The Atacama Desert can help you lose yourself in the infinite reaches of the desert and marvel at the primal, timeless beauty of nature.
In the northern part of Chile lies one of the most spectacular and intriguing deserts in the world: the Atacama Desert. This arid and magnificent place, often called “the most beautiful desert in the world,” offers a unique and unforgettable travel experience for adventurers and nature lovers everywhere. With its moon-like landscapes, turquoise lagoons and majestic volcanoes, the Atacama Desert can make for a fascinating exploration sure to enchant any and all travellers looking for some adventure and discovery.
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Discover the Atacama Desert, the most beautiful desert in the world
The moon-like landscapes of the Atacama Desert
As soon as you set foot in the Atacama Desert, you are immediately struck by the unreal beauty of its moonscapes. The vast expanses of sand, rock and salt stretch as far as the eye can see, creating a breathtaking, evocative backdrop. Eroded rock formations, rolling dunes and deep canyons further enrich the mystical ambience of this desert environment. Come sunset, the desert blazes up in shades of red and gold, offering a breathtaking spectacle to anyone lucky enough to witness it.
Extraordinary biodiversity and geology
Despite being such an arid locale, the Atacama Desert is nonetheless home to some surprising natural treasures, including lagoons of spellbinding beauty. The high-altitude lagoons, such as Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Chaxa will dash your expectations with their sparkling turquoise waters, which stand in sharp and magnificent contrast with the surrounding desert landscape. What’s more, these lagoons are home to a fascinating array of wildlife, including colonies of pink flamingos that add a splash of colour to an already spectacular painting.
The intense geothermal activity under the Atacama Desert springs forth above steaming geyser fields, where jets of hot water shoot up from the earth in a roaring display. The Tatio geysers, one of the largest geothermal systems in the world, can provide you with a striking experience if you’re willing to get up extra early to be able to see them at dawn. What’s more, the majestic volcanoes that dominate the horizon add a dramatic dimension to this already spectacular landscape, offering the more adventurous among us the opportunity to embark on trekking or mountaineering expeditions to explore these snow-capped peaks.
The Atacama Desert, an ideal place to go stargazing
Far from all light pollution, the Atacama Desert has the ideal conditions to engage in stargazing. With deep black skies and clear, unobstructed nights, it has become a favourite destination for amateur and professional astronomers from all over the world. You can enjoy guided tours in state-of-the-art observatories to discover the mysteries of the universe and see the constellations, planets and galaxies in all their twinkling splendour.
FAQs
The Mojave Desert is one of the most beautiful deserts in the world because it's the only place visitors can find Joshua Trees on Earth. Visitors will also experience hundreds of native species of animals, and a stunning display of spring blooms which literally carpet the desert floor.
What is the prettiest desert in the world? ›
The Mojave Desert is one of the most beautiful deserts in the world because it's the only place visitors can find Joshua Trees on Earth. Visitors will also experience hundreds of native species of animals, and a stunning display of spring blooms which literally carpet the desert floor.
What is the number one desert in the world? ›
1. Antarctic Polar Desert. Antarctica is the largest continent, as well as the largest desert in the world. This frigid wasteland dominates the South Pole with a massive surface area of 5.5 million square miles ( 14.2 million square kilometers).
What is the most unique desert in the world? ›
The 10 Most Unique and Mysterious Deserts
- Atacama Desert (Chile)
- Antarctic Desert.
- Namib Desert (Namibia)
- Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)
- Gobi Desert (Mongolia/China)
- Lençóis Maranhenses (Brazil)
- Taklamakan Desert (China)
- Wadi Rum (Jordan)
The Sahara is the largest desert in the world, spanning over 9 million km2 in North Africa across a dozen countries. The climate is extremely arid with temperatures that can reach over 50°C during the day and fall below zero at night.
Which Arizona desert is called the most beautiful desert in the world? ›
Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful deserts in America is the Sonoran Desert. This picture is from an area of no special designation (as say, Saguaro National Park) but is typical of the beauty you can find all over the area. This is from an area near Redfield Canyon in the Galiuro Mountains, southern Arizona.
Which desert region is known for its beauty? ›
In the northern part of Chile lies one of the most spectacular and intriguing deserts in the world: the Atacama Desert. This arid and magnificent place, often called “the most beautiful desert in the world,” offers a unique and unforgettable travel experience for adventurers and nature lovers everywhere.
What are the top 3 deserts in the world? ›
List of deserts by area
| Rank | Name | Location |
|---|
| 1 | Antarctic Desert | Antarctica |
| 2 | Arctic Desert | Eastern Europe Northern America Northern Asia Northern Europe |
| 3 | The Sahara | Eastern Africa Middle Africa Northern Africa Western Africa |
| 4 | Great Australian | Australia |
30 more rowsThe Sahara Desert
And the temperature is beyond sweltering: The mercury regularly tops out around 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) in summer.
What is the hottest desert in the world? ›
The Hottest Desert in the World
The title of hottest desert goes to the Lut Desert in Iran. In 2005, temperatures reached a scorching 70.7°C (159.3°F)! Death Valley in California is often a contender for hottest desert, but it doesn't quite reach the same scorching highs as Lut.
Sahara Desert stretches 9,200,000 square kilometers (5,716,615 square miles) across Africa and is the largest hot desert and the most visited desert in the world.
What is the oldest desert on Earth? ›
The Namib Desert in southwestern Africa is considered the oldest desert on Earth. It also gives rise to some of the planet's tallest dunes. Many of the highest dunes are found within the Namib Sand Sea, a section of the desert that spans 34,000 square kilometers (13,000 square miles) of coastal Namibia.
Which is the golden desert in the world? ›
Sahara Desert
The Sahara is renowned for its towering sand dunes, vast rocky plateaus, and occasional oases that serve as vital lifelines in this arid landscape. The golden hues of the Sahara at sunset paint a mesmerizing picture of one of the most iconic deserts on Earth.
What is the coldest desert in the world? ›
The largest desert on Earth is Antarctica, which covers 14.2 million square kilometers (5.5 million square miles). It is also the coldest desert on Earth, even colder than the planet's other polar desert, the Arctic.
Where is the best desert to visit? ›
Atacama is probably the best all-round desert travel location. From the El Tatio geysers and the hot springs at Miscanti to watching the sunset over Moon Valley – some of the experience are extraordinary. There's also plenty to do including hiking, horseback riding, stargazing and safaris.
Which is the dearest desert in the world? ›
The most expensive dessert is The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate ice cream sundae costing $25,000 (£12,000), which was added to the menu of the Serendipity 3 restaurant, New York, USA on 7 November 2007. The dessert uses a fine blend of 28 cocoas, including 14 of the world's most expensive.
Where is the greatest desert in the world? ›
As already mentioned, Antarctic Desert is the largest desert in the world, it is located in the southern hemisphere in the continent of Antarctica. It expands across 14,000,000 kilometres(5,500,000 square miles). Do you know which is the largest desert in India?
What country is 90% desert? ›
Libya's climate is Mediterranean along the coast and dry in the desert interior; more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert.
Is the Sahara Desert beautiful? ›
The Sahara is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and it's home to some of Morocco's most important historical monuments. The desert is also home to some of the world's most unique and fascinating wildlife, such as the Saharan cheetah.
