San Pedro de Atacama is less than an hour from the Bolivian border. As soon as we cross the border and pay our 15 bolivianos (gbp 1) we transfer into 4x4 jeeps for our three-day Atacama desert crossing. We're warned that things don't work that well in Bolivia and this is apparent when my decrepit vehicle doesn't want to start. It takes the driver an hour to work out that the battery is flat and needs jump starting.
The Atacama is the driest desert in the world so I'm expecting three days of sand and rocks but it isn't like this at all. Once on the road we pass through some of the most beautiful and varied landscapes I have ever seen - multi-coloured mineral lagoons, mountains, volcanoes, geysers, sand dunes etc. We drive along rugged tracks as there's no defined road so the journey is rough all the way. But I have that same happy feeling I had in Torres del Paine.
Our first stop is the Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde, almost adjacent to each other. The former is graced with a handful of flamingos while Laguna Verde's jade waters sparkle dreamily. Next we pass by Licancabur volcano which has the highest lagoon in the world on its summit. We're at 4200 metres and although I'm feeling fine it doesn't take much more than walking on slight incline to leave me breathless.
In the afternoon we stop by some jagged rocks protruding from the sand, known as the Dali rocks. These rocks inspired one of Salvador Dali's paintings. At 4850 metres we reach the bubbling and steaming 'Sol de Manana' (Morning Sun) geysers. Our last stop before we stop for the night is the Laguna Colorada, a magnificent lagoon with flaming red, algae-coloured waters.
We stop off for the night at the Hostal San Bernardo, a basic concrete shell in the middle of nowhere. Most of us are suffering a little from the altitude and are finding it difficult to do much more than walk a few yards. It's a quick dinner of spaghetti bolognese before I retire to my seven-bed dorm at 9.30pm.
(Photo - Laguna Blanca)
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