Atacama Desert & Awasi Hotel

Think of me as the new travel ambassador for the country of Chile.  I have never been to a destination where I felt compelled to tell everyone I see to visit this part of the world.  We had never gone on a trip with just one other couple (Jill and Dave) so that was special in itself.  Two nights in Santiago was perfect - a city tour, a day trip to Valparaiso full of color and murals, 2 amazing dinners and very nice rates at the Mandarin Oriental.  But five nights in the Atacama Desert (1.5 hour plane ride north of Santiago) is nearly indescribable.  The layers of natural beauty we experienced are thanks to the Andes mountains and geologic history that resulted in the Salt Mountains, Valley of the Moon, Mars Valley, lagoons full of pink pelicans and Dead Sea-like floating to name just a few landscapes.  Add to that the earth’s best star viewing (70% of the world's telescopes are located there), fantastic, dry weather, gorgeous sunsets and elevations of 8K+  feet to keep you feeling fit.  The 12 adobe villas at the Awasi Hotel each come with a private guide who takes you out on twice daily excursions.  The level of care and connection to each customer was evident throughout our stay.  And everything is included in the price (even cleaning your dusty boots each day) so your mind is as calm as the nature surrounding you.