Explora Atacama

AM: 8:30 AM (approx.): Santiago de Chile Flight to Calama, Chile – If just arriving in Chile on an international flight and planning to proceed immediately to Atacama, travelers typically make their connection at the Santiago International Airport (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport [SCL]), which will fly onward to the airport in Calama Chile (CJC), the closest airstrip to San Pedro de Atacama.

Otherwise, if you’re already in Chile and continuing your tour of the country, Surtrek representatives will privately drive you from your hotel to the Santiago airport, where they will assist you with your luggage and help you with checking in for your flight to Calama, the airport closest to your destination.

In either case, plan on arriving and checking in at the airport at least one hour before your 2-hour morning flight to Calama.

PM: 1:00 PM (approx.): Departure for the San Pedro Oasis & the Explora Atacama Lodge – Upon landing at the Calama airport, uniformed Explora guides and staff will be there to welcome you in the luggage claim area. As they offer you a choice of refreshing juices, you’ll find the service throughout to be warm, considerate, friendly and refreshingly unstuffy.

After being assisted with your luggage, you will head off on a 1-1/2-hour private drive through the scenic Atacama Desert.

En route to San Pedro de Atacama, you will be served a delicious box lunch consisting of homemade baked goods, Chilean specialties, hot coffee, and fresh juice.

After passing through the oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama, you will then continue for about a mile to the Explora Atacama Hotel, which blends seamlessly into the terracotta-colored-walled roadway.

2:30 PM (approx.): Arriving at the Explora Atacama Hotel – Reaching the lodge, you will be led to your room, where you will have time to unpack, get settled in, shower and relax. No matter which of the three categories of rooms you choose (a Catur suite, a Yali room, or a Tulur room), each provides

marvelous slate floors, whitewashed adobe walls, wooden beam ceilings (some with skylights), and a wall of windows boasting Andes Mountain views. Bright yellow hues and blue tones — said to ward off evil spirits — and bold plaid bedspreads add to the homespun feeling.

4:00 PM (approx.): Ayllus Horseback Riding – Having had a chance to catch your breath, we will mount up for a quick 1–1/2-hour introductory horseback ride around the San Pedro oasis to four ayllus (meaning “family settlements” or “communes” in the ancient Quechua language of the Incas).

Some 15 of these ayllus continue to exist around San Pedro de Atacama, each faithfully embodying the peaceful agrarian way of life of the ethnic Lickan Antay people. As these small communities have remained relatively intact for millennia, you’ll see homes built with straw roofs and adobe, as well as thousand-year-old irrigation channels that water family gardens.

5:30 PM: Return to the Lodge – Making our way back to the lodge, you’ll have time to dust yourself off, shower, rest up and relax before dinner.

7:30 PM: Welcome Dinner – Tonight, your welcome dinner will be served at Explora’s open-air restaurant, where before dining you’ll find on your table a welcome pot of chachacoma tea – a local remedy to ease your adjustment to the Altiplano altitude. Shortly after, you’ll be served a sophisticated Andean fare, whether quinoa tabbouleh, empanadas, and chupe de mariscos (a seafood stew).

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Later this same evening, your guide will discuss the excursions planned for the next day. In this briefing, they will explain the places you will visit, as well as details about the history, cultures, and geography of the Atacama.

In addition, your guide will offer useful tips on what to bring, what to wear, and what you can expect so you are fully prepared when we head out from the lodge for some Ayllus bicycling in the morning.

9:00 PM: Socializing / Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – After a long and hectic day, you may wish to sit across from one of the lodge’s outdoor lounge areas to sip a post-dinner drink under the stars. The lounge bar offers a range of excellent Chilean wines, spirits and a Pisco sour made with locally grown leaves of the Rica-rica plant.

AM: 7:00 AM: Wake-up Call / Buffet Breakfast – The day begins early in the Atacama, as there’s much to see and do! You’ll get a wake-up call about sunrise and have at least an hour to shower and dress before going to breakfast. Today’s early morning dining experience at Explora Atacama takes advantage of local produce to create breakfast dishes that are light and tasty. In addition, international breakfast standards like pancakes and French toast will be in the buffet.

8:00 AM: Ayllus Bicycling – This morning, get in gear to ride off on a mountain bike to the Beter archeological site, one of the first settlements of the prehistoric Atacameño people. While the scenery along the way is nothing short of spectacular, you’ll also find that this cultural park’s purpose is to promote the ancestral memory of the original peoples through a host of activities. Getting off your bike, you’ll have a chance to visit the site and learn about this fascinating local history.

Next, we’ll continue to the Solor ayllu (“settlement”) for authentic cultural contact with the community and to visit the village’s tiny desert bookstore, the first rural book store in Chile. We’ll then return to the hotel by bike.

11:00 AM: Return to the Lodge / Free Time – Cycling back to the lodge, you’ll have time to shower, rest up and relax before lunch.

PM: 1:30 PM: Buffet Lunch – In the Explora Atacama dining room, choose from at least a half-dozen options; perhaps an Asian-inspired lunch featuring spring rolls with shrimp, or maybe a dorado fish grilled with peppers and onions. And what about preceding any of this with a salad entree made with queso de cabra (local goat cheese), shrimp, and merkén – a Mapuche condiment made from red smoked chili peppers?

3:00 PM: Spa & Lodge Lounging – Surrounded by pampas grass and other local flora, the Explora’s four pools are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the quiet of the desert after a demanding morning Exploration. The temperature in any one of these pools ranges from 77°F to 82°F (25°C to 28°C). In the nearby area are the sauna, steam baths, and four outdoor hot tubs. In addition, after an exhilarating morning excursion and a filling lunch, you can choose to invigorate your body and soul in the lodge’s Turi Puri Spa – a truly revitalizing experience with a soothing range of options (extra). In any case, you’ll have all afternoon to rest up and relax.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – For tonight’s dinner, you can choose the main indoor dining room or the outdoor dining room. Explora Atacama created this variety of settings where guests are in the company of interesting people while savoring gourmet-class cuisine.

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Tonight, your personal guide will again outline the details of the next day’s activities at the chilly Tatio Geysers, recommending what you should bring, and giving more details on the history and geography of the Atacama.

9:00 PM: Evening Massage – At the Explora’s massage center, located near the hotel in a restored colonial-era adobe-straw building, discover a new level of inner peace, outer harmony, and revitalized energy. Named “Turi Puri” (which means “House of Water” in Kunza, the language of the area’s early inhabitants), this center invites you to choose from a well-honed menu of classic massage treatments (extra). Or, crank up the romance level with an under-the-stars couple’s massage.

AM: 5:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast – An early breakfast will be served buffet-style, featuring cheese, cereal, ham, yogurt, bread, and muffins, as well as scrambled eggs topped with linseed, homemade bread, fresh juices, espresso coffee and muesli with yogurt and fruit.

6:00 AM: Tatio Geysers – The Atacama Desert is an endless wonderland when it comes to natural geology, and the El Tatio Geysers prove just that! You’ll have to get up early to enjoy the show just as the sun comes up, which is when El Tatio is most impressive, given the angle of light that casts through the haze while steam billows from the ground.

Driving off before sunrise, we’ll spend the whole morning exploring the largest geothermal field in the southern hemisphere. Referred to by locals as “Grandpa crying,” the Tatio Geysers sit at 2.7 miles (4,321 m) above sea level and consist of some 70 beautiful fountains of water and steam spewing into the air. Along with these are 60 pools of boiling water and bubbling mud, in addition to a number of natural hot springs and small fumaroles (openings in the ground that emits steam and gases).

Once at the Tatio Geysers, you’ll also have a chance to bathe in an artificial swimming pool specially installed in the geothermal field.

This is also a good chance to appreciate the unique plant and animal life that has adapted to this extreme environment. So, on the way and once there, keep your eyes peeled for llama-like vicuñas, foxes, wild donkeys, and flamingos, among many other species.

PM: 1:30 PM: BBQ Lunch – Just a short walk from the hotel itself is Explora’s “Quincho” – an inviting BBQ pit on the patio of a renovated, traditional adobe house near the hotel. For your welcome lunch, like on other special occasions, the lodge’s culinary team will get together with guests to cook-up a traditional lunch of split-roasted-lamb, beef, and fish, as well as other local dishes – all accompanied by Andean music, song and dance performances by accomplished local artists.

1:30 PM: Dunas de la Chula Horseback Riding – This afternoon, you’ll find yourself galloping across one of the most spectacular and dramatic landscapes on earth! Mounted on horseback, you’ll fit in perfectly with the Wild West appearance of the picturesque desert where time has clearly stood still. One of the Explora’s most popular rides is Dunas de la Chula, where you’ll gently walk (or canter)

across sand dunes and past rock formations, with the immense Andes mountains and a salt lake on the horizon.

We’ll first saddle up and ride to the Salt Ridge, crossing the San Pedro River to the Chula Dunes, where you’ll have a panoramic view of the Andes Mountain Range and the San Pedro oasis. From there, we’ll follow a dry riverbed to the Dinosaurs Valley, eventually returning to the Explora Hotel by riding across the pampa …a completely satisfying afternoon ride.

7:30 PM: Gourmet Dining – Like all nights, dinner will be simply world-class. You’re sure to enjoy a menu of fresh, delicious Chilean fare (with a bit of continental influence), whether served in the dining room or the al fresco lounge. Promising to be a culinary feast for the senses, this evening’s dinner will be paired with select South American wines, or freshly pressed juice if you choose.

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Your personal guide will outline the details of tomorrow’s morning activities, explaining the place you will visit and what you’re likely to experience at the Puritama Hot Springs Reserve.

9:00 PM: Socializing & Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – Relax in comfy couches and overstuffed chairs as you enjoy the free open bar while sharing stories about your Atacama excursions with other guests.

Before turning in for the night, you can also do some final stargazing in the Atacama skies from the lodge’s observatory.

AM: 7:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast – A savory international breakfast will be served this morning, with a range of excellent buffet options. You’re sure to find that the level of comfort, service, and breakfast cuisine on offer is truly exceptional, especially in such a challenging environment.

8:00 AM: Puritama Hot Springs Reserve – The high Andean starry nights, combined with the cold Atacama winds, can chill unprepared travelers to the bone. Happily, however, these mountains are volcanic and pour forth the planet’s heat into a series of steaming pools, the Explora-owned Puritama Hot Springs (the name “puritama” simply means “hot water” in an ancient, pre-Inca tongue, suggesting that these medicinal springs have been used for millennia). With high concentrations of relaxing lithium and minerals that accord all sorts of health benefits, these warm waters are guaranteed to mellow you out. Temperatures hover around 33°C (91°F), so they aren’t ridiculously hot, making daytime visits a treat. For easy access, the spring’s 8 pools are easily accessible by boardwalks.

12:00 PM: Lunch – After a busy morning at the hot springs, we’ll return to your hotel for an authentic Chilean lunch of ceviche, salads, grilled tuna, rice and beans prepared by experienced chefs. Due to the numerous excursions that guests go on, the hotel’s cooking staff is always focused on providing travelers sufficient “fuel” for each day’s journeys. Indeed, food on an Atacama vacation is key to enjoying the desert properly!

PM: 1:30 PM: Piedra de la Coca Mountain Biking – We’ll leave by bicycle to the Catarpe Valley along a road that goes up to the Salt Ridge. After riding through an ancient tunnel, we’ll begin a descent taking us to a point along the large network of commercial routes that the ancient Atacameño people built to link themselves to other regions, such as the coast and the Bolivian Altiplano. The traces of these prehistoric inhabitants of San Pedro are still visible today in rock, where they made mysterious inscriptions representing foxes, flamingos, and lamas, but also human beings.

One of these is a ceremonial petroglyph called the Piedra de la Coca (“the Stone of Coca”). Once here, it’s possible to not only see this stone art but also walk where the people of this bygone civilization did thousands of years ago. At the same time, you’ll appreciate the beautiful, natural formations of the Salt Mountain Range (Cordillera de la Sal). We’ll continue our trip to the stony Paciencia Plains, and pass through the scenic Mars Valley on our way back to the hotel.

5:30 PM: Free Time – After cycling back to the lodge, you’ll have plenty of time to shower, rest up and relax before dinner.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – For tonight’s dinner, you might select mushroom quinoa risotto or lamb with tabbouleh and hummus, as the chef’ focus is firmly fixed on using innovative techniques and a modern approach to both the flavor and presentation of these dishes, while also staying true to regional recipes and seasonal ingredients.

8:30 PM: Guide Tour & Departure Briefing – Your guide will give an evening briefing, reliving the events of the day and explaining what you will experience in the Atacama tomorrow. Over drinks, you’ll have the chance to chat with your guide about their experiences and pick their brains for their zoological and ornithological knowledge.

As you will be leaving the next day, the guide will also tell you what to expect at the airport and provide other useful information.

9:00 PM: Astronomy Experience – Nowhere on Earth is better for stargazing than Chile’s Atacama Desert, where super-observatories have opened up to a wave of astro-tourists seeking unpolluted skies.

To provide its guests with unparalleled opportunities to observe the heavens, the Explora Hotel developed its own observatory – a different way of exploring the universe above. Tonight, you’ll zoom

in on everything from a single or double star to a nebula, a cluster, or even a galaxy. This new look at the heavens begins with a brief explanation of the stars and the main constellations before you start observing them for yourself using the lodge’s telescope.

AM: 7:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast & Packing up – For your final breakfast at Explora, join everyone in the main dining room and order up some eggs any way you like …even benedict- or omelet-style with your choice of filling. In addition to international breakfast standards like pancakes and French toast, Chilean specialties will also be in the buffet.

8:00 AM: Punta del Inca Hike – Today, we’ll continue to get up-close and personal with the beauty of the Atacama Desert. Starting out the day, we’ll drive by van through 13 miles of scenic desert to reach the Guatín ravine and the small settlement of the same name at the junction of the Puritama and Purifica rivers. Here, at the source of the Vilama River, we will begin a 2-½ hour trek along a canyon known as the “Valley of the Cacti,” so called due to the existence of its giant cacti. Cutting across the canyon, we’ll cross the river several times, descending along different waterfalls.

On this hike, you’ll once again experience an incredible place that offers the breathtaking scenery, bizarre landscape, unique ecosystem, and amazing opportunities to explore some of the desert’s hidden gems in a way that only hiking provides.

PM: 1:30 PM: Lunch – The lodge’s dining room gives you the choice of enjoying a leisurely lunch inside or by the pools, where your meal will be paired with a slightly chilled glass of Chilean white wine as the sun warms your body.

3:00 PM: Drive to the Calama Airport – After lunch, as you’re driven back to the airport in Calama, enjoy your last look back at the spectacular Atacama Desert, a unique region of inspiring natural wonders.

4:30 PM: Departing Flight to Santiago de Chile – Reaching the Calama Airport, Explora staff will be on hand to help you with your luggage, get you your boarding pass, and help you check in. At the airport’s security gate, your guide and Explora staff will say goodbye, truly hoping that you enjoyed your stay and your Atacama travel experience.

If you’re like most travelers to Atacama, your departing flight will take you back to the city of Santiago, the capital of Chile, where you will be met by Surtrek representatives if planning to continue your tour in the country (otherwise, you’ll be able to easily catch your connecting flight home or onward).

AM: 8:30 AM (approx.): Santiago de Chile Flight to Calama, Chile – If just arriving in Chile on an international flight and planning to proceed immediately to Atacama, travelers typically make their connection at the Santiago International Airport (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport [SCL]), which will fly onward to the airport in Calama Chile (CJC), the closest airstrip to San Pedro de Atacama.

Otherwise, if you’re already in Chile and continuing your tour of the country, Surtrek representatives will privately drive you from your hotel to the Santiago airport, where they will assist you with your luggage and help you with checking in for your flight to Calama, the airport closest to your destination.

In either case, plan on arriving and checking in at the airport at least one hour before your 2-hour morning flight to Calama.

PM: 1:00 PM (approx.): Departure for the San Pedro Oasis & the Explora Atacama Lodge – Upon landing at the Calama airport, uniformed Explora guides and staff will be there to welcome you in the luggage claim area. As they offer you a choice of refreshing juices, you’ll find the service throughout to be warm, considerate, friendly and refreshingly unstuffy.

After being assisted with your luggage, you will head off on a 1-1/2-hour private drive through the scenic Atacama Desert.

En route to San Pedro de Atacama, you will be served a delicious box lunch consisting of homemade baked goods, Chilean specialties, hot coffee, and fresh juice.

After passing through the oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama, you will then continue for about a mile to the Explora Atacama Hotel, which blends seamlessly into the terracotta-colored-walled roadway.

2:30 PM (approx.): Arriving at the Explora Atacama Hotel – Reaching the lodge, you will be led to your room, where you will have time to unpack, get settled in, shower and relax. No matter which of the three categories of rooms you choose (a Catur suite, a Yali room, or a Tulur room), each provides marvelous slate floors, whitewashed adobe walls, wooden beam ceilings (some with skylights), and a wall of windows boasting Andes Mountain views. Bright yellow hues and blue tones—said to ward off evil spirits—and bold plaid bedspreads add to the homespun feeling.

4:00 PM (approx.): Ayllus Horseback Riding – Having had a chance to catch your breath, we will mount up for a quick 1–1/2-hour introductory horseback ride around the San Pedro oasis to four ayllus (meaning “family settlements” or “communes” in the ancient Quechua language of the Incas).

Some 15 of these ayllus continue to exist around San Pedro de Atacama, each faithfully embodying the peaceful agrarian way of life of the ethnic Lickan Antay people. As these small communities have remained relatively intact for millennia, you’ll see homes built with straw roofs and adobe, as well as thousand-year-old irrigation channels that water family gardens.

5:30 PM: Return to the Lodge – Making our way back to the lodge, you’ll have time to dust yourself off, shower, rest up and relax before dinner.

7:30 PM: Welcome Dinner – Tonight, your welcome dinner will be served at Explora’s open-air restaurant, where before dining you’ll find on your table a welcome pot of chachacoma tea – a local remedy to ease your adjustment to the Altiplano altitude. Shortly after, you’ll be served a sophisticated Andean fare, whether quinoa tabbouleh, empanadas, and chupe de mariscos (a seafood stew).

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Later this same evening, your guide will discuss the excursions planned for the next day. In this briefing, the guide will explain the places you will visit, as well as details about the history, cultures, and geography of the Atacama.

In addition, the guide will offer useful tips on what to bring, what to wear and what you can expect so you are fully prepared when we head out in the morning for your full-day Cuenca del Salar overland tour.

9:00 PM: Socializing / Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – After a long and hectic day, you may wish to sit across from one of the lodge’s outdoor lounge areas to sip a post-dinner drink under the stars.

The lounge bar offers a range of excellent Chilean wines, spirits and a Pisco sour made with locally grown leaves of the Rica-rica plant.

AM: 7:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast – For your first desert sunrise, sit down to a sumptuous buffet breakfast featuring a wide variety of dishes. Why not try the quinoa with apples and cherimoya juice for the perfect tasty fuel for a day of physical exertion?

8:00 AM: Cuenca del Salar Overland Tour – Leaving by van, heading south of San Pedro de Atacama, we will first visit the desert village of Toconao, whose colonial white-stone buildings contrast with the red-dune Atacama Desert surroundings. Strolling through the ancient settlement’s tranquil streets, you’ll discover the traditional handcrafts produced by the indigenous population, whose main source of living depends on raising livestock such as llamas. Visiting Toconao’s San Lucas Church, you’ll observe its remarkable adobe bell tower and its rustic-yet-intricate cactus-wood door and joists.

Leaving the village behind, we’ll then head to the Jere Valley, where you’ll come upon the awe-inspiring Toconares Canyon. Thanks to the special microclimate and the mountain streams that flow into this canyon, it’s an oasis of lush green vegetation in the heart of the parched Atacama Desert. From the edge of the canyon, you’ll have a magnificent view of another sharp contrast: this time the difference between the ravine’s colorful fruit trees and the surrounding red-rock landscape.

The last leg of this 4-1/2-hour tour takes us to the vast Salar de Atacama salt flat, a spectacularly beautiful setting that’s dotted with clear-water lagoons. Part of this expansive mineral plain is the Chaxa Lagoon, inhabited by both Andean and James flamingos. Wandering along the water’s edge, you can observe these magnificent creatures feeding in their natural habitat.

PM: 12:30 AM: Return to the Lodge

1:00 PM: Lunch – The lunchtime dining experience at Explora Atacama takes advantage of local produce, filling the menu with innovative twists on north Chilean cuisine. With the potential for warm days and the hotel’s high-altitude location, the lodge’s expert chefs create dishes that are light and tasty, complementing local traditions with fresh, colorful salads, Peruvian corn, quinoa, and a range of appetizing meat or vegetarian mains.

2:30 PM: Explora Spa & Turi Puri Massage Room – Surrounded by pampas grass and other local flora, the Explora’s four pools are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the quiet of the desert after a demanding Exploration. The temperature in any one of Explora’s four (4) pools ranges from 77°F to 82°F (25°C to 28°C). In the nearby area are the sauna, steam baths, and four outdoor hot tubs.

In addition, after an exhilarating morning excursion and a filling lunch, you can choose to invigorate your body and soul in the lodge’s Turi Puri Spa – a truly revitalizing experience with a soothing range of options (extra). In any case, you’ll have all afternoon to rest up and relax.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – Tonight’s dinner will be in the main indoor dining room or the outdoor dining room – the choice is up to you. Explora Atacama created this variety of intimate indoor and outdoor settings for guests to be in the company of interesting people from around the world, savor fine dishes and recipes, and sample the hotel’s incredible selection of Chilean wines.

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Your personal guide will again outline the details of tomorrow’s activities, explaining the places you will visit and providing more details on the history and geography of the Atacama.

9:00 PM: Socializing / Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – After a long day, you may wish to sit across from one of the lodge’s outdoor fire-pits to sip a post-dinner drink under the stars. The lounge bar offers a range of excellent Chilean wines, spirits and a Pisco sour made with locally grown leaves of the rica-rica plant. Then too, the lodge also has its own observatory and telescope for stargazing in the Atacama’s famously clear skies.

AM: 8:00 AM: Wake-up Call / Buffet Breakfast – We’re sure getting up every morning here won’t be all that hard, especially when you consider what awaits you in the lodge’s dining room. Breakfast will be served buffet-style, featuring cheese, cereal, style, ham, yogurt, bread, and muffins, as well as scrambled eggs topped with linseed and served with homemade bread, muesli with yogurt and fruit, espresso coffee and fresh juices …plenty of delectable options to fuel you up for the day ahead.

9:00 AM: Ruta del Agua Hike – Setting off from the lodge on a short drive, we will then hike to the Puritama National Reserve, backdropped by the striking views of the Andean Mountain Range. After crossing several creeks — the habitat of the elusive Andean cat — we will eventually reach the reserve’s Eden-like hot springs.

11:00 PM: Picnic Lunch – While at the Puritama National Reserve, Explora Atacama’s expert chefs will serve you a light and tasty picnic lunch, complementing local traditions with fresh, colorful salads, Peruvian corn, quinoa and a range of appetizing meat or vegetarian main dishes.

PM: 12:30 PM: Puritama Hot Springs Reserve – Though cold Atacama winds can chill the unprepared travelers to the bone, fortunately these volcanic mountains pour out the planet’s heat into a series of steaming pools.

You’ll experience this at the Explora-owned Puritama Hot Springs (Note: the name “puritama” simply means “hot water” in an ancient pre-Inca tongue, suggesting that these medicinal springs have been used for millennia). The high concentrations of relaxing lithium and minerals are said to accord all sorts of health benefits and sooth well-worked muscles. Temperatures in the hot springs hover around 91°F (33°C), so they aren’t ridiculously hot, making this daytime visit a treat. For easy access, the spring’s eight pools are easily accessible by boardwalks.

After enjoying the pools, in the early afternoon we’ll walk across the creek to Guatín, better known as the “Valley of the Cacti” (Valle de los Cactus), called this because of its abundance of cactus reaching heights of over 20 feet. From there, you will be driven back to the Explora desert hotel.

5:00 PM: Return to the Lodge / Free Time – Returning to the lodge, you’ll have time to enjoy the hotel’s first-class services and amenities – whether the Turi Puri Massage Center or the Explora bar, where you can meet with fellow explorers to unwind and talk about this morning’s experiences.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – The lodge’s cuisine is high-end, varied, and beautifully presented at every meal. Tonight, seafood devotees will swoon over superb fresh local fish, giant prawns, and lobster, while vegetarian selections and fresh-baked gluten-free bread and rolls are always available. Soft drinks, selected South American wines, beer, cocktails, spirits, and espresso and cappuccino are of course complimentary.

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Your personal guide will again outline the details of tomorrow’s activities, explaining the places you will visit and recommending what to bring along on your next day’s Moon Valley excursion.

9:00 PM: Socializing & Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – As every afternoon and evening, guests have the run of a free open bar, including a selection of eminently sippable Chilean spirits. Softly lit, decorated with artwork by local artisans, and dotted with comfy couches and overstuffed chairs, the indoor bar is just the place to curl up in as you work your way through the wine list and mingle with other international travelers.

AM: 7:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast – A savory international breakfast will be served this morning, with a range of excellent buffet options. You’re sure to find that the level of comfort, service, and cuisine on offer is truly exceptional, especially in such a challenging environment.

8:00 AM: Moon Valley Horseback Riding Tour – Saddling up your Chilean steed, we’ll leave out from the Explora stables, riding southwest to the vast desert plain and crossing the jaw-dropping Salt Mountains (Cordillera de la Sal). Soak up the stunning scenery as you walk, trot, canter or even gallop, feeling closer to nature than ever before. We’ll ride through this area of sand and stone formations that have been sculpted over the ages by erosion, intense heat, water and wind to today display spectacular colors and textures.

After riding to the top of high sand dunes, we’ll continue through a labyrinth of canyons only accessible by horse or on foot. At a relaxed pace — or a little faster if you wish it — you’ll ride through these amazing surroundings with the sense that you’re in an otherworldly setting, which is obviously why it’s called “Moon Valley.” Reaching the heart of the valley, you’ll take a little break to enjoy the place and take some stunning pictures.

PM: 1:00 PM: Picnic Lunch – For lunch, we will ride our horses to the ayllu settlement in Cúcuter, an oasis whose colors contrast with the desert landscape and where the whitish colors of the Atacama salt flat begin to appear.

Once there, the cooking staff of the Explora restaurant will serve you a specially prepared Andean and Chilean picnic lunch for your riding excursion. You can opt to try one of the local specialties like parrilladas (a mix of grilled meats), or seafood risotto, Mediterranean-style salad and Chilean staples such as pastel de choclo (maize casserole).

4:30 PM: Return to the Lodge / Free Time – After riding our horses through a stunning canyon, we’ll make our way back to the lodge, where you’ll have plenty of time to rest up, relax and shower before dinner.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – For tonight’s dinner, you might select mushroom quinoa risotto or lamb with tabbouleh and hummus, as the chef’s focus is firmly fixed on using innovative techniques and a modern approach to both the flavor and presentation of these dishes, while also staying true to regional recipes and seasonal ingredients.

8:30 PM: Briefing on the Next Day’s Activities – Your personal guide will again outline the details of tomorrow’s activities, explaining the places you will visit and how to prepare for your early morning Tatio Geysers expedition.

9:00 PM: Astronomy Experience – Nowhere on Earth is better for stargazing than Chile’s Atacama Desert, where super-observatories have opened up to a wave of astro-tourists seeking unpolluted skies.

To provide its guests with unparalleled opportunities to observe the heavens, the Explora Hotel developed its own observatory – a different way of exploring the universe above. Tonight, you’ll zoom in on everything from a single or double star to a nebula, a cluster, or even a galaxy. This new look at the heavens begins with a brief explanation of the stars and the main constellations before you start observing them for yourself using the lodge’s telescope

AM: 5:00 AM: Buffet Breakfast – An especially early breakfast will be served buffet-style, today perhaps featuring cheese, cereal, style, ham, yogurt, bread, and muffins, as well as scrambled eggs topped with linseed, homemade bread, muesli with yogurt and fruit, espresso coffee and fresh juices.

6:00 AM: Tatio Geysers – The Atacama Desert is an endless wonderland when it comes to natural geology, and the El Tatio Geysers prove just that! You’ll have to get up early to enjoy the show just as the sun comes up, which is when El Tatio is most impressive, given the angle of light that casts through the haze while steam billows from the ground.

Driving off before sunrise, we’ll spend the whole morning exploring the largest geothermal field in the southern hemisphere. Referred to by locals as “Grandpa crying,” the Tatio Geysers sit at 2.7 miles (4,321 m) above sea level and consist of some 70 beautiful fountains of water and steam spewing into the air. Along with these are 60 pools of boiling water and bubbling mud, in addition to a number of natural hot springs and small fumaroles (openings in the ground that emits steam and gases).

Once at this chilly site, you’ll also have a chance for some warm bathing in a swimming pool specially installed in this volcanically heated geothermal field.

This is also a good chance to appreciate the unique plant and animal life that has adapted to this extreme environment. So, on the way and once there, keep your eyes peeled for llama-like vicuñas, foxes, wild donkeys, and flamingos, among many other species.

PM: 1:00 PM: Lunch – Back at Explora Atacama for your mid-day meal, you’ll find the lodge’s master chef will have prepared a noontime culinary journey that’s every bit as exciting as what you’ve seen at the Tatio Geysers this morning. This gastronomic adventure is sure to introduce you to more local favorites.

2:30 PM: Catarpe Mountain-Biking – Mountain biking to the San Pedro River, this afternoon we’ll follow its course north to the Catarpe Valley. Passing an ancient fortress called Quitor pukará, we’ll then bike along zigzagging paths between striking rock formations.

After reaching the Salt Ridge and crossing the Garganta del Diablo (“Devil’s Throat Canyon”), we’ll turn around and return to the Explora Hotel along the same route.

5:00 PM: Return to the Lodge / Free Time – Following a soothing shower to wash away the desert dust, you can meander around the lodge’s grounds to meet the hotel’s own “horse whisperer,” Gaela, who supervises the breeding, raising, breaking, feeding and care of the hotel’s horses. Or, before dining, you may want to simply sit out on your balcony …camera in hand.

7:00 PM: Gourmet Dining – Like all nights, dinner will be simply world-class. You will be able to enjoy a menu of fresh, delicious Chilean fare (with a bit of continental influence), whether served in the dining room or the al fresco lounge. Promising to be a culinary feast for the senses, this evening’s dinner will be paired with select South American wines, or freshly pressed juice if you choose.

8:30 PM: Briefing with your guide on Next Day’s Activities – Hot springs, volcano climbs, mountain biking through desert canyons, and exploring ancient Incan ruins and petroglyphs are just a few of the 40 adventurous excursions offered at Explora Atacama, always led by a highly trained personal guide from the area.

Like every night, you’ll meet briefly with your guide for details on tomorrow’s mountain biking activity to the Piedra de la Coca.

9:00 PM: Evening Massage – At the Explora’s massage center, located near the hotel in a restored, colonial-style, adobe-straw building, discover a new level of inner peace, outer harmony, and revitalized energy. Named “Turi Puri” (which means “House of Water” in Kunza, the language of the area’s early inhabitants), this center invites you to choose from a well-honed menu of classic massage

treatments (extra). Or, you might want to crank up the romance level with an under-the-stars couple’s massage.

AM: 7:00 AM: Wake-up Call / Buffet Breakfast – A gentle announcement will let you know it’s time to wake up and get ready for another amazing day ahead. A savory international breakfast will be served this morning, with a range of excellent buffet options. You’re sure to find that the level of comfort, service, and cuisine on offer in such a challenging environment is truly exceptional.

8:00 AM: Piedra de la Coca Mountain Biking – We leave by bicycle to the Catarpe Valley along a road that goes up to the Salt Ridge. After riding through an ancient tunnel, we’ll begin a descent that will take us to a point along the large network of commercial routes that the ancient Atacameño people built to link themselves to other regions, such as the coast and the Bolivian Altiplano.

The traces of these prehistoric inhabitants of San Pedro are still visible today in rock, where these past denizens made mysterious inscriptions representing foxes, flamingos, and lamas, but also human beings. One of these is a ceremonial petroglyph called the Piedra de la Coca (“the Stone of Coca”).

Once we’re here, it’s possible to not only see this stone art but also walk where the people of this bygone civilization did thousands of years ago, while appreciating the beautiful natural formations of the Salt Mountain Range (Cordillera de la Sal). We’ll continue our trip to the stony Paciencia Plains, and then pass through the scenic Mars Valley on our way back to the hotel.

11:00 AM: Return to the Lodge / Free Time – Returning to the lodge, take a few moments to revel in the tranquility of being removed from the rest of the world.

PM: 1:00 PM: Lunch – As the focus at Explora Atacama is health and wellness, the hotel ensures only the freshest local ingredients are used to prepare your daily meals. Today, the Explora restaurant and its friendly staff will offer a menu of Andean and Chilean cuisine that caters to any dietary requirement. From the a la carte menu you can select from local specialties like sizzling parrilladas (mix of grilled meats), seafood risotto, Mediterranean-style salad and Chilean staples such as pastel de choclo (maize casserole).

2:30 PM: Spa & Lodge Lounging – Take a swim in one of the Explora’s four outdoor pools and its four outdoor Jacuzzi while gazing out onto the beautiful Catarpe Valley and its red-stone mountains. Surrounded by pampas grass and other local flora, these pools are the perfect place to relax and enjoy the quiet of the desert after a demanding Exploration. The temperature in any one of the four pools ranges from 77°F to 82°F (25°C to 28°C). In the nearby area are the sauna, steam baths, and four outdoor hot tubs.

In addition, after an exhilarating morning excursion and a filling lunch, you can choose to invigorate your body and soul in the lodge’s Turi Puri Spa – a truly revitalizing experience with a soothing range of options (extra). In any case, you’ll have all afternoon to rest up and relax.

7:00 PM: Farewell Dinner – The Explora Atacama lodge will mark your last evening by pampering you with some of the region’s u

traditions of Chile is truly a comprehensive gastronomic, cultural, and historical adventure. Alternatively, select one of the carefully prepared contemporary international dishes that use the wild choices of fresh ingredients that the Atacama region has in store. In either case, the Explora will offer exceptional service for your ultimate farewell indulgence.

8:30 PM: Guide Tour & Departure Briefing – Your guide will give an evening briefing, reliving the events of the day and explaining what you will experience in the Atacama tomorrow morning. Over drinks, you’ll have the chance to chat with your guide about their experiences and pick their brains for their zoological and ornithological knowledge.

As you will be leaving the next day, the guide will also tell you what to expect at the airport, and provide other useful information.

9:00 PM: Socializing & Relaxing / Turning in for the Night – Following an already full day, you may want a nightcap before retiring. The perfect spot for this is the lodge’s outdoor lounge, where you’ll witness a kaleidoscope of stars and other heavenly bodies in the clearest Chilean sky.

As the temperature dips to become somewhat chilly, the roaring fire in the lounge bar makes for a warming and convivial spot in the evening. A sense of place is also created by the traditional Inca artworks and wall-hangings.

AM: 6:30 AM: Buffet Breakfast & Packing up – For your final breakfast at Explora Atacama, join everyone in the main dining room and order up some eggs any way you like …even benedict- or omelet-style with your choice of filling. In addition to international breakfast standards like pancakes and French toast, Chilean specialties will also be in the buffet. Following breakfast, you’ll have time to pack your luggage and take a good last look around the lodge.

8:00 AM: Punta del Inca Hike – This morning, we’ll continue to get up-close and personal with the beauty of the Atacama Desert. Starting out the day, we’ll drive by van through 13 miles of scenic desert to reach the Guatín ravine and the small settlement of the same name at the junction of the Puritama and Purifica rivers.

Here, at the source of the Vilama River, we’ll begin a 2-½ hour trek along a canyon known as the “Valley of the Cacti,” so called due to the existence of its giant cacti. Cutting through the canyon, we’ll cross the river several times, descending along different waterfalls.

On this hike, you’ll once again experience an incredible setting filled with breathtaking scenery, bizarre landscapes, unique ecosystems, and amazing opportunities to explore some of the desert’s hidden gems in a way that only hiking provides.

PM: 1:30 PM: Lunch – The lodge’s dining room gives you the choice of enjoying a leisurely lunch inside or by the pools, where your meal will be paired with a slightly chilled glass of Chilean white wine as the sun warms your body.

3:00 PM: Drive to the Calama Airport – After lunch, while you’re being driven back to Calama, enjoy your last look back at the spectacular Atacama Desert, a unique region of inspiring natural wonders.

4:30 PM: Departing Flight to Santiago de Chile – Reaching the Calama Airport, Explora staff will be on hand to help you with your luggage, get you your boarding pass, and help you check in. At the airport’s security gate, your guide and Explora staff will say goodbye, truly hoping that you enjoyed your stay and your Atacama travel experience.

If you’re like most travelers to Atacama, your departing flight will take you back to the city of Santiago, the capital of Chile, where you will be met by Surtrek representatives if planning to continue your tour in the country (otherwise, you’ll be able to easily catch your connecting flight home or onward)