San Pedro de Atacama and Iquique

After a good month in Bolivia, there were some things we had to get used to in Chile. For example, the currency: 1 CHF is equivalent to about 650 Chilean pesos. It was so confusing that we had no sense of the prices and had to calculate every time we wanted to buy something, no matter how small. In addition, the price level in Chile is significantly higher than in Peru and Bolivia. The times of a 2-course lunch menu with a drink for CHF 2.50 are definitely over ;)

Our first stop in Chile was San Pedro de Atacama. The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world and has some unique landscapes to offer. From huge sand dunes, we overlooked rugged rock and sand landscapes and walked through the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley). In this place, you actually feel like you are in the crater landscape of the moon. We went on a bike ride along a river in the desert, where plants were sprouting all over the valley floor. Finally, we also wanted to visit one of the star observation centers, as this region offers optimal conditions for observing stars and planets due to its dryness and low light pollution. But unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate and there were always too many clouds.

After a long time in the mountains, the jungle, and the desert, we once again longed for the sea. So we made a side trip to Iquique on the Chilean Pacific coast. We enjoyed some relaxing days at the beach, surfed, and took a trip to a small village nearby.