One of the most famous and impressive deserts in the world is the Atacama Desert, in Chile.
Between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range, other wonders of nature, lies this strange and hypnotic place that can be visited. But What clothes to wear to visit the Atacama Desert?
Atacama Desert
The desert has about 105 thousand square kilometers of surface, a maximum width of 80 kilometers and a length of almost 600 kilometers.
Specialists say It was formed three million years ago. What we see is actually an ancient seabed. The extremely dry condition is due to the so-called Föhn effect, produced by a very dry wind that appears downwind of a mountain range and blocks precipitation.
This, combined with other climatic conditions, means that in the Atacama Desert It only rains once every 15 or 40 years, they even say that four centuries have passed without a drop of water. There is not much difference between the seasons here, but The nights are cold and during the day it can easily be 50ºC or 25ºC, depending on the area.
The Atacama Desert is a wonderful compendium of Martian valleys, salt plains, spewing geysers, hot springs, volcanoes and pristine skies day and night.
What to wear in the Atacama Desert
When packing to visit the desert We have to think about what kind of activities we are going to do. There you can climb dunes, walk along flat salt flats, relax in a hot spring or contemplate the fabulous night sky on cold nights.
Another detail is that You have to pay attention to two points: altitude and climate.The Atacama reaches altitudes of over 4 meters, it hardly ever rains and you can hardly count on there being clouds (which is why sunscreen is essential).
And well, like most deserts here The mornings are cold, the days are warm and the nights are very cool. So, you have to dress in layers to be able to cope with and resolve the different temperatures of the day.
Thinking of What clothes to wear to visit the Atacama Desert we can start with the feet. What type of shoes should I wear? You must wear some regular sneakers, a pair of climbing shoes, some boots and a pair of sandals.
Climbing shoes are necessary if you are going trekking, for example, to withstand intense walks. Merrel, for example, has many cool models. And if you wear regular shoes you will have no problem walking like a stroll through the Mars Valley, for example.
Now, at night it gets cold so if you can bring some warm boots better. The terrain is rocky or sandy everywhere so there's no need to wear any fancy shoes. And finally, Sandals are ideal for moving around the hotel or doing activities near the pool.
For girls my advice is to wear brassier, bra, sports bras. During the day activities will make us sweat and there is a lot of dust so a couple of sports bras are great. You can also bring sports shirts They are good with perspiration and dry quickly, and they are also light.
It is also advisable to bring some light cotton coat for the mornings, until the sun starts to warm up. Sports shorts and long pants, maybe one of those that are made into Bermuda shorts would be a good idea.
And there would be no lack of one sweater for evenings or afternoons, long sleeves. For this time of day a jean is ideal. And something warm that you can combine as well, especially if you are going to look at the stars or want to be more dressed up during dinner at the hotel. It must be said that most of the hotels in Atacama have a swimming pool so a Swimwear you will need. There are also hot springs and lagoons where you can swim.
In short, it is about wearing several sets of clothes you can wear like an onion, preferably a windbreaker. Sportswear is best because it is light, allows perspiration to pass through and dries quickly. But cotton clothing and some wool sweaters are also recommended.
Finally, the accessories you can't forget. I speak of hats, sunglasses, a backpack small, gloves, a scarf, a reusable water bottle, sunscreen, A good camera or a mobile phone with a good camera, binoculars and plug adapters (in Chile the current is 220V50HZ).
Keep in mind that this destination is very hot, with extremely strong sun and there are areas where shade is practically non-existent. A small backpack is super useful because you can put the clothes you take off, sunscreen, water, a towel, some snacks in it...
A first aid box Is it a good idea? Yes, always, like on any trip, but beyond what you use regularly you can bring some sunburn cream, altitude medication, eye drops, lip balm and facial moisturizer since the wind and the sun and the dryness of the environment wreak havoc on the skin.
One last thing: if you are a photographer or are planning to record the beauty of this place in the best possible way I would say that a tripod is super necessary. The use of drones here is limited since flying inside Chilean national parks is prohibited, so be careful. However, outside of national parks and on the roads it is authorized so you will still get wonderful images.
El Atacama Desert It is a wonderful destination. Stay a few days, do as many activities as you can but please don't miss the stargazing. It makes you think that not long ago, a century ago, the world would turn off at night and we could all contemplate the wonderful universe in which our world floats. This must be one of the best and most special gifts that this destination will give you for you to treasure forever.