The Atacama Desert is so dry that only towering cacti and the hardiest of grasses can survive. As stark as it is, it’s magnificent; the warm hues of the earth, the otherworldly beauty of its nature-sculpted canyons and the lonely volcanoes on the horizon are hard to resist.

Both the El Tatio Geyser Field, with 80 active geysers, and the Salar de Atacama with its flamingo-dotted salt flats are fascinating day trips whilst, at night, the Atacama demonstrates why it is one of the world’s top destinations for star-gazing, with a jaw-dropping display.