Fire & ice The Atacama Desert is a place of extremes: sharp volcanoes line the horizon, wide open pools of salt lie underfoot and sand dunes sweep up to topazblue skies, whilst at night the sky lights up to reveal some of the world’s best star gazing. Among the driest places on the planet, the Atacama may look inhospitable but llamas and alpacas roam the high terrain and the soil produces multi-coloured corn, quinoa and purple potatoes. Patagonia, far to the south, is the land of explorers and adventurers. Saddle up and join the gauchos for the most authentic view-point of wild and windy pastures. Stark, dramatic, and epic landscapes surrounds you, high granite peaks circumnavigated by condors, wide open plains where pumas prowl and guanacos call out. Step back from the rush of 21st century life into a place practically untouched by time, a place where nature rules and you feel the power of the elements as ice, snow and wind have literally moulded the landscape around you. Turn the page for some excellent recommendations for stays combining these two beautiful regions, easily reached by flights from the capital, Santiago... Chile is the world’s narrowest country sandwiched between the mighty Andes and stretching for 4,300km along the cold currents of the Pacific. From the arid north through the lush midlands to the frozen south, it is a country of extraordinary variation and beauty. For trekkers and lovers of wild, open spaces it is a sublime destination. A land of extremes - Atacama to Patagonia 8
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