Tierra Atcama - Jan 31 to Feb 4

This is very much an activity hotel.  When we arrived, we were immediately sat down with the Activities Manager in front of a giant map of the region and he ran through what we could do in our 3 days here.  We elected for a series of walks, a sunrise visit to the nearby (well, 90km and at 4,300 m) geysers, a horse ride and a bicycle ride.

View from dining room - slightly obscured!

All meals, drinks, activities etc. are included in the price, so we are trying to make the most of it!  The view from the dining room (where I am writing this blog) is to die for and the staff are great.

We have now done a couple of sensational walks - one up a river, culminating in swimming in its natural hot springs....

River in the Atacama?

More of the same

Wonderful Pampas grasses

In the canyon

Objective - hot springs

...and the other, through what they call the 'Devil's Gorge' - a river bed which has sculpted the local terrain into what looks like something from Petra in Jordan.

Top of the 'Devils Gorge'

Down on the bed

These hills are mainly made from alluvial deposit and volcanic rock.
Most of them simply crumble when climbed on and they erode at
one hell of a rate.



























The highlight however has to be the early evening ride we did into the desert, which incorporated dramatic scenery, superb riding and a super-hunky guide (according to Pip) - Marcos.

Marcos - the guide

We had a blast and were given free rein to go where we wanted and at whatever speed once we hit the desert.

Tally Ho!

James on way to salt lake

 There was also a really fun 18k bike ride, mainly along dirt tracks - and the scenery was once again, totally different.  With views of the Andes in the background, it was more akin to riding through Savanna grasslands in Kenya.  Philippa and Jemima joined James for the last 5K and we all ended up at a large salt lake, which was about a meter deep.  To say we went for a swim would be to exaggerate.  We sat down in the water which was so dense with salt, that we literally sat there with crossed legs and floated.  It was like sitting in a very comfortable chair!

Finally, we all went on the big trip to the geysers.  This involved us getting up at 5:00am, leaving at 5:30, driving for 2 hours and then touring the geysers as the sun came up.  Come 5am, the alarm goes off and at 5 minutes past, the phone rings; "are you coming, if so, we are ready to go" said the voice at the other end.  We had been given the wrong time!  You have never seen 3 people move so fast - luckily we had all prepared the night before - and we were at reception by 5:15, only to then discover that we were the only people going!


The trip was well worth while.  We de-bussed at around 7:15 at 4,300 meters, and it was minus 2 degrees.  It was becoming lighter by the minute and we were given a great tour by Nico, our guide for the morning.  There are quite a number of separate geysers, some larger than others.  There is even a natural swimming pool up there where a few had taken the plunge.  The trick then is not to get out until the sun is up, at which point the temperature rises rapidly.

To avoid the departing rush (once the place starts to warm up, the geothermic activity subsides quite rapidly and everyone leaves) we were given breakfast on-site with the hot chocolate being heated in one of the springs - it was certainly hot.
Although we only spent 3 days at the hotel, we thought that the service and people were outstanding.  Each activity was well planned with some lovely touches (like containers of hot water to wash of the salty water at the lake) and all contingencies catered for.  It certainly gets our  vote!

A scavenging fox which came right up the the vehicle.

Vicunya by the road