MAGIC IN THE DESERT

San Pedro de Atacama

The Atacama Desert- a magical place that exists between the Andes Mountains and the Chilean Coast Range.  San Pedro de Atacama is the driest, non-polar desert in the world, composed of sand, salt flats, rocky terrain, and dried lava flow.  (I must say, some of my pictures really do not give San Pedro de Atacama justice, for it is one of the most breathtaking destinations I have ever seen!)

How to get there: The Atacama Desert is a short flight north of Santiago.  You first fly into Calama, and from there take an hour bus ride into the town of San Pedro de Atacama.

Since I was traveling backpacker style, I stayed at a hostel called Hostal Rural- located in the town center (last pic above).  The hostel was in a great location- super close to restaurants, shops, and attraction hubs.  The town itself was tiny- comprised of mostly  dirt roads and clay huts.  The aesthetic and authentic feel of the small, but lively, town made me feel like I was in a different world.

Since San Pedro de Atacama is known for it’s breathtaking landscapes, I recommend booking tours upon arrival. 

The first tour was the Tatio Geysers- a tour not for the faint of heart!  The bus picked me up at 4:30am (yes, in the morning!) and we arrived at the geyser location around 6am in time for sunrise.  The geysers were absolutely amazing, however, I was FREEZING.  The temperature was about -5 Celsius, and I definitely did not bring enough clothing for the arctic temp.  I was beyond cold during the duration of the tour, but still managed to take some pictures.  (see below!)  Once back on the bus, we were able to warm up with some hot tea/coffee.  Our tour bus took us around to some other hidden gems in the desert, and eventually to a tiny town called Caspana- a town with only 400 people.  The weather change is drastic (however, I went in July when it was winter) where the temperature is freezing at night, but about 23 Celsius during the day.  I highly recommend to bring a mix of clothing- be prepared for frigid temps, as well as very dry, warm heat.

Below is a video from one of the tours through the desert.  Pictured in the background is an active volcano!

Atacama from Natalie Thomas on Vimeo.

HOLA, BUENOS AIRES

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The first night of my trip was an absolute world-wind!  I flew into Buenos Aires, Argentina and had less than 24 hours to explore the city.  With that being said, my friend Kelsey and I thought the best way to quickly see the city was by bike!  The tour we booked was through BA Bikes - a four-hour tour that takes you all over Buenos Aires.  We made multiple stops where our bike leader was also our tour guide, providing historic and culture facts about the diverse city.

My favorite neighborhood we biked through was La Boca.  La Boca is comprised of the most colorful streets in all of Buenos Aires!

After our bike tour, we went back to Milhouse Hostel to get ready for dinner.  Even though I was there only a night, this hostel provided a fun environment and is booming with backpackers from all over the world.  (They also have a hostel in Cusco!)

My only dinner in Buenos Aires was at La Cabrera Sur La Cabrera Sur, which I HIGHLY recommend!  Kelsey and I split a steak dinner, where the portion size was enough for four people.  {Not to mention the wine is amaze}.  Imported from Chile, we split only $25 for a bottle of Malbec, which is equivalent to $100+ in the United States!

Mas vino, por favor!