In the Atacama Desert among Sepulveda's roses

After landing at El Loa di Calama airport in Antofagasta, we head straight for the Laguna de Baltinache, where the turquoise waters of its liquid mirrors reflect the bizarre shape of the clouds. The concentration of salt in them is so high that one floats without making any movement. The many paths in the Atacama Desert allow you to be on time at the viewpoints from which you can admire the sunset, which rages with all its red hues over the Cordillera. After spending the night in San Pedro de Atacama, having had breakfast in the restaurants along Calle Caracoles, we leave early for the village of Talabre to discover the spectacular Kezala Gorge with local indigenous guides who will share the story behind the various rock engravings that the Lickan Antay civilisation has dedicated to representations of Patta Hoiri, Mother Earth. They are also adept at spotting the stars that appear by the billions in the clear skies of the Atacama Desert. On the other hand, in the Catarpe Valley, one can also ride a rented bicycle in San Pedro de Atacama, without fear of getting lost in the barren heaths of a dry landscape, but also rich in naturalistic surprises such as the thermal springs of Puritama with their hot waters in which it is very pleasant to immerse oneself. It is precisely this alternation between desert scenery and lagoons that makes one fall in love with the Atacama: the stretches of water of Miscanti and Miñiques, nestled between the Andes, in the surroundings of the village of Lickan Antay de Socaire where, as in past centuries, maize is cultivated on terraces, alpacas are bred and wool is woven, as well as the Cejar Lagoon that changes colour at different times of the day, arouse the most vivid delight. Finally, the steaming geysers in El Tatio, which number eighty and are located at an altitude of 4,300 metres above sea level, must also be visited.