhere between 2-2.5 hours to reach the summit, and he advised me to breathe deeply, go slowly, and control my motions. Knowing that I hadn't been feeling well the day before, he also told me that I should let him know if I started to feel light headed or wanted to turn back.

Once we started moving however, I was feeling great, and the crisp, cool air and vigorous workout helped my mood immensely. We soon fell into a rhythm and were making good progress up the mountain, stopping from time to time to take in the view, while Gustavo pointed out local landmarks, like a nearby copper mine and an observatory that was under construction on a neighboring peak. As we climbed, the views got all the more spectacular, and the wind picked up to remind us that we were still on a very tall mountain.

But almost before I knew it, we were approaching the summit. Glancing at my watch, I saw that we had knocked off the longer, 2+ hour route, in just an hour and fifteen minutes. We had made great time indeed and that meant we could relax and spend a bit more time at the summit as well. Gustavo and I took shelter behind a rock, as by that point the wind was howling and rather cold. But in our little shelter, we were warm and comfortable, and enjoyed a cup of tea and compared notes on our favorite outdoor gear for more than a half-hour.

Eventually, we turned back down the mountain and had a mostly easy descent, with just a little snow and ice to keep us on our toes. We were back in the truck and on the way home to San Pedro in just 20 minutes time, with Gustavo pointing out all the other great climbs in the region along the way.

That was one of the surprising elements of the Atacama. While I expected the desert to be beautiful and amazing to visit, I had no idea there were so many great peaks to climb in the area as well. For a climber looking for a new challenge, the northern part of Chile should be on your list of "must visit" destinations. Sure, there are several easy walk-up mountains, but even El Toco had an alternative approach that offers a very different, and significant, challenge for the experienced mountaineer.

For the typical adventure traveler, the mountains that ring the Atacama are just one more reason why it is such an amazing place to visit. If you'd like to get a taste of high altitude, it offers plenty of that as well, without having to spend days in a tent or missing out on the creature comforts. Perhaps that taste will spark an interest in other climbs, but this is a perfect place to try it out.

Can you tell I loved the Atacama?

More From The Atacama: The Valley of the Moon

Yesterday I posted some brief thoughts and an introduction to the Atacama Desert, which was the destination on my recent trip to Chile. Today I wrote another article at Gadling.com about my visit to that place, this time turning my attention on one particular location, the Valle de la Luna or the Valley of the Moon.

Hiking through the Valle de la Luna, I couldn't help but think that the word "otherworldly" was invented for just such a place. It is a starkly beautiful landscape that will leave you wondering if you've somehow stepped off the Earth and onto some distant alien world. It is a place that is marked with strangely shaped rock formations, narrow, twisting canyons, and sand dunes that measure 40 meters in height. And yet, is is also a place of brilliant colors and a peaceful silence that is only experienced in the most remote places.

While the valley is indeed very beautiful to look at, it is probably that silence that I will remember the most. If you scrambled up on one of the rocks, and took a seat, unmoving and not talking, the entire area took on an overwhelming silence. It was so quiet that it could be a bit unnerving for some visitors, although I personally think most will find it very peaceful. That silence was, at times, broken by the sound of salt deposits, locked inside the rock walls, popping with the warmth of the sun. Those small "pops" served as a reminder that you haven't lost your hearing altogether, but it is just a characteristic of the place you're in to muffle all sound.

As I noted in the article at Gadling, the best time to visit the Valle de la Luna is in the evening, when the sun is going down. The light that bathes the entire area is simply spectacular, and it really brings out the reds, oranges, and pinks that naturally occur there. The valley is also a fantastic place to take in the night sky, which is unlike any I've seen in other parts of the world. With zero pollution, and no lights whatsoever, the sky is visible in all of its glory, and it is a sight to behold without a doubt.

I have a couple of more stories on the Atacama lined up for the next few days. There is so much to tell about the place that it is hard to simply break it down into a few hundred words. Needless to say, it has become one of the highlights of my travels, and it is a destination that I think any traveler would enjoy.

More to come!

Atacama Overview - Chile's Other Adventure Destination

This morning I posted the first of what is sure to be several articles on Chile's Atacama Desert, over at Gadling.com. In the article I call the Atacama Chile's other adventure destination, because most travelers head to the South American country to experience the wild and beautiful Patagonia region or use Punta Arenas as a launching point for their Antarctic adventures.

 Located in the far north region of Chile, the Atacama is an amazingly diverse and beautiful region in its own right. The area is ringed by mountains which serve to create a rain shadow, preventing storm clouds from moving in and delivering rain to the area. As a result, there are places in the Atacama that haven't seen rain in centuries. Rain does fall in the mountains however, and that runs off into certain areas of the desert below, making lush oasis's in unexpected places. Those areas are green and vibrant and very different from the dry, desolate portions of the desert.

Fans of high altitude adventures will love the Atacama. The town that I stayed in, San Pedro, was situated on the desert floor, which is found at 8000 feet (2438 meters) above sea level. But San Pedro is just base camp for Atacama adventures, and there are literally dozens of mountains and volcanos (some still active!) worth climbing, just a short distance away from town. Some of these mountains are non-technical walk-ups, while others offer a far more challenging, full blown mountaineering experience.

In short, the Atacama is an adventure travelers dream. There are fantastic options there to hike, mountain bike, climb, and explore. The landscapes vary from starkly beautiful, but incredibly dry deserts, to geyser basins, salt flats, snow capped volcanoes, and more. One day you can be trekking through narrow, twisting canyons, and the next you'll be on your way to the top of an 18,000 foot (5480 meter) volcano. In between you can visit small villages that eke out a living in the harsh conditions and stroll a local market in search of handcrafted treasures.

I have plans for several more articles about my Atacama experience, and I'll be sure to link to them here as well. To read this first article, click here and to view some of my photos from the recent trip, click here. Hopefully I'll inspire some of you to want to visit this fantastic place for yourselves and discover why Chile's northern region is just as spectacular as its more well known southern domains.

Back From The Atacama!

Hey Folks! Wanted to start the day off with a note that I'm back from Chile's Atacama Desert and will be getting back to regular updates later today. I had a fantastic time there, and will be sharing plenty of stories and photos very soon. Suffice as to say, it is one of the most diverse, and beautiful, places I've ever visited, and quite the outdoor playground for adventure lovers. I know that Patagonia gets most of the love in terms of Chile's wonderful places, but if you're looking for another destination for your next escape, you could do a whole lot worse than the Atacama.

Climber in particular will love the region, as there are a ton of peaks that ring the desert, most of which are in excess of 5000 meters (16,404 ft). The area is encircled by volcanoes, some of which are still active, and there are multiple routes to challenge beginners and experienced mountaineers alike. Considering the desert floor is situated at about 2438 meters (8000 ft), if you like altitude, the Atacama will give you plenty of that.

It wasn't just about the stunning snow capped mountains though. While there, I explored twisting, narrow canyons, carved out of the desert by eons of winds and water. I visited an active geyser basin and watched the sun come up, illuminating the valley in unbelievable ways, and then had my breath taken away again by the sun setting over the salt flats that cover a large part of the area. The light does amazing things in both of those places, especially when combined with the rich desert colors that have been enhanced by the volcanic activity that has shaped the Atacama over the centuries.

In short, the Atacama is an adventure travelers dream and a place that I highly recommend visiting. It is one of Chile's best kept secrets, but offers striking beauty that is certainly on par with what you'll find in Patagonia as well.

More to come on this topic in the days ahead, but the photo below gives you an idea of what the place is like. It is of the sunset over the salt flats. You can check out more of my photos in my Picasa gallery found here. I'll be adding more photos to the gallery throughout the day, so hopefully you'll get a nice glimpse of what I found on my travels there. Hope you enjoy!

Atacama Desert: Round 2!

Just a quick site note to let everyone know that I'm traveling again. Yes, I know, life is rough, but this is actually the trip that I tried to go on a few weeks back, but was thwarted by the weather. So far, that doesn't seem to be an issue this time out, and with any luck, tomorrow morning I'll be in the Atacama Desert in Chile. 

While I'm there, I'll be staying at the Tierra Atacama resort, which I'm told has WiFi Internet access. Hopefully that means I'll be able to post some updates during the evening, although my days will likely be spent scrambling up volcanoes, going on desert treks, and mountain biking. And when I'm done playing outside, in the driest place on the planet no less, I'll head back to the resort for some serious pampering. Adventure and luxury! What a great trip! :)

Obviously, this weekend looks to be another busy one in the Himalaya, especially on the North Side of Everest. Hopefully I'll be able to post a few updates on what is going on. Otherwise, I hope everyone has a great weekend, and I'll be back to regular posting early next week, when I should have plenty of great photos to share as well.

On The Road Again!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm off on another escape, this time heading to the Atacama Desert in Chile. As I write this, I'm at the airport in Dallas, waiting for a connecting flight to Miami and an overnighter to Santiago. After that, it is another flight to Calama, and then an hour drive to my eventual destination of San Pedro de Atacama tomorrow morning. 

I'm told that there is Internet access at my hotel, so I hope to post some updates while I'm on the go, as I would hate to miss all the action that is about to unfold on Everest and other Himalayan peaks. If the connection is good (read, not like most Internet connections in remote areas, I hope to post some photos and updates on what I'm doing over the course of the next few days. I'm hoping to do some mountain biking, hiking, and volcano climbing, but we'll see. 

This is a quick trip, I'm back home on Monday, when you know I'll be back to regular posts. Hope everyone has their own adventures planned for the days ahead! Back soon!

Atacama Extreme: The Final Video

I know that yesterday I promised to update my post on the Atacama Extreme endurance expedition with the video from the final day, but that video wasn't posted until a bit later in the evening last night, so I thought I'd start off the day today by adding it to the blog.

As most of you know, the Atacama Extreme chronicled Ray Zahab's journey as he ran for 20 days covering the length of the Atacama Desert in Chile. Due to an unusual rain shadow between the Andes Mountains and the Chilean Range, it is the driest place on the planet, and offers up a significant challenge for anyone who ventures there. Over the course of the past three weeks, Ray has been running, mostly solo, through those conditions, covering 1145km (712 miles) in the process.

The video below shows the final day of the run, which also happened to be Ray's birthday. As you can tell, he is happy to reach the finish line at last. Congrats Ray!



Day 20 - Atacama Extreme from GOi2P on Vimeo.

Atacama Extreme: Ray Conquers The Desert!

The Atacama Extreme long distance endurance run that we've been following over the past few weeks came to an end over the weekend when Ray Zahab completed the expedition that saw him running the length of the Atacama Desert north to south. Ray crossed the finish line on Saturday, covering 87km (54 miles) in one last, long push. His total time in the desert was 20 days, 2 hours, 59 minutes, and his final distance total came in at an eye popping 1,145km (712 miles).

Crossing the Atacama on foot is just another fantastic accomplishment for Zahab, who already has an adventure resume that includes running across the Sahara Desert and traveling on foot to the South Pole, amongst others. Traditionally he has been joined by his partner Kevin Vallely on those expeditions, but due to a family illness, Kevin was forced to drop out of this run, leaving Ray to face the Atacama alone. Face it he did, overcoming a number of obstacles and challenges along the way to cross a desert that is considered to be the driest on the planet.

Updates to Ray's Facebook page indicate that he has already left Chile for home, where he'll take a much deserved rest following the expedition. Expect a video of the final day to be released later today, which will no doubt offer more insights into what it was like out on the trail. I'll add it to this post when it become available.

Congratulations to Ray for a job well done. You continue to inspire us all!

Atacama Extreme: Still Running In The Desert

One of the big adventures that had just gotten underway before I zipped off to Africa was the Atacama Extreme. For those who may have lost track of that adventure while I was away, this is the expedition during which endurance athlete Ray Zahab is running the length of Chile's Atacama Desert, a place that is considered the driest place on Earth. The initial plan was to cover 70km per day but conditions have not made that easy to achieve, and the journey is now taking longer than expected.

When we last checked in with Ray, he was suffering with some nasty blisters on his feet and was forced to not only take a day off, but go slow on his return to the trail. The harsh desert hasn't helped to ease the suffering either, as 50ºC (122º F) temps have been the norm and high winds have challenged Ray's progress in the past few days.

The Atacama Extreme is just the most recent expedition to fall under the impossible2Possible umbrella. The organization reaches out to thousands of students, in hundreds of classrooms, around the world. Their aim is to educate and inspire those students through adventure, while showing them some of the most amazing places on the planet. Previous i2P projects have taken those students to the Amazon, Tunisia, the South Pole and beyond. It is a great organization that really does a fantastic job of reaching out to schools.

Ray still has a ways to go before he is done, although he is indeed closing in on the southern point of the Atacama. Check out the video below, which is actually from a few days back, to get a sense of what he has been dealing with while he has been running.



Day 14-15 Atacama Extreme from GOi2P on Vimeo.

Atacama Extreme: Blisters Bring The Suffering

We're now a week into the Atacama Extreme, which is an expedition that has been undertaken by explorer Ray Zahab who is attempting to run the length of Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest place on the planet. So far, the pace has been exactly what he expected, as he has covered roughly 70km (43 miles) per day, but that hasn't come without a price. Ray has been suffering with a massive blister, which has rubbed his foot raw, and as a result, yesterday he was forced to take some time off to let it heal. This is, as you can imagine, a bit of a frustration for the man who has run across the Sahara, gone to the South Pole on foot, and traversed the length of Lake Baikal in the dead of winter.

The video below gives you an idea of what exactly Ray has been dealing with while he has run the past few days. Clearly the desert has taken its toll on his feet. Since our last update on the run, Ray has moved through a region that was full of deep gorges and has found his way out onto the salt flats that the Atacama is so well known for. He has also found a set of abandoned railroad tracks that have helped lead the way through some of the more remote areas, but despite that, the desert still presents a considerable challenge, although the expedition remains on track to finish up later this week.



Day 7 Atacama Extreme from GOi2P on Vimeo.

Atacama Extreme: Website Goes Live, Run Begins Friday

Last week I told you about the Atacama Extreme expedition, which will feature endurance runners and adventure athletes Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely running the length of the Atacama Desert in Chile. Last night the official website for the run went live just days before the two men head off to South America to start their adventure.

You can check-out the expedition's website at AtacamaExtreme.com. At the moment, the site contains several videos, one on training for running through the desert and two gear related videos. The first of those takes a look at preparing your footwear for a winter run and a desert run, and the second shows Ray organizing his gear for the upcoming trek. There is also a placeholder link on the site that will display the team's journal as the run unfolds and they share their experiences with those of us back home who are following along.

As I've mentioned before, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet due to the fact that it falls into the rain shadows of both the Andes Mountains and the Chilean Coastal Range. Those two mountain ranges create a barrier on either side of the region which prevents storms from bringing rain to the area. As a result, some part of the Atacama haven't seen rain in centuries.

Kevin and Ray expect to arrive in Chile on Thursday of this week and will start the run on Friday. They'll begin in the northern part of the desert and head south, covering roughly 70km (43 miles) per day on foot. That's the equivalent of a marathon plus 17 more miles. They'll also be carrying their gear with them and have planned water stops along the way to help keep them hydrated, which will be a constant issue throughout the course of the run. If all goes as planned, they'll wrap up the expedition in the first week in February.

This adventure, like all of Ray and Kevin's other expeditions, is being conducted under the impossible2Possible banner, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating and enriching student experiences across the globe. i2P delivers cultural, geographic, and environmental messages through fantastic adventures in far flung places. On this expedition alone they expect to reach more than 16,000 students, which is a very impressive feat in and of itself.

More to come as the expedition unfolds.

impossible2Possible Team Prepares To Run Atacama Desert

Adventure endurance athletes Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely are in the final stages of preparing for their next expedition, and will soon be setting out for one of the most extreme environments on the planet. The duo have already traveled on foot to the South Pole and set a speed record for crossing Lake Baikal in winter, but now have turned their attention away from frozen climes to take on a completely different challenge. Beginning next week, the impossible2Possible ambassadors will begin an 1100km (683 mile) run along the length of Chile's Atacama Desert.

The plan is for Ray and Kevin to arrive in Chile on Thursday, January 20th and begin the expedition the following day. They'll start in the northern region of desert and head south, taking a light and fast approach to the run, which will follow some of the same footpaths that ancient Inca messengers used centuries ago. They hope to average about 70km (43 miles) per day across the length of the journey, which is expected to wrap up in the first week of February.

Described as the driest place on the planet, the Atacama Desert sits in the rain shadow of the Andes Mountains and the Chilean Coastal Range. Those two mountain ranges act as walls, preventing storms from passing through and delivering moisture to the region. As a result, there are portions of the desert that have not seen any measurable amount of rain in recorded history.

As is usual with any i2P expedition, this will also be an educational experience. More than 16,000 students, in classrooms around the globe, have signed up to follow along and to learn  more about the environment that Ray and Kevin will be running through. The impossible2Possible mission has always been to educate and inspire through adventure, and they have been doing an excellent job in that department for several years now, sending teams to far flung places like Tunisia and the Amazon as well. This Atacama Extreme expedition seems poised to continue that legacy.

Good luck to both Kevin and Ray as they set out next week. Looks like it's going to be another grand adventure!