> South America
I have now had the pleasure of several visits to the Atacama region in northern Chile. The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth. It receives very little rainfall, although some water flows from springs underground and feeds the salars that are scattered over the desert area. The locations range in altitude from 7,500 feet to nearly 16,000 feet on the altiplano. Some of the volcanos at the crest reach 20,000 feet. Featuring salt, snow, sand and stone, there are many surfaces to enjoy. Locations including the Valle de la Luna, the vast salt areas at Chaxa and Laguna Tebinquiche, the beautiful high altitude lagunas and unusual desert wetlands are all fascinating and offer many visual possibilities. Sunrises at the El Tatio geyser field add to the range of possibilities. With all this, the Atacama is truly an amazing place.
