The Atacama Desert (Spanish: Desierto de Atacama) is a desert plateau located on the Pacific coast of South America, in the north of Chile.Stretching over a 1,600-kilometre-long (1,000-mile) strip of land west of the Andes Mountains, it covers an area of 105,000 km 2 (41,000 sq mi), [2] which increases to 128,000 km 2 (49,000 sq mi) if the barren lower slopes of …

Jan 28, 2025 · Atacama Desert, cool, arid region in northern Chile, 600 to 700 miles (1,000 to 1,100 km) long from north to south.Its limits are not exactly determined, but it lies mainly between the south bend of the Loa River and the mountains separating the Salado-Copiapó drainage basins.To the north the desert continues to the border of Peru.. A line of low coastal mountains, the Cordillera de la Costa ...

Jan 5, 2022 · Tiny towns with big appeal include Pica, a desert oasis near Iquique that grows the limes used in pisco sours, and Putre, a high-altitude Aymara village near Arica on the overland route to Bolivia. The best time to visit the Atacama Desert. Unlike the rest of Chile, there’s really no bad time to visit the Atacama Desert.

Feb 12, 2019 · Wedged between two mountain ranges along Chile's coast, the Atacama Desert is the oldest and driest desert in the world. It has also provided scientists with a wealth of research opportunities.

Jan 6, 2024 · San Pedro de Atacama is on the border of Chile and Bolivia, which makes it easy to drive from the desert to Bolivia’s salt flats, the largest in the world. Chris VR/Travel + Leisure How to Get ...

Jan 31, 2024 · The surprising fauna in the Atacama Desert. In the Atacama Desert, animals live near wetlands, salt flats, and lagoons, which are the scarce water sources in the area. South American camelids, including llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas, are examples of animals adapted to high altitudes and extreme conditions. Where to see llamas in Chile

Mar 1, 2024 · The Atacama Desert, situated in northern Chile, is not just any ordinary arid region. Spanning over 600 miles (965 km) along the Pacific Coast of South America, it is one of the most extreme landscapes on the planet. Thanks to certain oceanic conditions, there are areas that have received zero rainfall throughout recorded history, …

Jan 4, 2017 · The Atacama Large Millimeter Array, located north of Santiago, Chile, in the Atacama Desert, is an international astronomy facility that uses high-precision antennas to advance scientific ...

Aug 27, 2024 · Chile’s Atacama Desert, often heralded as the driest desert on Earth, presents an otherworldly landscape that stretches across the northern regions of Chile. Its unique geographical location, nestled between the Andes Mountains and the Chilean Coast Range, creates a natural barrier that blocks moisture from both the Pacific Ocean and the ...

Oct 23, 2021 · The driest nonpolar desert on planet Earth, northern Chile's Atacama Desert is like a Martian landscape that's nestled between the Andes Mountains and South America's Pacific coast. Right between Chile and Peru rests the Atacama Desert. Although it’s not exactly what you would call tiny (its area is over 41,000 square miles), in the public ...